Dan Savage

I often stay away from controversial conversations on my blog. And even in person. I am a people-pleaser. I like people to get along. I don't like confrontation. (Actually, I loathe it.) I avoid drama in all ways and at all times.

However, lately, I have found myself quite overwhelmed by the amount of Christianity-bashing that our society is tolerating. I truly believe that this is a slippery slope, and that as we allow Christians to be "bullied" we will continue to see our religion become unacceptable to our society -- in more ways than it already is.

One of the latest and most outrageous examples surrounded Dan Savage. The founder of the "It Gets Better" project was speaking at a high school journalism convention in Seattle. You can watch the video here.

I wanted to touch briefly on homosexuality.

I do believe that homosexuality is not part of God's designs for humanity. I believe it is a sin. I also believe that alcoholism, sex outside of marriage, affairs, drug addiction, murder, and other crimes are outside of God's design as well. They are all sins. I believe that I have struggles in my life that are sins. That we all do. I do not believe homosexuality is a worse sin than any other.

At no time is it okay to bully or mock or hurt anyone no matter what activities they might participate in. Ever. If my child were to ever bully someone for any reason at all, the punishment would be extreme. Whether it be for the way they look. The activities they participate in. The race they are.

JB and I are very strong Christians. We believe homosexuality is a sin. However, despite that, we have had many different friends come out to JB and I for the first time -- either as bisexual or homosexual.

I can vividly remember two different times that a friend sat down in our home and shared the most intimate details of their personal life. Why did they feel comfortable doing this? They knew JB and I didn't agree that this was okay. I believe the reason is that they know that while we may not agree with the sin, we will always love and accept the sinner. Anyone is welcome in my home -- unless they are forcing viewpoints upon us that I cannot subject my children to. Or unless their personal actions would endanger myself or my children.

So fast forward to Dan Savage. He is a founder of an organization designed to stop bullying. He disagrees with Christianity. I don't have a problem with that. Just as I disagree with something about him, I would not bully or put him down. But when he began to put down Christianity in his talk, many students got up and walked out, not willing to allow themselves to be bullied. He then called those individuals "pansy asses" and later apologized, sarcastically, if he hurt anyone's feelings. (Agan You can watch the video here.)

I especially respect Jimmy LaSalvia's response. Jimmy is the executive director of GOProud -- an organization for conservative homosexuals. LaSalvia summed up how I was feeling by calling Dan Savage's statements “outrageous” and demanding an apology.

“Dan Savage should apologize for his comments and should apologize to the high school students in attendance whom he called ‘pansy-asses,’” LaSalvia was quoted as saying. “It is ironic that someone whose claim to fame is fighting bullying would resort to bullying tactics in attacking high school students who were offended by his outrageous remarks.”

LaSalvia said people of faith should be treated with respect. And I agree. People of faith. People of every sexual orientation. People of all religions. People of all races.

“Dan Savage’s outrageous anti-Christian tirade hurts – not helps – the fight for gay rights in this country,” LaSalvia said in a statement. “There is nothing incompatible between being a Christian and believing that all people should be treated equally..."

Amen.

And Dan Savage went beyond that. He attacked the Republican Party — and specifically Callista Gingrich, the wife of Republican presidential candidate Newt Gingrich.“The Bible says if a woman is not a virgin on her wedding night, she shall be dragged to her father’s doorstep and stoned to death,” he said. “Callista Gingrich still lives.”

Is that not bullying? So now he has bullied Christians and those who have had affairs. And next, he moved onto Republicans.

“There is no effort to amend state constitutions to make it legal to stone women to death on their wedding nights if they’re not virgins — at least not yet,” Savage said. “We don’t know where the GOP is going these days.”

So now he has mocked Christians. Conservatives. And adulteresses all in one speech. He has "bullied" those in attendance.

I hope that everyone -- Christians and non-Christians -- homosexuals and those who are straight -- can agree on the fact that NO ONE should be bullied. NO ONE should be made fun of. NO ONE should be mocked. Ever. Jesus ate with the sinners. He surrounded himself with people whose ways were those he disagreed with. I do the same. Anyone is welcome in my home. You will be loved and respected until your dying day. My children WILL do the same.

Okay, stepping off soap box now. Thanks for listening to my rant. And if you want to leave a comment, that is fine, but please remember that we are not trying to agree on the right and wrong of religions or sexual orientation but instead trying to agree on being kind to everyone in all ways and at all times.