Last week I read a blog post about a new book. The religious woman had struggled when her child came out as LGBT (she didn't explain which). Her real problem, it sounded to me was not that it took her awhile to get her head around it, but that her friends from church all turned their backs on her for accepting and loving her child and it was a very lonely difficult time for her. (If you know the post I mean can you let me know as I want to add the appropriate links to the post and the book).
This made me so mad. It sounded to me like the only problem she had was not a gay child but terrible friends. Life is complicated, it is not my job to judge. Nowhere in the Bible does it say to cast out your LBGT children and I'm 100% sure it does say to love thy neighbour.
I do not have an issue with your variation of faith, but if your church is telling you to behave badly, I am sure in time you will find yourself on the wrong side of history. No where in the Bible does it say this book should only be in Latin. Nowhere does it say that you should cast out LBGT children. No where does it say you should discriminate against people. And absolutely nowhere does it say you should walk out on your friends when they need you the most.
There are 2 more FODI tours of dangerous ideas at the State Library this week if you want to go and see what other gems were there.
Please note I will delete any comments offensive to Christians (the Catholic church in particular) and the LBGT community. You can call out misguided behaviour but keep the hate away please.
Linking with #WWWHimsy #AnythingGoes
Happy weekend, Lydia! I guess yours is half over, and mine is about to begin. I would be thrilled to see these books, especially Galileo's. I don't understand hate and intolerance, especially toward LGBQ children, toward any children. In my mind, that is not Christian.
ReplyDeleteA fine post. I’m afraid that religion has been co-opted too many times by people seeking power. It’s sad and it still goes on today
ReplyDeleteWell roared, lioness!
ReplyDeleteI don't need religion to lead a happy and fulfilled life. Some people see it differently and that is their right - but it is sad if their life does not get better as a result, but more unhappy. And what has been and is still being done to other people (and nature) "in the name of God" (by whatever religious followers) throughout world history is unforgivable to me.
All the best from good old Austria, Traude
https://rostrose.blogspot.com/2024/08/weltreise-2024-abschied-von-neuseeland.html
I love this saying "Well Roared, Lioness"! You should have seen the smile it gave me!
DeleteVery interesting Lydia and well said! #TeamWWWhimsy
ReplyDeleteHi Lydia, she does not have very supportive friends that's for sure! I believe in kindness, understanding, compassion and love. I do not understand hate and division and sadly there is too much of it these days. Thanks for linking up with #WWWhimsy Hope you have a great week! xo
ReplyDeleteVery well said Lydia. I agree with all you say. I remember when my daughter's friend, a boy, came out as gay, as a teenager, and his parents disowned him. They were a religious family and apparently it was because of this that they left their school age child, homeless. It still makes my blood boil to think of things that have been done in the name of religion over the years. #TeamWWWhimsy
ReplyDeleteI have no idea how parents do that to their own kid. What shockers!!
DeleteHere there was a woman who discovered her adult son was making a bomb and she called the police. I think about her all the time, and how she must have struggled to make that decision.
DeleteHello Lydia, I agree with your post and to me, one of the main issues with religion is the interpretation or power yielded by Church. As one brought up as Christian, I have often questioned the 'man made' laws around faith. One true Christian who I admired was Ted Noffs who had a church in Kings Cross. He was a wonderful man, living my idea of a Christian life. No judgement but welcoming. He named my children and also officiating at my first marriage. There should be more like him in this world. x #TeamWWWhimsy
ReplyDeleteWOW. I love Ted Noffs (I guess greatly admire is more correct, but you know.) And Rod Bower and the Wayside Chapel people (as the people changed over time but the kindness of the misson hasn't ) and Bill Crews. There are a lot of great examples. Just a lot of the major institutions, and their followers, seem to have gone astray in my opinion.
DeleteAh religion... don't get my husband started. That's about all I can say. I was not brought up in the strict faith he was and I am glad for that. It is so much about "people who are different" isn't it? Different to whom and what. Mmmm. Denyse #TeamWWWhimsy
ReplyDeleteMy husband was also raised religious and he is angry about it these days. The brothers teaching at his school used to beat them for no reason. If one kid did something wrong the whole class would get hit. And now almost all his teachers are in jail or died awaiting trial for child sex abuse. So not the best example of what organised religion used to do.
Deletehe was not one of the victims of the paedophiles but understandably pretty angry on their behalf and the whole hypocrisy of everything they said to the kids in contrast to what they did to them.
DeleteI just want to say, in case my poor wording implies otherwise, the victims have nothing to be ashamed of. This was done to them. the criminal abusers are the only ones who should feel shame (yet often don't). I just meant that it wasn't personal abuse that made him turn against religion with so much rage, just the overall hypocrisy.
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