Hello all,
I've been itching to write something since last month, but as has become custom for my blogs, they are at this point centrally focused on different things going on in the news. Or at least that seems to be the direction I'm heading at the moment.
Now, with that said, I want to just offer some quick thoughts on President-Elect Obama's pick to have Pastor Rick Warren from Saddleback Church doing the invocation at the inaguration. It seems that there is some scuttlebutt out there surrounding this choice. People in the media, celebrities, and those who have a problem with those who practice any kind of religion seem to find it offensive, as though Obama's choice is shunning many of those who helped get him into office (mainly homosexuals). Much of these feelings come from the fact that Pastor Rick Warren's church does not allow homosexuals who are not willing to "repent" of their sin into their church. By allowing Rick Warren to conduct the invocation, they feel as though President Elect Barack Obama's choice is somehow lowering homosexuals to second-class citizens. My response: "wow, really!?"
It's time for me to get onto my moral and vocal stump and shout at the top of my lungs--my goodness people, LOOSEN THE HELL UP! Just because Barack Obama has chosen a man who happens to believe homosexuality is something that can be cured (like a disease), it does not detract from all the other good he and his church do on a daily basis. I mean, have you actually looked at the website--and I don't mean like go digging deep down, but just take a quick glimpse and suddenly you can see what good the church is doing in the community, and in the country. They have several programs geared to specific groups of people, all to help people in their everyday lives. They have an AIDs program, a program to help people who are down because of life, a program called the PEACE plan, that helps battle things like illteracy, and they have a orphan care program.
I have a real problem with people who have a real problem with people who believe in some form of religion. People like Bill Mauer who scuff at people because for some reason, they put their belief and faith into something bigger and better than what they are. Whether or not religion is a false hope created by society to express some meaning to our existence is not relevant. It is what it is--religion is here, and millions have some sort of faith. If somebody chooses to put their life's faith into that belief, then so be it. I get off on this tangent to say that there are many things that make up who we are as individuals, and for some liberal group of people to become "offended" because one particular belief goes against their "belief," or "lifestyle," is totally ridiculous--and I'm part of that lifestyle. I'm gay! It's hypocrasy almost.
Before returning to the point, I'm going to dig deeper, because this issue has been spooling inside me for years, even before coming as liberal as I am now. Why is that it's "okay" for anybody in the liberal agenda to have whatever belief they want, or choose to have, yet it's "never" okay for somebody to blindly put their beliefs into something such as faith in a god, and not be deemed "religious," or "naive," or better yet "closed-minded." Suddenly it's as though critical thinking is the only way we can accomplish goals in this country, and "make it better." Yet, whether or not those allies of mine who are liberal choose to believe it or not, this country was founded and has succeeded in many fashions with some moral fiber that has made it stronger. A moral fiber that I must admit is slowly being washed away by every stroke of political correctness we adopt. Whew, okay...what am I talking about?
The man, Rick Warren--he's a godly man. He puts his trust in God. He reads a religious book, the Bible, and lives by it. I respect that. He's held to his tennants. And as I've discussed in previous blogs, I've reconciled my religion (faith in God), and my homosexuality. So when I see the man I voted for (Barack Obama) give an invitation to Rick Warren to do the invocation at his election, I'm thrilled. Okay, so the man doesn't support my lifestyle--there are many who don't. There are many who don't believe as I do. It doesn't mean I'm right and they're wrong, any more than it means they are right and I'm wrong. So why are we going to hold back a great and respectable man, who has years of service to God and country, and to those in need, from completing one of the most honorable tasks a pastor, or some other clergy, can complete, simply because of one view he has in his religious tenants?
He's not preaching hatred. He's not preaching homosexuals should die. He's not preaching that homosexuals go to hell automatically because they're gay. He's following his beliefs, yet we outcast him in our society, through our liberal media (which, I'll even admit has become a bit obnoxious as of late), and in turn criticize the Presidnet-Elect for reaching across to conservatives to bring this country together. Seriously, what is the problem with some of my liberal friends, or any liberal out there? If it was up to them, religion would be abolished all together and we'd believe in free love and harmony---bull crap. Free love and harmony exist because people put things in their life that make them happy, that give them hope, and who is anybody to criticize somebody for what makes them happy? If we do, we're opening up a door for the criticism to come right back. Duh--being gay makes me happy, and I don't like being criticized anymore than somebody who has a belief that you don't support.
The man is a good man, an honorable man, who held fair discussions with both candidates, even though he didn't support one of them much at all. Yet President Elect Obama has extended his hand across the aisle to conservatives to bridge this nation.
I only have one question: after eight long years of being divided because of a president who played politics to gain support for something he would have otherwise not have received, should we really be looking for more ways to divide ourselves as a country? I know what my answer is--what about you?
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