Friday, August 01, 2008

An Open Note to A Friend

I want to write a note to a friend who has been through a rough time and is lashing out at the wrong people. I was your friend when you were gay and nutty. I was your friend when you were ex-gay and a little less nutty. I am still your friend today when you are in overdrive nutty and gay again. My friendship was never predicated on your sexual proclivities.

In the past you were a good guy with some odd ideas. At no time could anyone describe you as anything other than an amicable type with terrible taste in TV and sports teams. I am glad you decided to make a change that you feel brings happiness to your life. The problem is that you rarely talk of the happiness at all while you lash out with the same hateful tones at those who have a different view of scripture.

It would be nice to read a post about finding peace in your new Church that you claim welcomes you. It would be nice to read a post about returning to a community
that you feel at home with. Instead I read a series of over the top rants and mania about fundamentalist Christians.

Homophobia is a real issue, but in most instances of life it is an annoyance at worst. Ultimately, the life you live is a product of the person in the mirror and the choices you make. For the most part homosexuality is not a big deal, especially in big cities. It would be a nicer place if people would show you human dignity, but only you can make yourself happy. Sometimes, even in the big city I am shocked by the hostility of black women towards gay men. I was floored when a few female coworkers called an applicant a faggot. The same people would have one killed for using the N word. I wish people would not use slurs and I do not do so myself. Calling a Troskyite a commie is a statement of fact, not a slur.

Only you can define yourself and make yourself happy. It is time to come back to reality and look at those who disagree with you in the prism of reality. There is no mass movement towards theocracy in this country. Moreover, the most hateful obsessed people on the planet are far leftist with their never ending paranoid manias about cabals, conspiracies and rationalizing terrorists. I did not see a single comment in support of Rev Spitz on this site.

Where are the posts about your happiness in finding acceptance in your local Anglican Church or being comfortable in your own shoes. The person I knew did feel passion, but also had posts with great humor.

10 comments:

Always On Watch said...

Beak,
I see here that you're using the voice of reason. I hope that your open note is read and well received.

beakerkin said...

AOW

I miss having Rob and Justin around.
There is something wrong with some of us who advocate compassion for a Communist, Renegade Eye, who rationalizes every hostile act against America and venerates a war criminal and not one ounce of respect for a military veteran and true American patriot Justin.

Rob has reacted to some dreadful hate with hysteria. The hate is very real but the way to combat it is not with hysteria. The way to combat it is with commonality. Some extreemists have dehumanized gays and many gays have dehumanized certain Christians.

There is no mass drumbeat to herd Gays into Nascar events, Bowling alleys or Blue Grass concerts and turn them into heterosexuals. The sky is falling mentality makes one into a human cartoon.

Rob should also understand that some people interpret scripture differently. He can argue his points but should not expect everyone to agree. He also fails to understand the split in the Anglican Church has other causes besides gays. There is indeed a far left bunch of Marxists within the Church and this is the source of stupid remarks about Shariah and divestment BS

Always On Watch said...

Rob should also understand that some people interpret scripture differently. He can argue his points but should not expect everyone to agree.

Exactly.

There needs to be some logic in his approach. Why isn't there?

beakerkin said...

AOW

Rob is in a very bad place mentally
and is going through a rough time.
Sadly he is lashing out at the wrong people including people who have treated him as friends.

He does not understand that some people take the scripture very differently. I do not expect people
to change their views based upon my lifestyle that is many times worse
than anything he has likely ever done.

I learned long ago to let go of the
hate least it consume me. I do not hate people because they have different religious views or personal habits.

Then again my hatred is reserved for enemies of my greatest love the
United States. It is no great secret that I loathe communists, anarchists and jihadists it is precisely because they are enemies
and would harm that which I love and serve with my heart.

One can see me talking about that which I love fairly regularly. I certainly respect Christianity with
the exception of the Liberation theology communist brand of lunacy.
Our country was founded on Christian principles.

Unlike me one does not see any similar love in any of Rob's posts
or comments. I am glad he claims to have found a home in the Anglican church, but he hasn't wrote a single sentence about it. He has written about the critics within the Church who are critical of the direction that church is taking.

When one is all about hate one becomes a human cartoon. Those who hate gays reflexively are human cartoons. Sadly, Rob has magnified
the hate and become fairly hateful
himself.

He is just a good person in a bad place. He thinks I sold him out for popularity. Anything I write comes from my heart and those who think otherwise do not know me.

I would like to see the person I knew and liked very much as a friend return. This "old piece of trash" always enjoyed his visits and always considered him a friend.
He no longer considers me one, but my door is always open. He has never wronged me personally and needs to let go of his hate.

nanc said...

rob needs to put his eyes back on the prize.

we all fall down.

Z said...

I feel sorrier for the Anglican church than any one person. Outside influences have perverted it and caused friends of mine to practically hide in small Anglican churches hoping the stronger non-scriptural bunch forgets they're there and doesn't sell their church out from under them, which has been happening all over Los Angeles.

SecondComingOfBast said...

I don't like what's happening to the Episcopal Church here. That was the last Christian denomination that I went to where I actually felt comfortable going, though unfortunately, at the time, work obligations prevented my continuing attendance. It hurts to see what they are going through now, because at the time I went there, back sometime in the nineties, they really struck me as being a great group of people.

Anonymous said...

I guess you all don't see that outside influences have effected the churches and started changing the way some people in the church preach their doctrine wanting the congration to believe as they believe. Those that say my way is the only wat may be deciving themselves but then I'm not the judge.

beakerkin said...

Devon

There is outside influences on the Church just it is not quite where you
think it is.

Lets start off with liberation theology and the communist front group NCC. Last I checked the communist Manifesto was not a required text.

When a branch of the Baptist Church
decides to knowingly violate immigration law with the express intent of subverting foreign policy
is that outside. Have you looked
at the history of Rowan Williams or
the comments of Desmond Tutu?

That being said the critique of the conservatives revolve around three
aspects?

Liberation Theology. It is a blatant attempt by communists to subvert whole denominations.

Replacement theology This is a corolary of liberation theology. God has replaced the Jews with the Church. It is the center of far left theological anti semitism

Gays. The vast majority of Christians see this as a sin but no
worse than recreational sex. It is not the conservative churches who yielded to political pressure. This was done by the liberal churches.

Over time this may change especially as science is hinting at a biological basis of homosexuality. One does not talk of
lepers in quite the same way as we did 2000 years ago. The notion that disease was an affliction from God ended long ago with the exception of some very obnoxious sorts.

This is a respectful disagreement.
My objection to combating hate with more hate and paranoia is on a practical level. The route to defusing hate lies not in theology
but comonality. We can only hate what is dehumanized.

nanc said...

devon - it's pretty easy to test what someone is preaching - it can
be found here:

2 Timothy 2:13 If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself.

2 Timothy 2:14 Of these things put them in remembrance, charging them before the Lord that they strive not about words to no profit, but to the subverting of the hearers.

2 Timothy 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

2 Timothy 2:16 But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness.

2 Timothy 2:17 And their word will eat as doth a canker: of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus;

2 Timothy 2:18 Who concerning the truth have erred, saying that the resurrection is past already; and overthrow the faith of some.

2 Timothy 2:19 Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.

are the preachers preaching THEIR doctrine or BIBLICAL doctrine - we are to TEST-TEST-TEST every single word, lest we be fooled.

it's not about being your way or my way - it's all about YAHWEH - difficult to take, i know.