It's About Love

To my 3 loyal readers out there, I apologize in advance.  This blog post isn't about health, wellness, fitness, or food.  Just some thoughts that have been swimming in my mind for a few weeks that I want to get down on "paper."

You might know that I have started working a temporary, part-time job.  12 hours a week for 6-8 weeks.  It is a fairly mindless, monotonous job.  I work in an assembly line preparing cosmetics for shipping.  At work, the radio blasts out popular tunes.  I have been saddened by the suggestive and sometimes blatantly immoral lyrics suggesting the fun of getting wasted and laid.

I know the debate over morality in music has ragged for decades-- watch out for Elvis' gyrating hips-- but one song in particular has forced me to think and question and wonder.  Have you heard it?  Same Love, by Macklemore, with Ryan Lewis, featuring Mary Lambert.

Same Love points out the hypocrisy in America regarding homosexuality-- the stereotypes that flood the media and the minds of the American public, the words used to label others laced with hate and hurt, and the inability to love those who are different.

"America the brave still fears what we don't know

And God still loves his children is somehow forgotten"

Same Love calls for progress, for love and for kindness,

"Whatever God you believe in
We come from the same one
Strip away the fear
Underneath it's all the same love"

 I love these parts of the song.  Yes, we need to love.  Yes, we need to be kind!  But while Same Love is preaching love, it condemns religion and those who struggle to embrace love, kindness, tolerance, and Biblical morality.  Those of us who love our friends, but do not condone the acts of homosexuality.

I am saddned at the labels used to describe conservitive Christians:

"The right wing conservatives think it's a decision
And you can be cured with some treatment and religion
Man-made rewiring of a predisposition
Playing God, aw nah here we go"

Same Love urges us to, "Live on and be yourself," but is there tolerance for those who agree to love and be kind, but choose not to agree with homosexuality?  Is there patience, kindness and concern for individuals who are coming to grips with their own views on Gay Rights in an political climate pushing for immediate change?

It seems to me that both view points need to up their kindness quotient.

I am labeled a hater, a hypocrite and a religious zealot because I teach my children (all in the same breath) that God LOVES EVERY ONE OF HIS CHILDREN, and He has called homosexuality immoral-- humans do all sorts of things God has asked us not to and yet he loves us.

I also teach my children (in the same breath-- or maybe I breath twice-- it's a lot of words to get out...) that smoking is bad for your body and mind, but WE LOVE PEOPLE and are kind to our neighbors who smoke-- we just choose not to.

I also teach my children, that it is best to pay cash for purchases and to avoid debt if at all possible.  Yet, I don't condemn the person who lives off a credit card.  I just don't live that way.  I have the right to teach my children what I believe is right, and to teach them to LOVE others, regardless of their choices, political persuasions, or sexual orientation.

I honor and love my GBLT friends.  They have made terribly difficult, heart rending decisions in their lives.  I can not for one instant imagine the pain and heart ache they have endured learning to love themselves for who they are and facing the criticisms of people who are unkind.  My friends, be strong in what you believe and in who you are.

I, too, will stand strong in who I am and in what I believe.  I believe in LOVE, hope and kindness.  I believe in  a world where we can agree to disagree and still go out for drinks after work (make mine a virgin)!  I believe in a world where we don't judge others based on their political agendas, life choices, hair color, skin color or sexual orientation; rather we see each other through the lenses of love, forgiving weaknesses, showing kindness and allowing God, who knows us and loves us best, to guide our hearts.