Did you ever hear of Pandora's Box?

Before I begin, this post has a warning. There will be links to images in this post. These images are NOT SAFE FOR WORK. They contain graphic depictions of the male anatomy. They're also not for the easily offended. If you click these links and you get caught at work, or are easily offended by what you may see, THEN IT'S YOUR OWN DAMN FAULT FOR CLICKING THE LINKS. DO NOT SEND ME FLAMING COMMENTS, because this warning has been made crystal clear. I will not bring myself to your level and reply. With that said, let me give credit where credit is due. One of the images was photoshopped slightly by me. The original source of the images are found on oglaf.com, and the images belong to the artist (or artists) who created said material. Again, you have been warned about the upcoming links.

To all open-minded people of faith: help me. Help me to realize that you are not all bigoted, hateful people. Please help me to realize that there are still people left who think it's morally, ethically, and spiritually wrong to discriminate against ANYONE. To hypocritical people of faith, who use the Bible solely for their own benefit, who use the Bible to justify the hateful persecution of people who don't agree with you, read on.

I thought it wasn't OK to religiously persecute a group of people simply because they don't agree with you. Yet, in light of what happened in Maine, that's just what this is. Gay people are being religiously persecuted. Every attempt at equality has been struck down by Bible-wielding, crucifix-toting hypocrites. Every law, every motion, every vote taken to block what really is a civil rights issue has been religiously oriented. To this point, I've not seen a civil, legislative reason for denying people the right to love who they want, regardless of sexual orientation. Every cause to deny people their right to marry whomever they want is morally based. And it's not right. It's not fucking right. You mean to tell me that you'll defend to the death the right to preserve the "sanctity" of marriage between Britney Spears and Kevin Federline over a gay couple who are financially sound, stable, and supportive enough to have a family? For fuck's sake, there are so many children who come from these precious, heterosexual familes, who've been left orphaned, abandoned, disposed of. What's so wrong about having two men or two women raise children? As far as I can see, absolutely nothing. I still have yet to get a straight answer as to why gay marriage gets under your skin so much. Reasons like "it's a sin" or "It's not in God's plan" doesn't cut it. You hypocrites are using half-truths, lies, and outright fear to stop the spread of love and joy. Gay marriage will be taught in our schools? What kind of talk is that? A blatent lie, if you ask me.

For a little while this morning, after I read the sad news that once again, human rights were taken away from people because it didn't jive with their religious beliefs, I felt slightly sickened by the fact that I was just recently married. I felt like I was given special privileges, rights given to me only because I'm heterosexual. I felt that I didn't deserve to be married, to have all the rights and benefits that comes with it, when I know full well that some of my own friends who are gay are and have been denied the same joy I felt, simply because their partners were not of the opposite gender. There is such a lack of love in this world, and for all this time, I tried to take comfort in some of the Bible's passages about how God does not discriminate, how everyone is equal in God's eyes, and how Jesus told us to love one another. Nice job, you hypocrites. If you take your faith so seriously, you'd realize that Jesus died for you. He died so that you could all be bigoted fucks. All you're doing is pushing me toward atheism.

Last time I checked, we had rules and laws that specifically separate church and state. Yet, as clearly evidenced by this and the other 30 states who've denied gay people the right to marry simply because God doesn't like it, it's so obvious that religion and government are clearly involved in such wild sex. As a matter of fact, I'm coming to realize that our laws defining a separation of church and state are very much like Wal-Mart's return policy--it doesn't exist. It only exists on paper, but is never followed. Religion should NOT be allowed to influence public policy, BECAUSE NOT EVERYONE BELIEVES THE SAME THING AS YOU DO. You CAN'T impose your beliefs on an entire group of people. That's one of the things we hold so dear--freedom of religion, yes. Freedom to practice the religion and faith you want. It does NOT give you the freedom to ram it down the throats of people who don't want it. Yet, that's exactly what this is. You hypocritical Catholics and Christians are doing exactly that--you are ramming your ideals on us, fighting so hard to prevent people from doing things that are perfectly harmless, but you don't agree. You have made life so difficult for people who really have done nothing to harm you. These people have not beaten you up, belittled you, denied you rights, benefits, and privileges; they have not denied you employment. Remember that whole Golden Rule? All they want to do is LOVE, and love the person they want to love. How does homosexuality hurt you? I'm serious. Tell me how homosexuality really, definitively, harms you. Do you get a thrill out of oppressing this group of people? Do you find happiness when you see a loving gay couple in floods of tears, having been denied the right that you so lovingly hold onto? I'd think that, as men and women of a faith that preaches unconditional love and kindness, you'd be doing your damnedest to spread love and joy--not denying it except to members of your own clique. You sicken me.

I suspect that once you found out you succeeded in taking more human rights away, you, in a fit of elation, did something like this (this is the photoshopped image--the original images can be found here and here). Go on, enjoy it while you can.

Before I close, I just want to make it clear again that this is NOT a rant railing against ALL men and women of the Catholic and/or Christian faith. I know that there are open-minded people out there. To those open-minded people, please help me. Your fellow believers are not giving you a good name--all this is doing is lumping you all into a nasty stereotype of bigoted, hateful people.

I'll take all feedback to this post--but be warned, if all you do is scream at me, I'm not going to reply.

I close with a letter to the editor to a publication called camp. It was written by an ordained pastor of the United Church of Christ. While it deals with Proposition 8 in California, the message remains the same for Maine's epic fail. The entire letter is below, with a link.

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God Does Not Discriminate
November 14, 2008

To the editor: As one of only four straight men singing with Heartland Men’s Chorus of Kansas City, I am hurt and saddened by the passage of Proposition 8 in California. As an ordained pastor as well, I am hurt and saddened that many who favored Proposition 8 were either members or friends of various church denominations.  As I often remind my fellow chorus members, “Don’t let the church get in the way of your God.” The God I know welcomes all. I have often been asked, “How can you, as an ordained pastor, be in support of gay marriage?”  My response: “First of all, if I oppose gay marriage, it is discrimination. And the God I know does not discriminate against anyone. Secondly, when I sign a marriage license, I act as an agent for the state. And thus, I cannot discriminate against anyone. For who am I to deny anyone their legal rights?” In other words, once marriage was taken out of the church, it became more than a holy commitment or covenant. It became a legally binding declaration, called a marriage license, which allows a married couple, for example, the right to purchase a home together, the right to be insured together, the right to share annuity and pension benefits, and the right to visit each other in the hospital. These are legal rights. This is not something that the church provides; it is something the state requires. I believe the failure to discuss these two unique roles performed by clergy has led to the passage of Proposition 8.  I hope and pray that God’s will be done in the future, so that all who seek the church’s approval may also gain California’s approval. Then the wedding bells can ring loud and true. Blessings and peace, The Rev. James “Buck” Firth, M.A., M.Div., UCC Ordained pastor, United Church of Christ Missouri Mid-South Conference

Link to the letter