I’m calling Shenanigans

Unlike my esteemed colleague, I am, you may be surprised to know, not an atheist.

I’m a Christian. Lapsed by many a definition, though not in the ways that truly matter.

I found something worthwhile in the idea of a man who stood his ground and promoted peace, harmony and tolerance.
It doesn’t matter if he had a supernatural force backing him or not (though maybe that’s what it takes in this world).

The point is the core belief of the religion is those very same things. That you should respect people, lend a hand and be tolerant of all people.

The core lessons are sound. If you take away the spiritual reward system element, which I’ve previously stated I don’t agree with (You do the right thing because it’s right. That’s the point), then the idea of one man who saw what was right and tried to tell others is pretty good, and not a bad story.

Not really all that different from some guy on a Blog urging you to do the right thing. Just with more Romans.

My issue here is that the church doesn’t practice what it preaches. It is one of the LEAST accepting organisations on the planet. Their outlook on gay relationships alone is absurd.
Being gay is an affront to god? I’m sure there are many gay people out there who are actually far more spiritual and religious than the heterosexual heathen writing this entry.

That one point alone shoots down any teachings of ‘tolerance’. Somewhere along the way, these good teachings of truth, love, honesty, forgiveness and tolerance were taken by this insane organisation and twisted.
It’s tolerance on their terms. Forgiveness on their terms. Love! On. Their. Terms.

It’s wrong. It’s amoral and highly hypocritical.

Being gay doesn’t make you a bad person. Having sex outside of marriage doesn’t make you a bad person (though do be responsible). Using contraception doesn’t make you a bad person. Getting a divorce, for whatever reason, doesn’t make you a bad person.

I knew a person who lived with an abusive husband for some time. She finally got away from him and managed to get a divorce. Years later she found the true love of her life. A good and noble man. When they attempted to get married, the church wouldn’t allow it. She’d apparently violated the sanctity of marriage by cutting ties with a lunatic.

Anyone else see an issue?

From what I see, it’s not a church, it’s a damned private club.

-K