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I don't know why I continue to read conservative columnists. I suppose it's because I'm quite liberal, and feel I need to balance myself by getting both sides of the story in order to have a solid grasp of the issues. What newspapers do I read, Sarah Palin? Why, I read the Wall Street Journal, mostly. I've always enjoyed reading Peggy Noonan. I read our local rag during lunch at the office. I also read the NYT, various stories from the AP, BBC, and occasionally listen to NPR. I refuse to read our school paper, because it sucks.

However, most of the time, reading the crazy conservative columns just serves to piss me off.

This one did the trick today. It's a column by Cal Thomas. Of course, I adamently disagree with his opinion, especially his judicial philosophies. His assertion that "liberal" constitutional interpretation would dictate a return to slavery racial inferiority if the tide of public opinion thus shifted is so utterly absurd, it doesn't even justify a counter-argument. Also, fanning the flame of fear that churches will lose tax-exempt status if gay marriage is legalized is also an absurdity. But that's nothing particularly inflammatory or outrageous, mostly just idiotic. However, this statement really just takes the cake:

"The aim of the gay rights lobby is to destroy all remnants of biblical values and societal norms."

That one made me slam the paper down in fury.

Okay, just because your interpretation of biblical values includes depriving an entire class of people of their civil rights because they happen to participate in an activity you personally find offensive, does not mean that everyone else shares that viewpoint, you conservative asshat. Aside from the obvious offense, being the insinuation that the LGBT community is comprised of people actively trying to tear down Christianity, I'm personally offended for myself. I take my biblical values very seriously and I certainly do not want some jackass turning those values into something ugly. The values I take from the Bible? Things like love thy neighbor. Don't be judgmental. Don't be a hypocrite. Those values direct me to support gay rights, and support gay marriage, and contribute to efforts such as the fight against marriage discrimination. So don't use my religious beliefs as a justification for your bigotry. Because we obviously don't read the same Bible.

If bigotry and discrimination are "societal norms," then yes, let's destroy those immediately. Just as I firmly believe that Christianity can co-exist with the theory of evolution, I also believe that being Christian does not require condemning homosexuality. We are all human beings, beautiful, brilliant and flawed. We are all different, from our appearance, to our thoughts and actions, right down to our DNA... the very stuff that makes us human. It's time we started celebrating those differences, rather than viewing them as some sort of abomination. And it is sure as hell time that we stop using religion as a justification for hatred and intolerance. That isn't what my religion is about. Is yours?

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