An Eeyore kind of day

Ok, so I am not sure if I am spelling it correctly, but Eeyore- the winnie-the-pooh character, is right up my alley today. It is a sad and mopey day here at the seminary, and I am feeling sorrowful and mournful. Ok, and maybe a little angry. Here's why:

I spent the morning helping a friend plan a memorial service for her partner. And spent a good portion of that time recognizing (not for the first time) that our country, and the state of PA on top of it, is for the most part, illogical, immoral and ignorant. This couple has been together- well, for more than 15 years, cause that's how long we've known them. They are so much like us in many ways. They are two amazing, committed loving people. And now one of them has died - and I finally recognize how much our society keeps them from living normal, happy, lives. Let me explain that this couple has lived the "love your neighbor" thing more fully than any people in any church I've ever seen. They care about their community and serve it fully. They are moral, responsible, ethical, caring, kind and generous people. They are GOOD! they are God's daughters too.
And my culture - because of its religious values, chooses to hate them and oppress them. Here in America, we Christians pick and choose which parts of the bible we want to use to oppress people. Let's take slavery and the treatment of women as just two examples of past abuse that has changed...(and our understanding of mold and the wearing of mixed fibers as just a few of the levitical and cannonical texts which we have reinterpreted-) WISELY - I might add- as we begin to understand God and creation and nature more fully... And yet we always need to find some group to hold down and abuse under the guise that - that is what Jesus would do.

Has anyone who believes this ever read the GOSPELS?!? Yes, there are texts that we can use to bash gays and lesbians (I blame the Apostle Paul and right wing politics for the most part) but in a society that claims to allow individual, unalienable rights and claims that there is some separation of church & state- if you set aside the Bible for just one moment and look at the issue with your brain and social structure instead of your religious views, THEN HOW IN GOD'S NAME and ALL THAT IS HOLY CAN WE KEEP OPPRESSING THESE PEOPLE WHO WANT NOTHING MORE THAN TO LOVE EACH OTHER!!!!??????!!!! I do NOT get this and I am SO ANGRY!

The Laws do not protect them. The laws abuse them and I am appalled. As a pastor, as a loving Christian, but mostly as an AMERICAN, I have no way of comprehending this.
And this blog was going to be about knitting and my family and fun, humourous life events, but now is not the time for me to knit- because I will make tiny little hate-filled knots that i will just have to rip out later. I need to practice some forgiveness and prayer at this point, because I have no idea what else to do- but at some point soon - my family and I will need to become activists. Because it is what I believe Christ did, would do and is still working on... to bring love and peace and care for the community into this world, we will all need to start seeing the holy in one another.... I am going to get off my soap box now, hold my head in my hands and cry a little, and then pray. It is all I am left capable of doing today. Say a little prayer friends, and I promise, next time I post, no talk about religion...