Meanwhile, with legislation such as this being introduced to protect groups, there are those out there that “cry bully.” Some in the LGBT community are writing filth that is perpetuating the trend of bullying. Please read the article here: http://www.thegailygrind.com/2014/03/25/tennessee-passes-bill-allowing-bullying-lgbt-students-name-religious-freedom/. They believe that if we don’t believe exactly as they do, then we are less, we are nothing, we are the lowest of the low. It is an epidemic of tragic proportions.
Discrimination is huge in this country. If you are different, if you go against the status quo, you are discriminated against. This is true for Muslims, Jews, Christians, gays and lesbians, people with special needs - the list goes on. What people are not seeing: we have become a society of hate. Hate has permeated our way of life, our way of thinking, our way of dealing with each other. Bob is gay, so we hate him. Jim is a Christian, so we hate him. Sue is an Atheist, so we hate her. Islam is a whole other subject I am not going to touch - their hate is so strong that trying to reason it out is futile.
Why? Why have we become so callous, so cruel, so hardened? I am a Christian. I love everyone. I do not pretend to be perfect. I am just one of those people that chooses to love rather than hate. I don’t “tolerate” gays because I don’t agree with their lifestyle. I love them. I have a gay friend that I love dearly. So when he shared the above GailyGrind article, I commented in favor of the bill, and another person responded to me, and I quote, “We keep hoping that ‘dumb humans’ will eventually learn, but are constantly reminded (to our sadness) they still have a ways to go.” If that isn’t a form of cyber-bullying, I don’t know what is. Dumb human? Because I have my own beliefs? Did he even read the bill in its entirety? Nope. So he didn’t even know what it actually says, yet he implied in his comments bullying would not only be tolerated but protected by the bill - it never states that bullying will be tolerated! That is preposterous! The bill is a protection for students that have been silenced in the name of separation of church and state (which is a can of worms that is better left untouched by me, since IT ISN’T IN THE CONSTITUTION). *Putting away my megaphone.*
I understand that people of the LGBT community have difficulties. There are many people out there that are mean, rude, and downright nasty. And I am sorry that people in the LGBT community have gone through that when they just need us to love them. BUT that doesn’t mean we all have to agree to their ways!
As a Christian, I too have faced difficulties. Not everyone agrees with my faith. I have people that sneer at me in my class when I pray out loud before my test. I pray for those in my class and for me, that we will all remember what we need to survive the test. Yet people sneer or roll their eyes (I don’t believe you need to close your eyes to pray). Maybe I am being bullied. But I’m not going to go cry in a corner over it. I am going to pray for them and go on.
So is there a solution? YES! And it starts with YOU. Yes, YOU. The one reading this article. Search your heart. Is there someone you are bullying or discriminating against? Why? Because you don’t like what they do? Because they are different? Because they believe, or don’t believe, the way you think they should? Make a mental effort. Change your hate into something else. Change it into kindness and love. Are you avoiding some place because they support something that you dislike? Make an effort to think about your why and if it really is worth your time to spread that hate so far. Hate will get you nowhere really quickly. But love? Love changes everything. Reach out a hand, show love, and you will reap what you sow.
Original Image Credit: Flickr