Hi, I'm Michelle

[FoxInSox]

...and I can no longer, in good conscience, sit idly by as my faith is bastardized to promote hate, shame, violence, prejudice, and intolerance. Jesus is once again being used as a weapon, just as he was/is against racial and thenic minorities, women, left-handed people (WTF?), etc.

Although discrimination and bias against these groups remain, we have made great strides. For example, women are acheiving high ranking executive positions, but still getting lower pay and at statistically lower rates. Or, white sheets, burning crosses, and lynchings are images shocking to my generation (although I, at least, have seen them).

Apparently, though, we as humans (Americans?) haven't learned. We continue to use faith to assault people. They carry their hateful signs, chant their GLBT versions of the n-word, and decree damnation of souls. In response, I get haughty and spew anger, intolerance, and my own vile language at their intolerance.

How terribly effective. :shifty

I found Soulforce through a Wikipedia article on non-violent civil disobedience. I am inspired by the examples of Jesus as I understand him on my better days, Ghandi and Dr. King, and I'm delighted to see their principles applied to the fight for the civil rights of GLBT people. Perhaps finding a way to honorably fight discrimination and hate will help dissipate my aching heart and my hidden yearning for revenge. I hope to learn from you all.

Thanks,
Michelle

[labguy22]

Welcome Michelle,
Thanks for the wonderful introduction; I will be much more compassionate towards leftys from now on.

[Pablo Rafael]

Hi Michelle,

Glad to have you on the forums!

It is indeed a shame that people have taken the wonderful Gospel message of Christ and instead of following His example, they have used religion as a means by which they can support their own prejudices.

I am convinced that, at least in the United States, the tide is turning against people who feel comfortable in their religion wrapped hatred.

I look forward to hearing more from you.

Tu Amigo, Pablo

[BruceChris]

It is always wonderful when a kind, thoughtful and well spoken straight ally discovers us, and wishes us well. I would love to make recommendations as to what to read, or where to start, but there are just too many. Especially with the election of our new president, and the discriminatory outcome of all of the ballot initiatives.

You might check out the "Hello my name is" postings of Ningmom, and Illogicalbeats. Read all of the way to the bottom, as they do not immediately open up. They are also recent, well spoken straight allies, whose first postings should be below your first, not too far down.

You can also check out this open letter, by Melissa Etheridge:

http://www.soulforce.org/forums/showthread.php?t=5569

When you click on someone's name, you can sometimes access a complete list of their previous postings, in reverse chronological order. This can be very handy when you really want to get a broad understanding of just what that person has to say.

Please come back, and post when the spirit moves you, and tell us more about yourself, and your spiritual journey.

Peace and Love, Bruce Chris

And to steal a quote from one of our members, "When fascism comes, it will be wrapped in an American flag, and carrying a cross" -- H. L. Menken --(?)

[Zerbie]

Welcome, Michelle.

What a great hello post!

I'm having some trouble with anger myself this - just when I thought I had finally 'healed' my animosity towards Christians. Suddenly it has come back and seems like the correct attitude to have.

I think the correct response is to call out injustice where it is, and place the accountability on those who are actually responsible. That will direct the anger into productive, meaningful action, which will dissipate it. And maybe even make things better at the same time.

We need to call out those who have unleashed a storm of violence in CA and provided an atmosphere in which unstable individuals feel justified in hate-motivated assaults on gays (or any group.)

[FoxInSox]

Zerbie,

I was listening to NPR in the car the other day, and they were covering protests about Prop 8. All I could hear in the background was "SHAME ON YOU! SHAME ON YOU!" I wasn't sure who was protesting.

I learned it was a anti-prop 8 group protesting at a large Mormon church.

The day before, I had been reading about Ghandi on Wikipedia (I'm rather a newb to actually DOING something non-violent and civilly disobedient), and one of his precepts was that we will not be verbally violent either. I decided that it didn't matter that I was also anti-prop 8...there's more than enough shame in the world already. Chanting it at a protest isn't helping.

That night, I found you guys.

[tdogg]

Welcome Michelle! Glad you are here. Thanks for your intro and your kind words. Thanks for being an ally.

I'm a long ways off from being a non-violent role model. I believe we must protest and do it now. I don't believe in violence, and unfortunately some of that will happen. But I do believe in making our voices heard, telling it like it is and demanding our rights be reinstated.

I was reading on a different thread where you weren't sure you could compare your experience to GLBTs. You'll actually find many of us have common experiences (esp. as to not identifying with 'Christians' and what they teach). You seem to get it, you seem able to emphathize and we are of the same mind in regards to equality being stripped away. I would say your story is just like ours. The differences aren't the key, it's the similiarities. Thanks for being here, I'm glad you found us and I hope you stay.