Acceptance

If a person is not a heterosexual, it takes a lot out of that person to come out clean about his/her sexuality.  In the eyes of religion, yes religion NOT faith, homosexuality is condemned.  As long as you are a homosexual, in the eyes of religion you've got yourself a confirmed seat in hell - no question about that.

For those who frown upon gays, what happens if one day you discovered that your loved one or your dearest friend is a gay?  Would you immediately disown him/her, disassociate yourself or condemn him/her to hell unless he/she goes straight?  I don't know about you but as for me NO!  Absolutely not!  I will accept my loved one and/or my dearest friend for who he/she is.  After all who are we to condemn God's creations to hell?  I love what Arizona of Grey Anatomy had to say to her partner's religious father - of how her father accepted her.  In case the link does not work here is the clip http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p-Uyc0OUqzY&hd=1 

I consider myself a Christian - though an unorthodox one in many ways, and yes, am also cynical of clergymen having been involved in the inner circles of church management.  I can't stand self-proclaimed "righteous men of God".  They wear their religion on their sleeves, proclaim to all and sundry the stand of their religion, what one should and should not do.  I say to these self-proclaimed 'righteous men of God' - look yourself in the mirror.  Can you honestly say yes, I love my neighbour as myself regardless of their sexual orientation.  If you can't love thy neighbour as thyself, then just shut up. 

I am glad that my children go to a school where they have classmates who are homosexuals.  At this tender age, they get to mingle around and see for themselves that these friends may be different in their sexual orientation/preference but they are still teenagers - excited about the same pop groups and movies, happy to hang out at shopping malls etc.  They simply accept these classmates for who they are - yes accept them as human with feelings too, just as the heterosexuals are.

Can you imagine, a teenager still struggling to come into adulthood to have it drilled into him that's he's condemned in the eyes of God, worthless and an outcast in society.  Can you imagine what that can do to a person, let alone a teenager.  Joel Burns, Texas Councilman went through this and understood.  Rev Ouyang had established a place where these creations of God can go and expect understanding, be themselves and not be judged.

Those who frown upon homosexuals, consider this - What if one day you find yourself in a very critical accident and the only person available to help you is this guy who is a homosexual.  Would you have refused his help?  Or would you have asked him "Are you straight or a homosexual?" before you decide if you want to accept his help?  You simply don't ask at that point of time - you are just grateful there is someone there to help you.  So does one's sexuality preference counts?  No!  It only counts at times when it serve our purpose. 

Someone recently said this- "It is time to recognize that sacrifice, valor and integrity are no more defined by sexual orientation than they are by race or gender, religion or creed."