My Sunday Thought for 030517: LGBT Teenage Suicides

People don't die from suicide.
They die from sadness.

The Christian church has tried to make homosexuality a sin, in contradiction to the teachings about not judging others, forgiveness, tolerance, of love for all... except, of course... you know - gays.  Yet, two thousand years of condemnation have multiplied the ranks of the gay community.  Condemnation by the Christian church and their congregations, and an attempt by the Nazis to exterminate the 'undesirable' gay culture during the Holocaust, have brought unto us a gay community steeped in their own rich history of music, art, dance, and sacrifice; too many sacrifices to mention, selfless sacrifices which saved countless lives.  Their story today is a community of human beings searching for God and Christ, and for the Christianity of love, compassion, and salvation.  In many ways their Christian belief is filled with more love, compassion, and sweet understanding than their heterosexual counterparts, and deservedly so.  Many still suffer daily from a lack of what others take for granted - tolerance and acceptance.  As a Christian I have to wonder, who is more worthy of Christ?  Is it the prideful hypocrites or the humble, honest souls whose humility is shunned daily by the very society in which they still seek to be a valuable part?

Gay, Lesbian, Transgender, or bisexual. It does NOT matter if you're homosexual. What matters is how you act and your personality. So just be yourself.

-- Samantha Smolka

Shame is upon us.  Shame is, once again, upon the human race.  Once again?  To say so would presuppose the dark shadow of shame was ever lifted from our long list of sins.  If we close our eyes to ignore the dawn, the sun's warmth still falls upon our face.  We can deny the existence of God and yet in the very denial is evidence of the idea of God and, once thought, the idea becomes life.  We can remove the Confederate battle flag but it does not change the history, the truth of what went before.  It is what it is, and the only way we grow is by confronting our fears head on and learning to live with tolerance, forgiveness, love, and understanding.  Ignoring what we don't like does not make it go away, it simply helps us forget history we were meant to learn, and repeat the history we were meant to remember.  We don't teach history, we rewrite it.

Those who read my posts know our children hold a special place in my heart.  They occupy a pedestal a bit taller than the very tall one on which I place women.  Teenage suicide among the LGBT community is once again in the news so, once again, I find myself unable to resist writing yet another post concerning these 'at risk' kids, these frightened children whose own parents have rejected and we, with all of our faux compassion, have turned our collective backs on.  How very Christian of us.

You think suicide is cowardly? I'll tell you what's cowardly. Hurting someone so much that they think ending their lives is the only way to make it better.

-- Ashley Purdy, musician

These kids were gay before they were old enough to understand what gay is, yet people would say gay is a decision one makes, a decision... to be ridiculed, taunted, beaten, shunned, disowned, and so much more.  A decision one makes at an early age, like at birth, to excuse their impending suicide.  Parents who turn their backs on these confused children have no right being parents.  Fine, let's call it an aberration, a birth defect, a sickness; so many of our children are born with all of this, yet parents turn their backs on a child who, for whatever reason, is gay.  Oh-my-God!  Just throw the child away!  How could this, this... thing, possibly have come from the perfection which is you?  They are children, your children, our children, and they need us.  Making them out to be some sort of freak, diminishing who they are as a person and their value to humanity, to make them feel like they can never have a place in life, makes us the instrument of their destruction.  It makes us all responsible for their inevitable end.

To make yourself something less than you can be - that too is a form of suicide.

-- Benjamin Lichtenberg (1946-1991), educator, philosopher

The actor Peter Greene once said, "As anyone who has been close to someone that has committed suicide knows, there is no other pain like that felt after the incident."  That may be true, but a note to one's parents from a child who tries and fails, can be just as painful.  I've included the link to such a letter, just be forewarned, it is presented as written and the language is 'colorful' and telling:  suicide.org - suicide-note-of-a-gay-teen.

Suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem.

-- Phil Donahue, media personality

In our society and throughout most of the 'civilized' world, a greater tolerance, if not acceptance, is being enjoyed by the LGBT community.  Much like racism, it is a slow process, but it is a process in progress.  Also, much like victims of racism, the LGBT community can be their own worst enemy by flaunting their perpetual offense ad nauseam.  The old adage holds true: You can attract more flies with honey than vinegar.  Learn to get along or you might still be fighting a battle years after your community finally wins the war.     

I leave you with one final thought for this Sunday:

Religious Kids at Greater Risk: Statistics show that LGBT teens from religious families suffer the most. While some religious denominations have become more accepting of the LGBT community, many are still fiercely opposed to such ideas. In households that villainize homosexuality, for example, gay teens are forced to hide their sexual identity – frequently resulting in serious mental health issues. Those who do choose to come out as gay are often rejected by their families. Being forced out of the house and onto the street is not an uncommon experience. In fact, as many as 40% of homeless teens identify as LGBT. Perhaps it comes as no surprise that suicide attempts are most common among LGBT teens who experience high levels of family rejection.

-- Universal Life Church Monastery (February 23, 2017), Gay Marriage Linked to Drop in Suicide Rate 

Editor's Note 

(re: disclaimer cum "get out of jail free" card) 

Before you go getting your panties in a bunch, it is essential to understand that this is just an opinion site and, as such, can be subjected to scrutiny by anyone with a differing opinion. It doesn't make either opinion any more right or wrong than the other. An opinion, presented in this context, is a way of inciting others to think and, hopefully, to form opinions of their own, if they haven't already done so. This is also why, occasionally, I will present an "opinion" just to stir an emotional pot. Where it may sound like I agree with the statements made, I'm more interested in getting others to consider another viewpoint. 

It is my fervent hope that we keep open and active minds when reading opinions and then engaging in peaceful, constructive, discussion in an arena of mutual respect concerning the opinions put forth. After over twenty years with military intelligence, I have come to believe engaging each other in this manner and in this arena is the way we will learn tolerance and respect for differing beliefs, cultures, and viewpoints.

We all fall from grace, some more often than others; it is part of being human. God's test for us is what we learn from the experience, and what we do afterward.

Pastor Tony spent 23 years with United States Air Force Intelligence as a planner, analyst, briefer, instructor, and senior manager. He spent 17 years, following his service career, working with an Institutional Review Board helping to protect the rights of human subjects in pharmaceutical research.  Ordained 1n 2013 as an "interfaith" minister, he founded the Congregation for Religious Tolerance in response to intolerance shown by Christians toward peaceful Islam. As the weapon for his war on intolerance he chose the pen, to wage battle in the guise of the Congregation's official, online, blog, "The Path," of which he is both author and editor. "The Path" offers a vehicle for commentary and guidance concerning one's own personal, spiritual, path toward peace and the final destination for us all. He currently resides in Pass Christian, Mississippi, where he volunteers as lead chaplain, and Chaplain Liaison, at a regional medical center.