feride

It's interesting how terrible people feel sometimes when they don't fit their religious mold that each belief system tends to establish. I remember feeling the exact same way. You go through phases "F*** you, I'll believe what I want, I got the basics, that's all that should matter" and then you feel the guilt of not being exactly like those who attend your same house of worship, whether you go on Friday (mosque) Saturday (synagogue) or Sunday (church).

And what really sucks is when you really don't jive, like when your gay or bi, or whatever. And you know you're not "choosing" that lifestyle...so then you feel like something is severely and fundamentally f'ed up in you because you're bombarded with how sinful lifestyles like that are. I admire those who aligned their relgious ideologies with issues like that, and they learn to be good, well-adjusted, non-judgemental people while keeping true to the belief they feel is right for them. I couldn't do that. Being bisexual doesn't work with the way I was raised. My parents would never forgive me.

I was watching the news last night and Prop 107 is a huge issue down here on the November ballot. The religious Right (which is often wrong...haha...ha...pun on words...um yeah) is determined to define marriage officially between a man and a woman. This prop. would take away all the rights of domestic partnerships...you'd have squat if this passes. The U of A is against it because it would affect already established faculty and staff, as well as have the potential to dissuade any new faculty or staff from taken positions.
They interviewed two sides. The first was a "yes" vote: why? Because this man had been "happily married to my wife, a woman [haha, no shit], for 25 years and I feel that everyone should have that." The other was an elderly HETERO couple from Green Valley. They had both been previously married and had no desire to do it again. So they got a domestic partnership...and they are getting to the age where they need to start worrying about the other if one passes away. What freakin difference does it make ? How dare you not allow a partner to come visit in the hospital, get healthcare benefits , or have the same rights as someone who chooses to walk down the damn aisle?

This is a perfect example of how the Religious Right (mainly) feel the need to be the religious and moral police of the rest of us. If you want to marry the opposite sex, fine. If I get divorced and want to have a partnership with a woman, in NO WAY does my same sex relationship degrade or detract from your heterosexual marriage. I would not affect you in any way, take away any of your rights, or make your relationship with your spouse any less meaningful. If my friends who are in lesbian/gay relationships want to marry or have partnerships, they don't affect my relationship with my husband at all. It doesn't mean that the intention and meaning of my marriage to a man is lowered. Gosh darn it!

This makes me sooo angry. My parents, evalengelicals to the core, live next to the nicest and most stable two men, who have a son, ever. Will my parents ever see that? No. Instead they make terrible comments, spy on them through the drapes, and seethe about them living "in sin" next door. Honestly I feel some relationships (homo and hetero) are more stable than others and the kids that are brought up in them will be more well-adjusted than many of us...including me in some regards.

The best day is when religion catches up to modern day society. When all people, regardless of sexual preference, will be accepted. That day isn't here yet.
Religion (mainstream branches) is so archaic it's ridiculous. There are religious groups out there that are truly open and supportive of all people. I will rejoice in the day when religion in general aligns itself with real life.

****Disclaimer*****
I will NEVER criticize people directly for their religious beliefs. I realize how important faith and belief are to people and how personal religion is. I don't believe that people who follow religion are somehow less intelligent than those that don't. And in all honesty, because of man's need for religious structure and the need to belong to something and believe in something, many atheist, agnostic, deistic (etc) groups simply replace the religion they criticize with their own.
My friends, whether you are Jewish, Christian, Buddhist, Wiccan, Muslim, Ba'hai, Hindu, etc. I will never criticize you for being who you are or look down on you for that.
I might disagree with your beliefs, but you disagree with mine. And I hope we continue to love eachother more for that.