Oppression-the great American Way

Here we go again. It is yet another election year in the good old USA. Once again the Evangelical Christian (I prefer to call the Taliban Christians) candidates are spouting Leviticus and the Epistles of Saint Paul. OK, that's fair if, and only if, we are going to follow ALL of the Mosaic laws. That means shell fish can not be eaten, good bye shrimp and lobster. It means that pork is also forbidden, so no more Pork Roast for Sunday dinner and the dietary laws go on and on. It means that women can no longer have a say in the matters of the church. Wow, all of those suddenly unemployed woman preachers. It means that should my brother meet an untimely end, as the eldest son I can sell my sister-in-law into slavery if I do not want to marry her. I don't. Mosaic law also has a rather hefty list of people we may stone to death for their "sins". If we start that, there will not be enough quarries to provide the stones. Besides, Christ said "Let he who is without sin cast the first stone" to those about to stone a woman guilty of the sin of adultery. (Look out Newt!)

     There are only ten of the over 600 commandments that God gave Moses, the ONLY part of the book He wrote, published because some Christian at some time decided the rest were not relevant. If we are going to live by Mosaic Law, then we need to live by all of them, enforce all of them no matter how archaic we may find them.

     I have a better idea. Keep your religion of hatred and intolerance to yourselves. Stay out of my life and out of my bed room. The Gay community has not ruined the family or "traditional" marriage, you straight people have done quite well without our help. Our country will not collapse or cease to be because of Gay people. That is an out right lie. I give thanks and praise to God on high that the Christian community to which I belong does not preach this hatred.

     Sometimes I wonder if Christ is watching and shaking His head. I can almost hear Him say "I died for that?".

Oppression-the Great American Way.

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Follower of the Way

From now on I choose to identify myself as a Follower of the Way. This is the original name followers of Christ used when the majority if His followers were still Jewish. The period right after His resurrection before St.Paul and others began to preach to the Greeks, Romans, and others. Why you ask? Because the name of Christian is being hijacked by some of the most hate filled UN-Christlike people on earth. These people preach that God has turned His back on this country because of divorce, abortion, and homosexuality. Really? The Christ I know taught forgiveness and love. Love for all, not just those who share your views. I recently heard some one call Republicans the modern Pharisees. Seems like a good fit to me. Christ's view of the Pharisees and their strict adherence to the Mosaic Law is what got Him crucified. Are we to crucify Him yet again? The quoting of one part of a verse out of a sentence from an entire chapter to prove a point is wrong. Taking scripture out of context to prove a point is both backwards and ignorant. If, for instance, Leviticus is to be quoted as a justification for something (anti-Gay sentiment for example) we enforce all of the chapter. Therefore, adulteres must be stoned to death (where did I put my pile of rocks?), we can no longer eat pork( Smithfield Foods will object to that) women are not allowed in the Temple or church (oh, I don't even want to go there) also I get to sell my un-married sister into slavery (this is tempting sometimes) on and on we go. I am sure this will make the Christian Taliban squirm. I am also pretty sure they would claim those parts of Leviticus were no longer relevant. Really? How do you figure that? One part of the law is to be followed and another is no longer to be followed? How would that work in our modern court system? Not very well I expect-unless you are rich and can afford the best defense, then all bets are off. Christ said as he was being arrested "to live by the sword is to die by the sword". I wonder if using scripture from either Testament to marginalize segments of the populace could be considered "wielding a sword"?
     I did not set out in life to be dependant on the government, yet I like many others find myself there. Now Christians are threatening to take it all away in the name of personal accountability. These same Christians say it is OK because I am a sinner. Did Christ not say "Let he who is without sin cast the first stone"? I am sick of you people and I wonder if Christ is too. Sometimes I can see Him shaking his head saying-I died for that?
Just call me a Follower of the Way from now on. The name Christian sickens me.
Hugs-Garry

Ponderings...

