I have questions....

[lilithu]

And I'll state up front that they are rhetorical questions.

Not only that, but I have no intention of debating these questions - it would not be good for my blood pressure. So I'm just going to vent and leave it at that.


Number 1. There are Muslims who say that their religion is based on peace, that those who commit terrorism in the name of Allah are not representing Islam, but rather a distortion of it.

Question: For those of you who argue with the above, WHY ARE YOU ARGUING WITH THEM? Are you actually trying to convince them that the terrorists are the true Muslims? WHAT DOES THAT ACCOMPLISH?? You actually want more people in the world who believe their religion tells them to kill?? What the heck??


Number 2. There are Christians who favor full legal equality for BGLT folks, including civil marriages. Some of these Christians, most notably the Mormons, have even had to go against their church to take this position. They went against their church to do what they believe is right.

Question: For those of you who are attacking all Mormons, as opposed to the people (both Mormon and non-Mormon) who actually supported prop 8, WHY??! What a nice constructive way to make potential allies feel good about supporting our cause... NOT. Do you actually wish to convince them that all liberals/progressives/pro-BGLT folks hate them, regardless of what they do? WHAT DOES THAT ACCOMPLISH?? What the heck??


I'm sure I could think of more, similar questions. But we'll just leave it at these. Now I am going to go and breath.

 

[Green Gaia]

Question: For those of you who are attacking all Mormons, as opposed to the people (both Mormon and non-Mormon) who actually supported prop 8, WHY??! What a nice constructive way to make potential allies feel good about supporting our cause... NOT. Do you actually wish to convince them that all liberals/progressives/pro-BGLT folks hate them, regardless of what they do? WHAT DOES THAT ACCOMPLISH?? What the heck??

I agree. It's not helpful. I think a lot of people are really hurt and angry and are lashing out in all directions. When you're that angry, you do irrational things that you may not if you were able to step up and take a breath and look at the whole picture. People are just SO angry and rightfully so. Really I don't know what to do. I think there SHOULD be protests, loud and boisterous protests, but done in general and not aimed at any church in particular. People have to know we're not going to accept this.

 

[LuisDantas]

It seems to me that it is simply hard to resist the temptation of treating adherents of a doctrine as if they were homogeneous in thought.

We people feel a sense of security when we can give a name to those things that bother us. We know that not all muslims, mormons or christians think the same way, but it is not always easy to keep that in mind and refrain from lashing out. I agree with Green Gaia, it is probably a result of anger and frustration needing a concrete target.

Of course, that is not any less wrong just because it is difficult to avoid.

I guess that deep down we wish those who show good judgement to make some noise and shake some sense into their churches. And we often fail in properly, respectfully asking for that.

 

[Jayhawker Soule]

Small people need soap boxes ...

 

[lilithu]

I agree. It's not helpful. I think a lot of people are really hurt and angry and are lashing out in all directions. When you're that angry, you do irrational things that you may not if you were able to step up and take a breath and look at the whole picture. People are just SO angry and rightfully so. Really I don't know what to do. I think there SHOULD be protests, loud and boisterous protests, but done in general and not aimed at any church in particular. People have to know we're not going to accept this.

Yes, there should be protests. Loud and boisterous and sustained. It sounds like that's what's happening.

I just got back from a weekend long conference amongst Unitarian Universalists. Of course the presidential election and the passage of prop 8 were both on all our minds. Many of the UUs in attendance are BGLT and some were from California. The ones from Cali had been working 12 hour days hoping to defeat this prop. They poured so much of themselves into it and it affects them so personally that if they were to have expressed anger at Mormons in general I would not have argued with them. But they didn't. They expressed their pain in heart-wrenching testimonies but did not blame any one group other than those who voted in favor of the proposition. And then they strategized on what to do next. In fact, while one of my friends was attending the conference in New Jersey, she was text-messaging her wife back in Cali who was planning and attending protests. I'm so sorry that there is so much hatred in the world, and so proud of my fellow UUs who, for the most part, do not add to the hatred, even when justified, and respond instead with firm conviction.

 

[Green Gaia]

We have to continue to be a beacon of love, hope, justice, and freedom in the world. It's why I'm a UU.

 

[Ciscokid]

Number 1. There are Muslims who say that their religion is based on peace, that those who commit terrorism in the name of Allah are not representing Islam, but rather a distortion of it.

Question: For those of you who argue with the above, WHY ARE YOU ARGUING WITH THEM? Are you actually trying to convince them that the terrorists are the true Muslims? WHAT DOES THAT ACCOMPLISH?? You actually want more people in the world who believe their religion tells them to kill?? What the heck??

I honestly do not know if the Koran objectively supports either position. It seems to me that people can support either approach to Islam and can probably dig up scripture to support it.