In Canada, I rarely have to deal with you.  However right now, I’m in the heartland of America, being subjected, on a daily basis, to the notion that Jesus, son of god, kings of the Jews, and guy whose name I repeat every time I hurt myself, hates gay people.  Specifically I am seeing that thought phrased as “Jesus hates fags.”  I was raised a good, guilt-ridden Catholic girl, so I think I know a thing or two about the word of God – at least that’s what every Catholic school report card I’ve received would lead me to believe.   As a Good Samaritan, let me clear things up regarding the lord’s feelings about our friends of Dorothy:

If a man lies with a male as he lies with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination. They shall surely be put to death. Their blood shall be upon them.
Leviticus 20:13

In short, yes, the Bible does come down on homosexuality. The two mentions specifically against homosexuality are both in Leviticus.  However Leviticus is Old Testament.  In the New Testament those ideas are effectively pushed aside.

For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
John 1:17

Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death.
Romans 8:1

Basically Romans is telling us god doesn’t condemn us for who we are – we are all perfect, made in his image.  Our passage into heaven is based on hearts, in the love that exists within them, and the character of our spirit.  God is really cool like that, he’s like an older sister: he lets us live our lives, make mistakes, and find our own path –  while gently guiding towards a better one.  God is the D.J. to our Stephanie Tanner.

I’d also like to point out that Leviticus also says:

And all that have not fins and scales in the seas, and in the rivers, of all that move in the waters, and of any living thing which is in the waters, they shall be an abomination unto you: They shall be even an abomination unto you; ye shall not eat of their flesh, but ye shall have their carcases in abomination. Whatsoever hath no fins nor scales in the waters, that shall be an abomination unto you.
Leviticus 11:10-12

That actually appears in the bible before the whole thing about homosexuality. From Leviticus 11:10-12 I draw two conclusions:

  1. Leviticus throws the term “abomination” around way too much.
  2. Until I see you guys protesting full force against a Red Lobster’s Endless Shrimp, I’m going go ahead and call hypocrisy.

So where else are we getting these terrible bumper sticker slogans from?  Well, there’s a slight from Paul in a letter to the Corinthians – but that’s Paul. Who cares what that flip-flopping*, lazy** d-bag thinks?  Besides, Jesus’ greatest hit is “Let he who is without sin cast the first stone,” meaning don’t judge others.  I’m talking to you, Paul, if that is your real name***.

Jesus himself never said anything about being gay.  Ever. So your Bristol boards reading “Jesus hates fags” have no merit.  Were you writing a 2nd grade book report on the bible and you wrote “Jesus hates fags,” you’d fail as you would have just demonstrated that you either did not read or did comprehend the text.  Your Bristol boards are inaccurate.  You have nothing to back that claim up with, other than your own feelings.  You can’t say “Jesus hates fags” any more than I can say “Any follower of the Westboro Church has no brain.” I have no proof of that sentence, but you have no proof that there is an actual brain in your head.  You have faith that you have one, but no proof.  You could cite science to prove you have one, but I doubt you would – relying on science at this point would make massive hypocrites out of you.

I’d like you to know that I don’t hate you; not in the slightest.  Above, I created a strong case for justifiably hating you, but I don’t.  I pity you.  I feel bad that you’ve devoted your life to god but so thoroughly misunderstand his message.    You take your fears, insecurities, and deficiencies and project them on others to placate yourselves.  You’re no more than school yard bullies on a bully pulpit.  If you distil all that Jesus said, it could be summed up in one word: love.  Unconditionally love, no matter what.  For it is not our place to judge, or to cast the first stone.  Our place is to love our fellow man. (Which, by the way, means loving our fellow men who love other men.)

Now, my faith has been shaken through the years.   I’m not sure I believe the Bible through and through, having witnessed the terrible things done in its name.  However, I still believe that 2000 years ago, man preached love.  I can’t vouch for whether or not he was the son of god, but I will defend his message.  And more importantly than that:  I may not always have faith in God, but there is one thing I’ve always had faith in: my family.  My family who raised me Catholic. My family who believed whole-heartedly that the rules set forth by the bible would create in me the character to lead a good life; would lead me to treat others with respect.  My family – the ones who love me unconditionally.  By destroying and bastardising the word of God, you destroy the values my family holds.  You make a mockery of real Christians. You besmirch my grandmother who taught me to pray, and nobody fucks with my Gran.

So I asked you, for the sake of my mother – who sang in the choir, for my grandmother – who taught me to pray, for my father – who taught me to question it all, but urged me to still live a good life, I’m asking you to stop hiding behind our god.  If you feel that you need to persecute, to demoralize, to hate – I can’t stop you.  But I can ask you to have to courage to stand up for your beliefs and stop dragging my family’s beliefs down with you. 

With Love,
Alice

*Before becoming a follower of Jesus, Paul attempted to destroy the newly forming Christian church.  Make up your mind, Paul!

**Hey Paul – you attended the stoning of Stephen – the first Christian Martyr – and you just held the coats of the guys who actual stoned him?  Get the fuck up and help, Paul!  Can’t you even commit to your choices?  Oh wait.  I forgot.  See “flip-flopping” note above.

*** It’s not.  Your name is really Saul, Paul.  See “flip-flopping” note above.