Need opinions

[wmanion]

Hey friends,
I have recently joined Facebook and many old friends have found me including three fundamental bible believing Baptist and a couple from my days with the Assemblies of God. Posts from a lot of my friends are making it known that I am gay, which I do not care because I am not going to hide anymore. However, I do not wish to argue with them, but I want to be prepared when they bring up the subject and I have full confidence that they will bring up the subject. So, I wrote this poem and I intend to send it to them when they start questioning me. I would like your feedback on the poem. Is there anything I should change? Is there a better way for me to say what I want to say? I want to provoke them into searching the scriptures for themselves before they start condemning me. They are all in second marriages, so I tried to tie in scriptures that would also point to them and the hypocrisy. Here it is and thanks Andy you inspired part of this:

Years of pain and torment
Washed away in a moment,
When I acknowledged in prayer,
That no matter what, God did care.

I was wonderfully and marvelously made,
And my soul was not a game to be played.
For he knew my heart and he knew my desire,
And it raged in me like a burning desire.

Taught you are am abomination,
Without proper examination,
Of scripture and what it really has to say,
Because you want to believe a certain way.

Take Leviticus and the scripture before and after,
You will find the topic is adultery from the master.
And Sodom and Gomorrah’s actual sin you see,
Was that of inhospitably.

They were cities which enjoyed abundance of all,
And did not want to share with those who had the gall,
To come into their city and ask for refuge,
Something to drink and a little food.

Then Paul spoke of a terrible situation,
Having sex with girls and boys for gratification,
The honoring of a Goddess of fortification,
Nothing to do with a homosexual relation.

I say unto thee is God’s grace sufficient in,
Forgiving a woman who is not a virgin,
When she climbs into the marriage bed?
Yet the Bible says she should be dead.

And did not Jesus say anyone who marries,
A second time, it is they who carries,
And adulterous marriage with them to the end,
Yet to hell, you are not so quick of these to send.

When will you realize that grace is grace?
And I can stand tall without disgrace.
When will you realize that love is love?
And it comes from the creator above.


God created you as he would have you be,
And God had done the same for me.
He loves me despite and because my sexuality,
And his grace is sufficient for me.


Mac McClure July 1, 2009

Thanks,
Bill

[Poetic Awakening]

Interesting poem. If you want it taken seriously, at least correct the typos. I saw at least one in each verse.

But honestly, if these people won't accept you because they believe in a very fundamental manner, are you sure you want to even waste your time trying to convince them? Because a poem won't do it. You might even get more of a negative response. Not being offensive, but when I first saw that a poem would be your response, the first thought that popped into my mind was Well, that's a very gay thing to do.

Just keep that in perspective. Poetry does marvelous things, but what you are wanting it to do, I don't think it will. If they are jerks to you online, ignore them. It's ridiculous to argue and fight it out on facebook. And if you're out, or not and don't care if they post revealing statements, I don't see the problem. If it's offensive, report them and ignore it. If it comes to a real life situation, be the better person. If they want to be the immature and degenerate fools for not accepting you, then so be it. Don't give them the satisfaction of getting under your skin so much. People can be hurtful, yes. But you don't have to sit there and take it. And you don't have to feel obligated to 'change their minds'. I learned a long time ago that things I say to people, even if I have the best argument out there, won't change a damn thing if that's what they are hell-bent on believing. Sometimes you have to cut them loose and cherish the good things in life. Pray for them, yes. Forgive them, yes. It's hard, but don't be their punching bag. I don't think Jesus literally meant to "turn the other cheek." There is a line, and if they cross it un-apologetically, you shouldn't be fighting to save them from their own decisions. That's something they will have to learn with time.

Good luck, and please know I'm not trying to beat you up. I'm just being honest with you.

[tdogg]

Hey friends,
I have recently joined Facebook and many old friends have found me including three fundamental bible believing Baptist and a couple from my days with the Assemblies of God. Posts from a lot of my friends are making it known that I am gay, which I do not care because I am not going to hide anymore. However, I do not wish to argue with them, but I want to be prepared when they bring up the subject and I have full confidence that they will bring up the subject.

Both of my sisters are on FB (as am I). One is extremely supportive and the other is not. She is a self-proclaimed Christian and although we are friendly she doesn't have much to do with me. I mainly use FB to keep up with my activism (and spend 'time' with my friends of course, most of whom are gay or straight allies active in the fight for equality). There is a lot of 'gay' on my FB site. I figure it's good for my sister, the 'conservative' one. She'll get exposed to gay things, people and current events, and she can see what I'm involved in.

We don't have much in the way of FB conversations. Maybe in the end it will be meaningless to her. But maybe it will be a spark that sets her mind to 'open'. Meanwhile, I just keep on doing my thing. :D

[drobs]

I like the poem. Is well thought out. However, I agree with PA (Poetic Awakening). Move on with your life. Let those simple minded loosers do thier own thing and ignore them.

I learned there are true friends that will stick by you in rough times. The ones that wont aren't worth your time.

My close personal best friends (all straight) are the ones that stuck with me when I came out. I lost what I thought were best friends when I came out. I will not waste my time with them. I see them on Facebook and will not invite them on to mine or interact with them.

I have better things to do with my time. I spend that energy and emotion on the ones I love and care for.