Religion and Same-Sex Relationships

  

Response to Religious Questionnaire

 This is in response to a question a good friend had concerning my feelings today about my religious background, specifically, whether my views have changed over time.

My question is the same as it might have been at age twelve: If you preach all this love, acceptance, forgiveness, then why do you not practice it in your daily life?  No one said it would be easy to follow Christ’s mandate to love each other.  No one ever said it was simple to see the beauty in everyone, to find the humanity in someone who looks different, speaks differently, dresses in odd ways, believes other than we do, or loves someone in ways we don’t understand.  But here’s the thing: If we call ourselves Christians, and we witness two people who love and cherish each other, and who want to commit their lives to each other, then we are required--demanded--to not only accept those people, but to celebrate that relationship. We have it exactly backward: Homosexuality is not the aberration; preaching love and acceptance on conditional terms is the aberration.  Condemning people for who they love is the aberration.  Denying people the right to commit to each other is the aberration.  Restricting marriage to people who qualify only by gender, regardless of financial ability, maturity, ability to contribute to society, even disregarding whether they love each other or not--that’s the aberration. 
    We’re not talking about tolerance here; tolerance is an arrogant, dismissive term.  It says, alright, be who you are if you must, I will allow that.  That’s ridiculous.  The key is acceptance, and love, and yes, celebration of the fact that two other human beings have found the person who is right for them.  It’s time to stop condemning love, and start celebrating it. 
    So, yes, my views have shifted.  Instead of church participants continuing their spurious protection of marriage, it’s time they begin living the creed they espouse.  It’s time they get past the fear and judgement that clouds their ability to accept the message they were given, to simply love one another, as He loved us.  He never once said it would be easy.  He just said we must do it, and my guess is it will become easy.  Besides, it’s the right thing to do.  

Marriage Equality

L-O-V-E=L-O-V-E=L-O-V-E=

The picture above is of two people in love.  How can we determine the gender of these two gentle, caring people?  How do we figure out which one is male, which one female?  The one on the left appears to be male, though the lips are somewhat feminine.  On the right, the ear seems to belong to a female, or perhaps not.  Why is this so difficult?  Are we as adults, and reasonably smart, intuitive, alert people pretty good at picking out gender markers, characteristics and profiles?  Of course we are.  Then why the trouble with this picture?  I'm sure those eyebrows belong to a female, right?  And the hairline on the right is definitely male, true?  Why is this so hard?

And why does it matter?  Do lips and eyebrows and ears and hairlines fall in love and share that loving sensation with each other? No.  People fall in love, and people share all that love represents, whether it's a whispered affirmation, an eyebrow raised in greeting from across a crowded room, a brush of lips against each others' in the dim half-light of evening, or the bending of an ear to a lover, to capture every sense and nuance of what they tell us.

If we have trouble determining genders and characteristics of two people in love, perhaps it doesn't matter?  All that any of us want is to be one of those two people, and to share that kind of love with another person.

Spring 2010

SPRING!!!!!!!!

The picture was taken just outside my window, today, at five pm.  It is about 50 degrees F as I write this.  Winter isn't over, officially or otherwise, but it's quickly losing its grip on us once again, and soon Spring will take over.  Is there something you need to renew or replenish?  If so, this is a great time to look into it, to make 2010 the best year ever.  Twenty-gazillion daffodils can't be wrong!

119

 

119 Months

That's how long it's been since our marriage.  That's how many months we've been coupled, as they say.  The one thing we can't seem to figure out after all these months, is how our relationship keeps getting better?  This picture was taken last week as we walked together through our local patch of woods.  It was early morning, as you can see, the sun just getting up.  Snow the night before had coated the trees with its indiscriminate blanket, and few animal tracks had disturbed its pristine surface.  The silence was total, and nearly palpable.  Stopping arm in arm, we both listened--to the shush of wind in the branches, the far off hiss of traffic, the tap-tap-tap of a hungry woodpecker.  We had each other for warmth, and that was enough.  119 months ago we vowed fidelity, and love, and care for each other.  We've learned a lot.  One thing we know is, that no matter how cold or hostile or chilling life may be, the sun always comes again. 

Favorite Poem

...and a small cabin build there,

Lake Isle of Innisfree, by William Butler Yeats was my father's favorite poem.  Dad died three years ago, but he left behind a wonderful legacy of appreciation for nature, the quiet of a rustic setting, and a tiny cabin in the woods, much like the one above.  And he loved the Yeats poem, so I'm posting it here in its entirety, because, well, I love it, too.

Enjoy--

I will arise and go now, and go to Innisfree, 

And a small cabin build there, of clay and wattles made;

Nine-bean rows will I have there, a hive for the honey-bee, 

And live alone in the bee-loud glade.

And I shall have some peace there, for peace comes dropping slow, 

Dropping from the veils of the morning, to where the cricket sings;

There midnight's all aglimmer, and noon a purple glow,

And evening full of the Linnet's wings.

I will arise and go now, for always night and day,

I hear lake water lapping with low sounds by the shore;

While I stand by the roadway, or on the pavements grey,

I hear it in the deep heart's core.

Spring?

"Spring"

Can you feel it in the air?  Aren't the days longer now?  Isn't the sun warmer at noontime?  Or am I imagining  that Spring is just around the corner? 

Winter's Pace

 

Winter has a way of setting our pace for us.  This is a good thing; if everything else slows down in winter-beasts and trees and processes-then why not us?  Snowstorms like the one of recent days is are nature's way of telling us to slow down, take a (wintry) breath, take a minute to consider.  And perhaps it's a way to force us to get closer to someone for warmth and companionship?  Is there anything better than a walk in a silent, snow-covered wood with the one person you know will keep you warm and safe no matter what?  Doubtful.  It's certainly worth the slowing down, no question.