Posted on 08/13/2004 9:36:00 AM PDT by IdaBriggs
Hello. I am hoping you can help me.
I am trying to "reach out" to your side of the world in an effort to help each side understand the other. I apologize in advance if I offend or upset any of you, because that is NOT my intention. I hope by putting my "real name" on this post, you will view what I am about to say in the sincere way I mean it.
I am somewhat frightened of you.
Again, I apologize if I am offending, but I thought you should know about it. I also know I am not alone in my feelings about you because I have talked with other people who feel the same way. We think you are trying to impose your religion and way of life on the rest of us.
I know most of you are good people. You are kind and generous with your friends, family and neighbors. You help strangers change tires, work as teachers, risk your lives in the service of others -- all things everyone admires, respects and honors. Those of us on "the other side" do the same thing.
But sometimes you talk in painful ways about “evil” as if to associate us with "demons" and "satan" because we don't agree with your path. That is very hurtful, and it makes us feel like you don't really see us as fellow human beings with different understandings of God. I am a gardener by hobby, and not always a very good one. My husband likes to tease me about "killing plants" instead of growing them because sometimes I over water or put too much fertilizer on them, yet every year I keep trying, and gradually, my garden is starting to become beautiful. I love roses in particular, and am reminded every day how wonderful God is because He made so many different kinds – I have three different red roses alone, and each one is perfect! I have seven different colors of Petunias, and use them to explain how God loves people of all colors to my neighbor's children. I guess that is why I believe you, who scare me so, really do have love in your hearts for all of us, even though sometimes it doesn't seem that way.
The worst times are when the topics of Abortion and Gay Sex come up. No one would ever force you to have an Abortion or indulge in Gay Sex in America EVER, yet you persist in making these topics of conversation as if they trump all other considerations. The only way I can reconcile this with a rational viewpoint is if I think you believe you are trying to SAVE those who don't believe the way you do from Hell. This seems to be a very loving action on your part, but feels rude and controlling in a not-positive way to the rest of us. Many of us do not believe these things will result in eternal damnation, but are simply part of God’s plan for each individual.
If you are truly horrified by the thought of these things, I don’t know what to say to make it easier for you to understand, but I will still try. I guess it would be like making everyone not wear jewelry or make up because some churches believe adornment is demonstrating vanity; it may end up being something we are all judged by, but it may also simply be a misreading or misinterpretation of the text. I am not saying your adherence to the tenets of your faith is wrong; I am saying other people have a right to love God in their own ways, and our civil laws should not be about defining “sin” but crime.
I say again, I am not meaning to offend. I have a very strong faith in God, and trust him to do the right thing. I don't like hearing people say that God is judging all of America based on who is President; both men have qualities worthy of admiration at some level, and both are interviewing for the job of enforcing our constitution. It demands we keep church and state as separate institutions so that we don't have wars in this country over religion (like they do in Ireland with Catholics and Protestants or in Iraq with Sunni's and Shiites). It demands I respect your right NOT to have an abortion if you don't want one, and NOT to indulge in gay sex if you don't want to, and to follow the teachings of your faith in the way you best understand them. It demands we all work "for the common defense, promote the general welfare and ensure the blessings of liberty for ourselves and our posterity" and on behalf of that, I am reaching out to you to find out how we can frame the debates on these things without heaping scorn and shame upon each other. No matter what the results of the November 2, 2004, election, I personally want all Americans to be proud of our country, and the way we run it.
I know I am already.
In Humble Sincerity, Ida M. Briggs
Do you respect a childs right to be born?
God plans for people to have abortions?
Ida, are you asking honest questions here?
Excuse me. If you are still here. But what if someone wanted to "love God" the way queers "love" each other?
You seem to have logic in this silliness you posted that sems to say "God is a homo".
Um, don't know you, don't give a whit about your soul.
That unborn kid's life, however, is something I'd like to save.
Most people on this site don't care if two consenting adults want to have gay sex. But most people on this site, and in America don't believe those people should be allowed to be "Married".
Yes. I am not trying to offend.
Troll. No good will come of treating this pinhead with respect. It's most likely a juicy quote trap.
So if I said "I respect your right not to own a slave" would you recognize my "right to own a slave?"
If most gays weren't so promiscous, I'd have less of a problem with them. However, they are still the primary vector for the spread of AIDS in this country - and they insist on getting in our faces and demanding we accept this. I don't.
Silly fool. I don't expect anyone could ever force abortions on pregnant women. That's simply beyond the pale. Try telling that to a woman pregnant with her second child in China. It's happening there and it could happed here but that is not my main concern with abortion. Abortion kills a HUMAN BEING! That person is being 'forced' to die simply because some selfish woman doesn't want to be inconvenienced. Sorry if I offend.
You ask not for understanding, your transparent desire is complete control over the parameters of debate.
Your decision to compare the lives of unborn living children to weeds is disgusting. I am never virulently anti-abortion/pro-life, except when people bring up these completely disgusting analogies of children as weeds and flowers. And only during these times do I identify with those who shout the slogan "I am a survivor"
And I'll call you out, it's taken directly from old NOW literature.
Using Alinsky techniques here won't get you any respect.
If a serial killer doesn't "morally" think he is doing anything wrong, should we just ignore him? After all we shouldn't impose our morals on him right?
If a daughter thinks that her Alzheimer's ridden mother is an imposition on her life at that time, should we allow her to kill her to get her out of the way?
If a child is born with a severe case of Down's Syndrome, should we allow the parents to withhold nutrition. After all they may not "want" the child at that time.
I do understand your misgivings. But in the case of abortion these women are killing their children.
One last thought.... It is a federal offense to destroy the egg of a Bald Eagle, yet it is OK to destroy the life of an unborn child. It is time to get our priorities straight.
I am afraid of gays because they don't reproduce and have their eyes on my son. They want to come to my sons school and tell him how normal and fun it is to be gay. They want to entice him into an abomination.
That's evil in my book.
We just read your post on DU but I give you credit for having the guts to come on here.
Since this is apparently the point you are trying to make, let's address it.
1. What people called 'crimes' are generally derived from the Ten Commandments. The concepts of sin and crime are closely linked.
2. No one wants to fund crime. On that same token, no one wants to fund sin. Most Americans, and most people on this website, are very 'live and let live' until it comes to having to actually fund things they don't believe in. That is where conflict begins.
3. Very, very, very few people are in favor of outlawing sin. We just want it to pay it's own way. If that sounds fair to you, then you'll get along fine with us.
I think God loves everyone, including homosexuals. Is that what you meant?
And because I am sure that the DUers are hoping for us to flame you, showing what evil people we are, instead I will just say
Welcome to FreeRepublic.
Stick around a while--read up on things--and educate yourself.
I don't think we should flame Him/her either just let him/her speak their piece.
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