| timmah said: I believe in teaching my kids to live a life that would reflect that of Jesus. The most important of those is the way they would treat others, regardless of any other factors. Every parent attempts to teach their child some sort of right and wrong, or morals. I don't believe the 'morals' are the be all and end all, as many things are open to discussion and interpretation... the core message is loving others and treating others as you would like to be treated. Of course youth suicide is a huge thing, and suicides in the gay community are an especially horrible tragedy. I agree 100% with you there, but the 'murder' comparison was a stretch because I wouldn't in any way advocate anything that would provoke people towards suicide. I understand that, which is why I told you my definition of 'reaching out'. It has to be without agenda and only for the good of the other person. I agree with you. I also have massive issues with people who preach that homosexuality is evil, hate gays, or any of the other things you reference. There is a group of so-called christians near where I live that at times stand out with horrible, offensive signs about gays, this makes me more angry than anything I've ever seen. This is vastly different than what I'm talking about, it's on a personal level and would never seek to call out somebody else or be used in a judgemental way. I honestly think that some view homosexuality as somhow worse than anything they've done simply because they don't understand it (or because they themselves are gay in some cases). |
If everyone truly lived that way, then there would be no bigotry at all, and we wouldn't be having this argument. However, I think you're underestimating the effects that such morals can have on young minds. Some question them; some accept them, and some let it well up inside them until later when it comes out in one expression or another (sometimes suicide). The latter are the ones that I worry about the most. I place it in the same category as bullying. Sure, you can ignore the things that others say, but it CAN get to some people, and unfortunately a lot of teen suicides are also attributed to bullying.
I'm not implying that you would personally advocate something towards provokation to suicide, but please understand that there are many out there whose teachings of such morals can be a direct provocation towards such measures.
I agree with the definition of 'reaching out'. Unfortunately for my friend, this whole traumatic incident has closed him off moreso than anything. It's more of a knee-jerk response to an action, creating a kind of partisan rift. Before this incident, he was open to everyone.
If you do what you say you do, then you're one of the good ones. However, I don't agree with your stance on the morals thing, because some morals taught to impressionable youth can be damaging in more ways than originally intended.
