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The subject of religion often comes up when people start to discuss issues relating to homosexuality. In some discussions it seems that one or more people will say that homosexuality is wrong, or that gay people are sinful. I have never seen anyone adopt this sort of a position without also referring, at least indirectly, to The Bible. I've known a lot of people who were devout Bible believing Christians. It seems to me that these people can be easily divided into two groups: 1) Those who study the Bible in order to lead their own lives as well as possible. 2) Those who study the Bible in order to tell other people how they should be leading their lives. To illustrate my point and highlight the differences let me give some examples. 1) My brother's first wife, Bonnie, probably the finest human being I ever knew or ever will know in my life. Bonnie loved everyone, absolutely everyone. She could quote Bible passages as if she had written it herself, but she never did unless someone else started the conversation. Bonnie's whole approach to religion was to use her studies of the Bible in order to make herself more godlike, to perfect herself, she placed no expectations on anyone else. Bonnie would get upset at news stories of some tragedy somewhere in the world. Her whole personality revolved around love for all people. This woman knew how to interpret what she read in the Bible correctly, she got the message loud and clear. I loved her dearly. She died a long, horrible death from lung cancer, never smoked a cigarette in her life, it was awful, she wasted away to nothing and died in tremendous pain while still very young. Right up to the end she had a smile and a hug for everyone, she never once complained. If there really is a heaven she is definitely there. People had to stand outside the church at her funeral, it was not big enough, everyone loved Bonnie. 2) Pat Buchanan. This clown claims to be a Bible believing Christian. He is the polar opposite of the late Bonnie Rider. His whole approach to religion is to use it to define what other people should and should not be allowed to do. I suspect he feels really pious and holy when he does this. In his own mind he seems to think that he is a great source of righteousness and goodness for the world. He hates gay people. He hates me. He has never met me, or heard of me, or even heard my name. He is rich enough to buy his way into Heaven, if it is for sale. He likes to speak to large groups of people and stir up the least noble of feelings, like anger, false pride and intolerance. There are many "leaders" like Mr. Buchanan, you can recognize them easily, they always talk about what other people do and they always have an opinion about it too. I think they are missing a very essential point about what religion is supposed to be, I think they have completely missed the boat. By now you may be wondering where I stand on religion. I think it is extremely overdone, to the point of being a very boring subject. I'm gay, and to a lot of "religious" people this is a big issue. They can quote chapter and verse and insist that it proves how bad I am. I'm not bad, I'm a nice guy, I know it. So someone must be mistaken, and I do not think it is me. There is one part of the Bible I really like though. It expresses an idea found in most, if not all, religions. It's just one little sentence but it works for me in every situation. "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you."
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