I have had many things on my mind lately. Some affect me and some affect the ones I love and care about. I realize that this country has the best health care on the planet. This is a "good thing". However, we also have Medicare for those who are retired or disabled. Medicare throws people living with mental issues, cancer and AIDS under the train. If some rising stars in the Republican Party have their way this will get worse. Crazy people do not matter, Cancer patients will die any way, and AIDS patients are sinning queers. Who cares what happens to these people? As I write this  am wondering whether the "Party of Twelve" will defund A.D.A.P., the program that helps those of us living with AIDS get the life saving medicines we need. Yet all the Gay community can be worried about right now is who can marry whom. I guess Silence=Death is a thing of the past. Remember the Eighties? Remember the Civil Disobedience? Remember going to two or three funerals a week? I do. At 52 years old, I have buried all of my closest friends. Is my time coming? My father recently asked me what I consider to be a stupid question. "What will you do when you can not get your medicine?" Really? What the hell do you think I will do?  The answer is "Die" Daddy dearest.
Right now survival of those in our community is un-important, getting married is. What good is "Gay Marriage" if half of us are dead? Meanwhile, I get no sleep.
     I have a dear friend that falls into one of the catagories I mentioned earlier, mental illness. Right now he is at the very bottom looking up. From a recent conversation I have the feeling he sees no light at all. Now in a perfect world, his Medicare should allow him to check into a hospital to get the help he needs. Medicare will only pay about fifty percent of the cost, and when he has reached his annual maximum the hospital will boot him out whether or not he is ready. His family knows how delicate his situation is, and I must admit these people are even more hateful than my family!  His sister has no regard for his mental health. She continues to drop her self-centered bombs on my friend daily. She also tells him he is on disability because he is too lazy to work, not to mention accusing him of being a drunk and using drugs. The funny thing? This bitch and her backward clod of a husband are big old beer swilling drunks themselves! My friend chose to block her from calling him, her response? Send the police to conduct a Wellness Check because she is "so concerned". Some people are just too stupid to exist! She would be one. If I ever get my hands on her telephone number, she is going to get an old fashioned gay bitching out. Until then, I guess I will keep my friend in my prayers and offer the only things I have, my shoulders and my love.
     If there were a country the two of us could ex-pat and get the medical care we need, I would say let's pack our bags and go. But what country, including my own, wants to take care of an AIDS bag?
     Another thing I have been pondering is the new Taliban Christian Movement AKA the Tea Party. I watch with amusement as these fools continue to shoot themselves in the foot, yet the Evangelical Fundamentalist Christians continue to worship the quick sand these morons walk on. They want to make laws and constituional ammendments for any and everything they think is sinful, not to mention finding ways to overturn Supreme Court rulings they do not agree with. "Let's re-institute Don't Ask Don't Tell, overturn Roe versus Wade, defund A.D.A.P., and enforce D.O.M.A.. Then God will love us again and all will be well". Bullshit. Why not just admit they would love to copy Nazi Germany and eliminate all who do not fit their ideas for the Master Race of narrow minded, inbred, and backwards Christians. Just remember this you morons, Christ said "The greatest Commandment is that you love one another" there is no "but" or "except for" in that statement. Christ also said "Let he who is without sin cast the first stone". Or does you translation of the Bible not have those statements in it? Just pondering...
Hugs-Garry

Shut up and go away!

If you have nothing positive or uplifting to say then please shut up and leave me alone! This includes both people and organizations.
First let's start with family. You know the people that God stuck you with. Yesterday Mommy Dearest and her side kick of 54 years just showed up. (Cue Wicked Witch of the West music)
I knew immediately upon gazing on their dear faces this was not to be a pleasant visit. Right off the bat, without so much as a hello, I heard "We have been trying to call you all day but your line was busy. Who were you talking to?" First off, the damned telephone is in MY name and I pay the bill. Secondly, it is none of your business to whom I place or from whom I receive telephone calls nor how long said calls may last. My loving parents do not see it that way though. Never will. To them I am not a 51 year old man, but an errant child that must be brought under control. Then dear Daddy moved on to the electric bill. "You need to be careful son, your next bill will be high". Really? It is hotter than hell outside and I can't figure that one out all by myself? But then again, the electricity is in MY name and I pay the bill. Our visit continued to go down hill, sort of like a snow ball rolls down Mt Everest. We moved onto the budget crap going on in Washington and how I might not get a check, followed by-as always- "and we will not be able to help". Well that was a news flash, I have been hearing that since I left home in 1978! They seem to forget I know how to handle money. I may not have much left over by the end of the month, but there is always some. I even saved enough to put new tires on my car. Imagine that, the village idiot can do something on his own after all. After the hand wringing over Social Security's demise, I told them of a conversation with a friend of mine who is now retired from the boondoggle we call the Federal Government. Rick says Social Security is computer controlled and for those with direct deposit there will be no delay. As for changes, Rick says the program for Social Security payments is so big it will take six months to make any changes. Soon after I shot down the gloom and doom the Dynamic Duo took off. Have no fear dears, they are at home cooking up the next disaster for their eldest son-me. You see, since I am a Gay man and they know it. In their eyes that makes me a moron incapable of making any worth while decisions. Remember "If you had made better choices you health would not be so bad." Mama and Daddy-Please shut up and go away!
     Now onto my other favorite people the Tea Party. The Boston Tea Party was about taxation without representation. We have representation and unfortunately you are part of it. But then again you people like to change history, you know, "Paul Revere rang bells to warn the British that we were armed". What is amusing and scary as well, is people eat that stuff up! "Gay people are destroying our marriages and families". Really? It seems to me straight people don't need any help from us as they are doing a pretty good job of that on their own. "The retired and disabled should be taken care of by their families and churches". As I said before, God is the first to get ripped out of a budget when times are lean, kind of blows that out of the water. Most households are already struggling, so it is very likely there is not enough money to take care of Grandma or the AIDS bag homo in the group. ( Aw come on, if I can joke about it so can you) Then there is the whole constitutional amendment for every damned thing the Tea Party does not agree with. I am sorry, but as it stands, and has stood for over two hundred years, citizens of this nation are guaranteed the right to the pursuit of "life,liberty,and happiness". Now for some of us this means the right to visit a partner in ICU, or to help a partner with medical decisions or make said decisions when the partner can not. Not to mention leaving ones earthly possessions-what ever they may or may not be- to whom ever one might wish. Do not blur the already smudged line between church and state any farther. THIS IS NOT A THEOCRACY! If that is what you want, then move to some Arab rat hole of a country. Tea Party-shut up and leave me alone!
     Now for our congress. Do your damned job stop bickering, rushing up to the nearest microphone for a sound bit and picture of your mug and whining about whom is against what. Shut up and leave me, and everybody else for that matter, alone.  Hugs-Garry

