First Off
It's been a while since I've written--for many reasons. The battle for equality has been winning enough that news and updates have diminished to very little. Minus the issues involving the newly adopted cause for trans equality, there has been little talk on equal rights for homosexuals, bisexuals, and same-sex marriage. The Mormon Church has also stayed out of the conversation for the most part, ever since the policy that completely shutdown the hope that gays and mormons could live in harmony. Hence, little to rile me up enough to write.
The more legitimate reason for my silence is my sudden change of hometown. I decided in the middle of this year to look for work in San Diego--instantly rolling a ball of tasks to complete for a smooth exit from Salt Lake City and a new life in San Diego. I was frantically trying to wrap up work at my last job, started to sell my home and furnishings, and began looking for a new job to begin the actual pack-up and leave.
Now I'm in San Diego, working, and taking a breath from the first hurricane of changes. I still have yet to sell my home to have the down payment for a condo here. I almost did, but the appraiser all but turned me over and raped me with a low F-U house price that forced the buyer to pull out. I'm paranoid an acquaintance-gone-bad might be pulling strings to make my life more hellish. Anyway, I'm sure it will work out soon and I can finally have my bachelor pad to myself and move out of my parents' guest room.
My Rant
What brings me on to write in my "journal" today is this article that popped up about disillusioned Christians dealing with the problem that is Donald Trump. I like hearing that the republicans are distraught that their sham of a party is being represented by a lunatic. Trump isn't a republican. He's a narcissist. He did what he needed to run and get the votes. He likes the popularity--all he talks about is his accomplishments, polls, ratings, and endorsements. And since he doesn't hold a true "christian" view of gay marriage, abortion, and similar social issues, radical evangelicals are bemoaning the presidential election as a combat of evil vs. satanic. In my opinion, I think most Americans feel the same way to some level, and that most of our elections end up that way. But it's more dramatic for the religious who don't have a candidate that prays to "god" and quotes scripture in rallies.
So this article I read seemed juicy about the Trump drama, but come to find out, it was more about the religious whining that America is diminished to sinful wasteland due to same-sex rights progress. This older couple in Iowa owned an old church for various businesses, one being a rental for events like weddings. A young gay couple showed up to a booked hotel to wed only to find that it had gone bankrupt and closed. The only other venue in the area to book that wouldn't completely alter their wedding was this Iowa couples' church rental. But once they knew it was a same-sex wedding, they refused the gay couple's business.
The story continues like many: religious party is sued and loses. But instead of them booming in business for "standing for their beliefs", they all but lost any interest in their business. The article outlines their disdain for legalizing SSM in the US and their outcry for not de-funding Planned Parenthood. They whine of the diminishing popularity of christianity, and that they no longer enjoy a majority in the country. They are huge Ted Cruz fans (that should tell you enough). Cruz even came to make them heroes for standing for their beliefs. It ignited again the hateful fire that religious freedom trumps the equality for everyone to quietly live their own happy lives.
The gay couple stated the simple (yet ignored argument) that these Christians' beliefs are against gay marriage, but their beliefs are for it--why should the christian's opinion win? And the dumb part is that it's a fight for gays to have the same thing the straight people do; nothing more or less. Yet the christians (that seem to believe they run the country) are upset that someone they don't like gets to have the same privileges they enjoy.
"When you’re accustomed to privilege, equality feels like oppression."
Yes, christians have been persecuted. That's what started the USA in the first place. They wanted the freedom to do what they wanted. And for a while, most everyone was able to do what they wanted in the belief department. But now that we're a grown country, and one of the most powerful ones, we're still being held in the past of what got us here in the first place. Believers believe it's their right to impose their beliefs onto the entire country. Their right to making sure everyone believes the way they do is being infringed. Now that minorities are stepping up to defend their points of view--and winning--the religious want to put up their hand and yell "foul!" I came across a blog post that gives a good metaphor to this whole problem.
It made me sick that these religious people are so upset that they are "losing" their majority and hold on the country's policies. What's even worse is that their life isn't getting any worse--it's all in their head. All that's happening is that people not like you get to have the same things you do. You finally have to share the toy in the sandbox with someone else.
I have to deal with idiotic religious people every day. I can't avoid it. Christians believe that they can throw a fit when a homosexual wants to rent from you (and pay you for it!). Yet they think we are taking their beliefs and pissing on them.
Well... gays, lesbians, trans, bis, blacks, latinos, satanists, atheists, and agnostics, etc. have been pissed on and are still pissed on by religious peoples' overzealous need to be better and in control over others' lives. Boo-hoo that the candidate for your traditionally god-fearing party is Donald Trump. Boo-hoo that gays can marry and women can abort. Boo-hoo that you have to be as nice to me as I have to be to you. Boo-hoo that kids are leaving religion because it's bogus hocus-pocus. Boo-hoo.
My parents and most of my family are religious. We respect each other, but still both hold strong to each others' points of view. My dad continues to say things like "stop complaining and get a job", and "you think you're being discriminated--I'm being discriminated here!". He's a white, christian, straight, wealthy male. It enrages me, but I have to calmly disagree and sometimes jovially ask him to shut up. I know if push comes to shove, he will respect my choices and support what makes me happy--even if he doesn't want some of it in his house. I've done the same and more for him.
So there's my rant. Nothing new. It just astonishes me that people are still complaining and whining that there's no hope in this world until "Jesus comes to purge it". Doom and gloom is the invention of idiots that refuse to take responsibility, make a difference, or choose to be happy. This article, I'm sure, is one of a thousand other stories of more dumb people that can't keep to themselves. Gays have been asked to keep to themselves since the beginning. Now it's your turn.
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