20100330.008 CONSERVATIVE ABORTION

20100330.008 CONSERVATIVE ABORTION

Well, it is that time again. The time when I apologize profusely about not writing a timely BLOG and ask your forgiveness. But, in total honesty, I am not writing a BLOG because I haven't written one in two weeks and I realized how much I needed to. Instead I am writing one because several issues have recently touched me and caused me to take a moment and think. And before I get to explaining what I mean by the title of the BLOG let me explain the issues that have hit me blind sided, which, in turn, will be used to help explain the title.

The first issue that I want to touch on, starts with my dad. Recently my dad received a phone call from the cousin whom he was classmates with at high school. It seems that they are going to have a class reunion and the cousin wanted to know if dad would be going to it or not. Well, dad hemmed and hawed and then told the cousin that he would think about it. When he was off the phone call, I volunteered that I could help drive them down to the class reunion. That, of course would give me a chance to touch base with the Seminary where I received my M. Div. And, it might also give me a chance to touch base with some old friends who I know live near all these places. At any rate, after I volunteered to be the driver, dad made an interesting remark to me. He said, “David, my cousin is very staunch Nazarene and is very much anti-homosexual. I don't want you getting into a debate with him about being gay.” I was a bit taken aback. Have I presented myself as always pushing being gay? For that matter, did I really flame that much? Last night when I was sharing this all with a friend, their response to me was that same question, “Does he really think you flame so much?” Of course, one of the major questions that has risen in my mind is, “Why should I have to tippy toe around a part of who I am, simply because it might offend someone?” Well, my thoughts then went to my second cousins, their children. I remember playing with them as a kid and I also remember that they acted a lot like me. And I mean A LOT! If you get my picture. In other words, if you don't get the picture I am trying to paint, it is very possible that one or both of them could be gay. And if they had parents like that, the thought came to my mind, have they wanted to kill themselves? I know, if I my parents weren't as loving as they are (And they still have their prejudice against me being gay) I would have committed suicide long ago. By the way, A side note here, I am actually feeling pretty good and don't have any plans of checking out early! In fact, other than my allergies, and my continuous canker sores in my mouth, I think this is the best I've felt in a long long time! Anyway, back to this BLOG.

The second and third issues that have risen up are from two songs I have been listening to. The first is from a Jason & Demarco Album and is entitled, “Just In Time” and is a love song. The chorus is, “You're just in time to save my life to share this moment to be by my side.” The second song is also a love song of sorts. It is called “Please Remember Me” and I believe it was written by Tim McGraw, but the version I have is sung by John Barrowman. If you are not familiar with it, it is a song of love lost and the pain one feels as they recover from that lost love. Both of these songs have worked together to make me wonder what it is that brings certain people together where as others never do meet even once.

This led me to remember when I first came out to a young minister who had already come out to me. His response to me was, “Thank you for sharing with me that gift.” I had never seen my sexual identity as a gift, but he was there, at the right time to lift me up and help me see hope where at first there didn't seem to be. And then my thoughts went racing back to my dad's first cousin's attitudes toward who I am and then I thought about how the ultra-conservatives are so very vocal against abortion. Now, let me interject here that I make the claim of being pro-life. In fact, in earlier BLOGs I have noted that I believe in the sacredness of ALL LIFE! And I mean ALL LIFE! I was an outcast in Seminary because those who were liberal and would accept my identity would reject me because I believe event the life of an unborn baby should be protected. And those who would reject my identity would accept me for being pro-life. Now, having said all of that, also please realize that I understand I have no right to tell another person that they WILL have a child. Especially if I am not going to pitch in and help raise it! And so, in that sense I am pro-choice.

But, here is the interesting thing and where the title of the blog comes from. There are those who would not accept my identity and therefore would think that I should commit suicide because there is no way that their God would accept and forgive me. And, even though that would be quite late term (about 46 years and two months) it is still their way to abort a life from this gift of a planet that the great creator has made for us all. In other words, there are some who would gladly push someone to abort their life if it would rid the world of one more EVIL PERSON (in their eyes)! How very sad. How sad that there are people in this world who are so narrow minded that they think they have all the answers and that they have the right to declare that you are saved or damned! How sad that there are people in this world who may never know that there is someone like me who considers them a person of value and worth simply because they are here!

Now, I am not saying that all conservatives want all the gays to commit suicide. But It does bring me to consider Karma, and how often have I touched someone's life in a negative way so that they feel rejected and alone? How often have I planted that little evil seed in someone's heart that calls them to abort their life because something I said made them think that the world would be better without them? So, here is my challenge to you all! Please, the next time you begin to strike out at someone for doing something wrong, reconsider how you may be touching their life. The next time you want to hurt someone because you feel they have hurt you, consider just what that hurt may do to them. Because, when all else is said and done, don't you want them to know that the precious spark of life that they hold within themselves is worth them simply being here? I hope so! Blessings to you all - DL