Friday, July 3, 2015
Not all Christians hate gays and not all gays hate Christians
Not all Christians hate gays and not all gays hate Christians. A member of my family once said " The media sensationalises everything. You notice they always pick the worst from either group to use as representatives on the news." Which I'd say is completely true. They either pick the haggy old lady who thinks all gays should be killed and she claims to be a good Christian or the flamboyant man who drops the f-word and vandalizes churches for gay rights protest. Frankly I don't believe either the Christian community or the gay community wants these individuals as their representatives. It makes both sides look hostile and crazy. I don't believe that the right to marry someone you love should be with held from anyone. But in the same note I don't believe that a pastor should be sued for sticking to his beliefs in refusing to participate in a ceremony in which in disagrees with. I deeply believe love and compassion should be shown on both sides. I am an active member of the lds church and on many occasions I've stood up for my gay friends, family, and fellow human beings. Does this mean that I am any less of a Mormon or Christian ? No. This simply means that I believe in being human and civil. Does this mean that I appreciate some of the disrespect directed at Christians? No. Whoever created the cartoon of Jesus making out with another man in attempt to anger people and prove a point you succeed in making me angry and I want to punch you in the face. Those of you who see fit to do or say hurtful or vicious things in the name of religion put a sock in it. No one views you as a representative of Christ. And those of you who think it's acceptable to beat up a pastor because he won't perform your marriage in his church acknowledge that he fears God more than he does you. Respect that and put your fists away. I invite all to join a group I like to call respectful human beings. We welcome people from all walks of life and we don't feel the need to use hate when others disagree with us.
Sunday, February 22, 2015
God knows I mean well
Through out my life I've attended many church wards. There was one where we had the tightest ward I've ever heard of. And there was one where literally only two people in the whole ward knew I existed. There were wards I attended where everyone kept in their shells and None cared about anyone else, And there's been family wards that when a member had a need the whole ward comes a running.
I've been on the receiving end of Sunday school harassment, And on the receiving end of Christ like service when I really needed somebody. So I've seen the good and the bad and I continue to attend church regularly. Why? Because I believe it. I believe in God and i go there for him. The most recent ward I've been in I've Developed an even deeper love and sympathy for those that are unfaIrly judged. My experiences in the ward have been the following:
shortly after my husband got laid off a sister from the ward called and asked if I would provide a meal for a family in the ward that was in need. The first thought that went through my mind was "we have no money", but I knew if they were calling it was because there was a need. I scrambled through our freezer and food storage hoping for something. Tacos. We could make tacos. We had a few 99 cent tortillas in the fridge and a can of tvp in food storage. It was simple but that's what we had. Either that or pancakes. Just pancakes. Since I didn't want to bring a family in need a Tupperware of dry pancakes, tacos was my only choice. A few hours later I got a call from the sister that had been assigned to provide the meal with me. I didn't know I would be working with someone. When she asked what we should provide I told her I could bring taco filling and tortillas. She was very rude towards me on the phone when she told me how inconsiderate I was to plan the meal without her. "You've planned everything on your own what am I supposed to bring?!" She snapped at me over the phone. I tried to explain that I was using stuff I already had but shedidn't seem to be listening. She then declared that she would make cornbread on her own and drop it off separate from me.
She didn't know. She didn't know how scared I was after my husband lost his job our how I'd be penny pinching for 7 long months to make sure that our savings would stretch to cover rent. She didn't know. She didn't know that for a month I'd be using my sad little bag of pancake mix to make bread products to avoid grocery shopping cause we couldn't afford it. She didn't know.
Fast forward to today. I sat in the cry room of the church so I could listen to sacrament. I look like I rolled out of bed wearing tennis shoes with my dress because I have my work clothes underneath because immediately after sacrament I have work. I've selected to attend sacrament in the cry room for the past two Sundays because none will notice or judge me when I have to leave early. The only people around me are a few little kids making a mess with cheerios and a few elderly couples. They see that I have gloves on my hands and a pair of work goggles hanging from the collar of my dress. Kids don't care and the elderly know why I'm leaving. What about the rest of the congregation? I don't know. I don't know if they know. I doubt they know how long me and my husband prayed and fasted to get the jobs we have. Nor do they know how many interviews we went to in search of employment. But I know that God knows. He knows how bad I want to stay for the 3 hr block. And he knows that our savings ran out a month ago. I'm a lot less concerned what others think of my appearance or choices. I know that God knows.
I didn't write this blog entry for sympathy, or pity but more with the hope that we can give people the benefit of the doubt more often. And if anyone ever sees me at church feel free to come sit by me with the knowledge that you will be treated with respect. I don't care if you have a nose ring, if your kids spread cheerios from here to kingdom come, if you have to leave early for work, or if you're dressed casually. You have a seat by me.
I've been on the receiving end of Sunday school harassment, And on the receiving end of Christ like service when I really needed somebody. So I've seen the good and the bad and I continue to attend church regularly. Why? Because I believe it. I believe in God and i go there for him. The most recent ward I've been in I've Developed an even deeper love and sympathy for those that are unfaIrly judged. My experiences in the ward have been the following:
shortly after my husband got laid off a sister from the ward called and asked if I would provide a meal for a family in the ward that was in need. The first thought that went through my mind was "we have no money", but I knew if they were calling it was because there was a need. I scrambled through our freezer and food storage hoping for something. Tacos. We could make tacos. We had a few 99 cent tortillas in the fridge and a can of tvp in food storage. It was simple but that's what we had. Either that or pancakes. Just pancakes. Since I didn't want to bring a family in need a Tupperware of dry pancakes, tacos was my only choice. A few hours later I got a call from the sister that had been assigned to provide the meal with me. I didn't know I would be working with someone. When she asked what we should provide I told her I could bring taco filling and tortillas. She was very rude towards me on the phone when she told me how inconsiderate I was to plan the meal without her. "You've planned everything on your own what am I supposed to bring?!" She snapped at me over the phone. I tried to explain that I was using stuff I already had but shedidn't seem to be listening. She then declared that she would make cornbread on her own and drop it off separate from me.
She didn't know. She didn't know how scared I was after my husband lost his job our how I'd be penny pinching for 7 long months to make sure that our savings would stretch to cover rent. She didn't know. She didn't know that for a month I'd be using my sad little bag of pancake mix to make bread products to avoid grocery shopping cause we couldn't afford it. She didn't know.
Fast forward to today. I sat in the cry room of the church so I could listen to sacrament. I look like I rolled out of bed wearing tennis shoes with my dress because I have my work clothes underneath because immediately after sacrament I have work. I've selected to attend sacrament in the cry room for the past two Sundays because none will notice or judge me when I have to leave early. The only people around me are a few little kids making a mess with cheerios and a few elderly couples. They see that I have gloves on my hands and a pair of work goggles hanging from the collar of my dress. Kids don't care and the elderly know why I'm leaving. What about the rest of the congregation? I don't know. I don't know if they know. I doubt they know how long me and my husband prayed and fasted to get the jobs we have. Nor do they know how many interviews we went to in search of employment. But I know that God knows. He knows how bad I want to stay for the 3 hr block. And he knows that our savings ran out a month ago. I'm a lot less concerned what others think of my appearance or choices. I know that God knows.
I didn't write this blog entry for sympathy, or pity but more with the hope that we can give people the benefit of the doubt more often. And if anyone ever sees me at church feel free to come sit by me with the knowledge that you will be treated with respect. I don't care if you have a nose ring, if your kids spread cheerios from here to kingdom come, if you have to leave early for work, or if you're dressed casually. You have a seat by me.
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