Now, if you know me, you know I've grown less and less religious as I've grown older. I'm not sure what exactly started my departure from the church, but I'm pretty sure it had something to do with me not agreeing with something being taught. Once my personal belief system starting conflicting with that of the church's, I just didn't want to be a hypocrite and continue attending services. At this time, my beliefs have wandered so far away from religion's or the church's, that you'll not find me around either until my mother makes me go.
That being said, I just read this article called "When Religion Loses its Credibility." Now don't get up in arms if you're religious; this is not at all an attack on religion. It's rather a statement on the narrow minds that today's churches are littered with. It's written by a Baptist minister, and it concerns the erroneous belief by most (I said most! not all!) church goers that homosexuality is a choice and should be punished.
*A side note: I have a few friends who attend church regularly and are not the type to want to wipe homosexuality off the face of the earth. So I am by no means assuming that every religious person is a jackass. I'm glad I have religious friends; otherwise my opinion on religion and the church might be lost forever. I'm also glad I have homosexual friends, because those are the coolest fools you'll ever meet.*
Since I don't read the Bible regularly and never really did, I'm just going on faith (ha! get it?) that this Baptist minister knows what he's talking about when he quotes from it. I respect him for gathering up the courage and balls (I mean really, he's a Baptist minister talking about how homosexuality should be accepted! because it's predetermined!) to write this article. I only wish that this was required reading in all churches that preach against homosexual relationships.
I see that churches provide a family and support system, and I see that they can do more good deeds for this world than people could do alone, separate. But if religion wants to keep its numbers from dwindling, I think people are going to have to start realizing that nothing should be taken literally. That's the easy way out, and it's caused a lot of pain and suffering for so many. I feel that people should use religion as a guide, and should use the church as a charitable being. Neither should decide who gets blessed and goes to heaven and who doesn't. I may not remember much from my church days, but isn't that supposed to be God's decision?
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Yes, it is God's decision. And all sin is punished in the same manner, so even if it is considered a sin, no one has the right to cast the first stone, because if anyone has ever lied, cheated, lusted, held onto anger, or even thought about wanting to strangle someone, they're in the same boat, whatever boat that is. Love your God, Love your neighbor! Because none of us measure up.
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