Today, here in the self-proclaimed Land of the Free, California’s Supreme Court upheld Proposition 8, a ban on same-sex marriage that barely passed into law on November 4, 2008. I am so incredibly sad – my words die on my lips. So I am re-publishing the post I wrote on November 5th.
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Excuse Me While I Rant
Disclaimer: As I write this I am angry, disappointed and confused. I am struggling to make sense of my emotions. Nothing I say is meant to offend or condemn anyone else.
In the wake of the great change that awaits this nation upon the election of Barack Obama, I am left feeling happy for the nation, and sad for my great state of California.
As I type this, Proposition 8 has a 52% affirmative vote. We wait for the final 4.6% of our votes to be counted, but the chances of it failing are slim at this point. In light of the 20% gap between the yes and no votes on Proposition 22 back in March of 2000, I am happy to see that we have covered so much ground in the last 8 1/2 years.
But, as a Christian, I am left with doubts about my religion. About the bible I have read and loved. For the first time in my life, I am ashamed to say I am a Christian.
We are taught to use our bible and our faith as a moral compass through the forest of life. But as I walk, how can I ignore the signs around me, telling me that I am no longer heading North? The compass tells me I am walking the path of righteousness, and yet. The sun and the stars, the moss on the trees, my very own heart, mind and gut tell me the compass is wrong.
How can I continue to support a religion that preaches to love thy neighbor, judge not, and accept free will, and in the very same breath works hard to oppress people they don’t even know, in the name of God? Regardless of what the bible says about homosexuality, this is NOT the Christian United States of America, and people have FREE WILL for a reason. Just as I am FREE to be a Christian, so should other people be FREE of the shackles of my beliefs. How does one person’s choice to love and marry another effect my life, my marriage, my religious beliefs?
I was one of those kids in history class who just knew she would have been one of the brave people to stand up for civil rights in the 1950’s, regardless of how her family, neighbors or church felt. Heather’s brother Kyle pointed out that most of us probably felt that way.
There are places in this country where they still believe people of color are less than. They quote bible scriptures that affirm their beliefs in their minds. I have heard it with my own ears, seen it with my own eyes. These past few weeks I have heard and seen bible verses thrown at other people as a weapon – people who are just trying to live their lives in the best way that they can, just like everyone else – and tell them that they will take away their rights based on those scriptures.
I am appalled. I am sad. I am terribly, terribly confused. I stand at a great precipice in the course of my life, and I must choose my compass wisely.
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12 replies on “Land of the Free”
Amen then and Amen today! My state is so uptight and craptastic, it would never pass here. It kills me that a more open minded state could still poop it all up.
Amen. I feel so many of the same things you do. It just makes me sad that anyone thinks they have the right to tell someone else that they cannot marry the person they love. As you said, how does that really affect any of us.
Wonderful post, and I fully agree. I posted today about watching Milk last night. We need to accept all people regardless of reace, color, or sexual preference. Who are we to say they shouldn’t marry, or love each other. Homosexuality dates back centuries and centuries. This is nothing new!
i completely agree with you! i don’t get it for sure. i have a hard time with the fact that we are even given the choice to decide. individuals should be able to decide what they want to believe and how they want to live their lives. i shouldn’t have to make those decisions for anyone else.
Good idea to post this again. The whole things confuses and saddens me. I just don’t understand.
Well written. There are so many inconsistencies and hypocrisies it is unreal.
Thanks for republishing this. I couldn’t agree more. Sad, sad day…
Wow, I never knew that Land of the Free. That’s pretty interesting…
Wow, Andrea. That was beautifully written and articulated. I am not a woman of faith. I would typically refer to myself as an atheist, perhaps an agnostic sometimes. I really agree with what you said there. We are all free to choose our own path, with whichever beliefs we hold dear, and should not impinge on another’s rights to do the same. Beautiful. Great job.
Wow. Very well written and poignant. I grew up Mormon and knew that its teachings were not for me on many levels, but first and foremost because I felt that in its drive to teach people to be holy and righteous by God, it actually created attitudes and “moral” compasses that led people in the complete opposite direction with very anti-Christ-like virtues. As you said, “How can I continue to support a religion that preaches to love thy neighbor, judge not, and accept free will, and in the very same breath works hard to oppress people they don’t even know, in the name of God?”
I was taught that God loves everyone. Oh – but not EVERYone, just the ones “He” deems good enough? Weren’t people (and aren’t people STILL) saying this about African Americans not too long ago? Have we not learned anything? Are we still this ignorant? I hope not.
It’s confusing to me how people can’t a) see the hypocrisy and b) separate the religion from the state.
Thank you for saying it so eloquently.
Wonderfully said! It makes me so mad that people support Prop 8. Its not about being gay or straight. Its about equality. The Bible also says not to be a homicidal maniac, yet for some reason they are allowed to get married….
I know now CA is broke and bigoted. two more reasons to leave