The Voice of Reason

I don’t want politics anywhere near my blog. Everyone in this country thinks they are so clever that what they have to say is well said, and they are so self-important that they think it’s worth everyone’s attention. That’s why everyone and their dog has a blog. That’s not my motivation. My blog is about “what I’m up to,” not what’s wrong with society.

I’m reluctant to go here… but I have to. Because it is important to speak up sometimes. Sometimes misrepresentation has to be rebuked.

Fred Phelps is a raving fool. He’s a detriment to his own cause; using the methods he uses to get anyone to agree with him is an exercise in futility.

This man is a menace to non-Christians and Christians alike. It’s people like this Fred Phelps who give Christianity a bad name. Those who picket with signs saying “God Hates Fags” are shamefully misled. “God” and “hate” are antonymous.

Jesus loved all people. In fact, he spent most of his time hanging out with “hard-core” sinners. Why? Because they were human beings. Because verbally assaulting someone is no way to convert them to your ideals. No, no. We Christians should lead by example… until we finally do it well enough that people who aren’t in the know ask, “Hey, can you show me how to be as peaceful and balanced as you are? You obviously know something I don’t…” Or something like that.

Who dares jump to the conclusion that our troops are dying because we allow homosexuality? That is just manipulation. It’s a witch hunt. “She floats… she must be in league with Lucifer!”

When these people bring their personal stupidity into their position of leadership… well, that is why so many people declare all religious people to be devoid of reason.

Christianity is infinitely deeper than holding on to some bedtime story. It’s more than following a select few set of arcane rules to the letter while forgetting why these rules were given to us in the first place: to provide a Way toward Love. “Sin” is not “crime”; “sin” is anything that deters you from the Way—anything that displaces you from Holiness. In that respect, perhaps homosexuality is a sin, and perhaps they’ve gone a little too far to equate it with murder. Too much self-indulgence is a sin, but I guarantee you Fred Phelps goes to McDonalds to poison his body. Littering is a sin. I’m not going to lay out the different levels. That’s not my point.

I’m far wiser than anyone (save colleague Aaron Marx) gives me credit for, but I don’t have the energy to do too much heavy philosophical writing… partly because it inevitably leads to arguing, and I freaking hate arguing.

I’m not saying anything about homosexuality itself. I have many gay friends. I care about them, just as I’m supposed to. I’m just saying some people should lay down the torches and pitchforks and be a little more careful about how they communicate.

Protesting homosexuality at military burials is just disgraceful. It only galvanizes support against religion. That’s a pretty big backfire, huh Fred? Get away from the podium. You’ve done enough harm.