If we start it will they come?

Tomorrow night a group of us will be meeting at my church to hammer out the last of the details for starting an HIV Support Group here.  There has not been one for many years.
Now that the governments, both state and federal, are cutting funding to so many resources we thought it would be a good idea to have a support group and invite local nurses and case managers to help us navigate the new reality that is living with HIV/AIDS. Now the million dollar question-will anybody come? I hope so as a great deal of work has gone into this. I know we will need to give it time to "take off'", yet I still wonder whether or not people around this small town will stick their necks out and come. After all, this is the Bible Belt and being open about some things might not be healthy.  I know that when my family finds out I will be subjected to much grief.  As Gloria Gaynor once sang "I will survive"! I might have a head ache though.  We do not air our dirty laundry in the South.  Somebody might think less of my parents. But I digress. I just hope after all the work and the many people that have volunteered to help, people will take advantage of this and come.   Hugs-Garry

Tea Party anyone?

Lately the Tea Party and its whacked Congressional members and Presidential wanna be crowd have been all over the news. Now while I find their misquoting of historical facts, making up words and the like amusing they are beginning to scare me a bit. Michele Bachmann now has some of the more traditional members of the GOP convinced that nothing will happen if the country's debt ceiling is not raised. Now people in the financial world say that is untrue. Standard and Poor has said they will reduce the country's credit rating. As anyone who has ever suffered a "ding" to their credit knows, this means higher interest rates and difficulty obtaining credit in the future. What troubles me the most is the order in which payments are to be made if this does indeed happen. First in line, interest only payments on the nation's debt, after that if there is any money left payments will be made to Social Security recipients, then Medicare claims, then federal employees. Now when the money runs out at any given time, that's it. Finis. It's done. So let's see. Will those on Social Security be expected to pay bills with IOUs? I am sure that landlords, mortgage companies, utility companies grocery stores and the like will say "Sure". Are Medicare Part D providers going to continue to provide services without the monthly premium being paid? I doubt it, besides nobody really needs medicine anyway,right?  Yet the people this will affect the most are behind the Tea Party almost one hundred percent.
These people buy what the Tea Party says hook line and sinker. Wonder how they will feel when grandma gets booted from the nursing home for non-payment because Medicare can not pay.
     I am also sure that all the thousands of federal employees will be happy to show up and work for free. After all who would not gladly watch air traffic, insure the safety of travelers, or dodge bombs in the Middle Eastern wars for free? Sign me up!
     Yet the folks in Washington are going to take a ten day break, I guess it is hard work not taking care of the nation's business, arguing about  DOMA, and figuring out how to erase the line of separation of church and state.  Hugs-Garry

a big hairy smelly word-HATE

How can people who do not even know me hate me? I am not a bad guy. I do not steal, I do not generally lie, I do not want to recruit little boys. I am just a normal, whatever that is,man who happens to be gay. Yet all of these "Christians" say I am out to undermine all that is American. Really? Some even say that God will damn the United States because I might fall in love with another man. Again I say-Really? In the translation of the Bible I have it is written "judge not least you be judged accordingly". Christ says that "the greatest commandment is that you love one another". I guess King James, the translation these people believe is the only "authorized version" does not have those two verses. By the way, authorized by whom? God? Christ?
I hardly think so as Christ did not speak English, even the "Kings English". Christ spoke ancient Hebrew because-GASP!- He was a Jew. All I want is to be able to love whomever I choose and be able to have that man visit me when I am in the hospital, leave my stuff to him if I want too and not have my family be able to decide otherwise. If that takes a marriage license, which by the way are issued by the states, so be it. But to hate me for it?  I do not understand it. Hatred is an evil thing not born of the very God these people claim to follow, but born of Satan. Hatred destroys, it does not build up. Hatred will consume your very soul. Hatred causes wars and senseless acts of violence. So when did hatred become a Christian value?