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Originally Posted by pbtn
Great posts so far, thanks for weighing in.
I agree that my use of the word "tolerant" was not quiet what I meant (I was typing fast, as I'm at work). I'm sure "accepting" is probably a better word. My friends know that I love them and respect the choices they've made with no judgement involved. I have other straight friends who "tolerate" homosexuals that we know "in spite of" their lifestyles, and I am definitely different than that.
Also, your point about the same logic being used by segregationists is well taken. I do realize that Bob Jones Univ. is a private school, and that is kind of my point. Although they have racist policies (they bar inter-racial dating, etc. . .), I feel it's their right as a private university to do so. It will be to their detriment, because they will become less relevant in today's world and will either have to change their policies or they will have to close the doors.
Stating the purposes of the ride from the FAQ's was helpful and helped me understand a little better the purpose of the ride. What prompted my post was I read a story about Columbia International Univ. not allowing their students to meet memebers of the ride because it didn't "adhere to their values". Although I know this attitude is based in bigotry, to me it's no different than student's at the women's college (I believe it was Smith College) protesting Barbara Bush's speaking there because her being a "housewife" didn't adhere to their values as what a college-educated woman should aspire to.
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I forgot to say it earlier, so welcome pbtn!
One thing you'll learn about us is that we take words very seriously. I know several people who are surprised at my reaction to words that they hadn't even thought of as being potentially troublesome. But when you've had words used as a weapon so much, you become sensitive to them.
So when someone points out the trouble with the word "tolerant" (for example), please don't take it as an automatic attack or judgment on you personally.
With that in mind (you knew this was coming, didn't you?), and with the intention of educating rather than tearing down, I'd ask you to think about the word "choices". It infers that homosexuality is something that is choosable, which it isn't. Homosexuality is simply a natural state of being that a person doesn’t decide on, just as one doesn't decide to have red hair or be left handed or be straight.
Also, I wish youo'd extended your quotation marks to include the word "lifestyles". That's another big one.
Again, welcome. I don't mean to be hard on anyone, but like I said, some words have been used as a weapon so much that we have to delete them from our vocabularies.