I read an entry this morning from my dear friend Mandy Mullins, which not only made me feel so bad for her, but it also made me feel angry and frustrated with the world as a whole. She talked about a message she had received from her Aunt, basically condemning the poor girl for sticking to her guns, and stating what she knows in her heart and mind to be the truth about homosexuality. This woman actually told Mandy;
"I don't know what has happened to you to believe that homosexuality is o.k. You can argue your points all you want, but you KNOW that it goes against the Bible and Christianity - plain and simple. You have always known that, every church you have ever attended has preached that, and you know it now. I pray that you will again realize that. I love you and pray you again see the truth."
I've had many discussions with Mandy about how she's afraid to reveal her true feelings about the subject to other members of her family, for fear of what their reactions might be if she did. I don't get it. I really do not get how family can do these things to family. Mandy, luv;
I do know how you feel, and what it's like. I've had similar experiences with people like my dad, my younger brother, and my grandfather. In two of those cases; I've been fed the excuse; that's how THAT generation thinks. Strangely enough, though, they've never been able to give me any solid answers as to why they think that way- they've only ever been able to give me examples of what the WORLD thinks about it. Rubbish like 'it's un-natural and against god' or 'it's Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve'. My mother and grandmother are the only ones who seem to understand or side with how I think and feel about it. In fact, in all the discussions I've had with my mother about it, she's said exactly what I think; 'live and let live'.
I've even gotten into discussions/debates with people about AIDS before- and that stunningly 80s mentality still exists, that it's 'their disease'! Bollocks is it! If there's one thing my own research has told me; it's that, from the word go, ever since that wretched virus reared its ugly head, it has taken out countless men, women, and children all across the world. Just because it started as a spread amongst the gay community, does not mean that any of its members are responsible for it. Society's cruelty has grown to such extremes that it seems as though homosexuality itself is regarded as a disease!
One example I can think to give of how ridiculous it is to say that being gay is 'against god' is this; there's a gay American actor I know of who lives down in London- who met a man- who just so happens to be a gay Christian, and has dedicated years of his life to the service of the lord, as a pastor working in places like South Africa, etc, for pro-LGBT events.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=XhpKgB…www.youtube.com/watch?v=OUF1uq…They love each other probably more than mere words can ever say, the actor has stated he found god because of this man- something he says has made him a better, happier person in his own eyes- and they moved to London so that they could get married. That's right; not a 'civil-partnership' or other terms I, frankly, despise! Married! An actual service, in front of friends and family, with rings and everything.
So, what's the one conclusion I can bring this rant to? The only advice I can think to give anyone who finds what I've said even remotely relevant to their own life is what Polonius says; 'above all to thyne own self be true!'
Livvie xxx