Ok I really could have posted this as a comment but I had too much to say and feared it wouldn't fit. Thus, go on...
Aw, James...poor James. What an indiscreet way to fish for compliments, no? We all know you really just want to hear what a great, wonderful person you are, even though you will be spending eternity in the fiery place...
Of course I am only kidding.
I'm sorry if this sounds like rambling to you, but since religion is such a big part of my family, it's something I feel particularly passionate about, and the issue of homosexuality has all but made me lose my faith in the Christian church. It's sad, but bigotry and hatred is alive and well, even in the most supposedly "loving" of places.
The problem is, most near-sighted people in the church so quick to defend the "sancitity of marriage" and believe the Bible quite literally have done very little reserach into the text itself. The issue of the homosexual debate mostly stems from Leviticus 18:22 which states "You shall not lie with a male as with a woman, it is an abomination."
First of all, this phrase lends itself to myriad interpretations in itself. It could obviously mean that any sexual act between two men is an abomination, but is that truly what the sentence means? Couldn't it just mean that it is wrong for two men to ask their homosexuality in heterosexuality, since sexual relations between two men are quite obviously not the same as sexual relations between a man and a woman? It's not necessarily saying don't do it, it's just saying don't do it incorrectly. Get it?
And people who go on and actually read the rest of Leviticus might get an equal shock. Leviticus 25:44 clearly permits people to own slaves, but only if they come from neighboring countries. Good news for us! Who wouldn't want a Canadian to order around?
And how about Leviticus 11:10? "Anything in the seas or streams that does not have fins or scales...are detestable to you." People may argue that eating shellfish is a different degree of abomination than homosexuality...but they're both in the Bible right?
Leviticus 19:19 says "nor shall you put on a garment made of two different materials." I have a shirt that I just wore the other day that says, 65% polyester 35% cotton...crap, guess I'm dead.
AND Leviticus 11:6-8 expressly forbids us to touch the skin of a dead pig or hare. Anyone who has ever owned a rabbit's foot or played football is in serious trouble.
And I could go on.
What is my point, may you ask? Simple. Obviously, there are a lot of laws laid down in the VERY SAME BOOK that seems to condemn sexuality which people are very obviously willing to look over. Why is homosexuality still such an issue? If people are going to take the Bible literally and refuse to accept that it must adapt with the times, then they better do it completely and not just pick and choose what goes and what stays.
So, James, if you haven't figured it out by now, I don't see how two people loving each other, regardless of sex, age, race, IQ, interests, etc. could ever be wrong. Why would God prohibit a loving relationship of any kind? Isn't that what he expressly made us for?
There are many many many heterosexual couples who get married for all the wrong reasons, and yet somehow adultery, which goes against one of the TEN COMMANDMENTS, can be forgiven a lot more easily than a homosexual relationship. Why?
It is one of my biggest beefs with Bush getting re-elected. They say that the gay marriage debate was one of the main issues that won him another four years in office. Bush opposes gay marriage, and yet he doesn't seem to oppose sending thousands of people to their deaths. Excuse me, but how is two people who love each other getting married a worse sin than countless innocent people losing their lives?
So James, it is my feeling that God would never scorn a loving relationshio, regardless of age, sex, race, IQ, birthplace, interests, etc. Why would he ever deny someone love? Isn't that why he expressly made us in the first place? You may be having trials and tribulations with people back home, but think of all your friends at Webster who love you no matter who you are or what you do. That's what God himself does...loves us regardless.
Of course you haven't set the best Christian example while you were at school. No one has and no one can. Anyone who pretends to be living the perfect Christian life is hiding something. The trouble is, you can't hide anything from God. That's why pretending to be straight would be about the worst thing you could do.
Your friend, your friend's mom, and your youth pastor all mean well, they really do. They're just trying to help based on their own beliefs. But they need to honestly butt out of your life. What you do and how you live is between you and God and is quite frankly no on else's damn business. And maybe someday, we'll finally stand before him in judgement and see who was right and who was wrong. But at least you will be able to stand there proudly, knowing that you did the best you could by simply accepting who you are.
Ok I just realized I've been on my soapbox long enough, and it's time to move on to other things other than rant. But seriously, if you ever need me to talk to your friends or whatever about this, I would simply love the opportunity.
Aight, enough. Be good, stay outta trouble, get back to Webster in one piece. I mean really, if you don't, who is going to clean the bathroom? Sure as hell not me.
P.S. It's A-N-O-N-Y-M-O-U-S. Sound it out, there ya go!
