An essay to remind us what being human is about.

Not sure if we've seen this here before, but this article is definitely in line with what we as Jedi strive for, indeed what we as humans should strive for.

The link is to a blog by Dan Pearce, who write the Single Dad Laughing blog.

http://www.danoah.com/2011/11/im-christian-unless-youre-gay.html

It's about treating everyone with love and respect regardless of what they believe, or do , or have done. I think we can all use the reminder of what we stand for, myself included.

As he says, it's not about Christians, or gays. It's about you. It's about me. It's about all of us.

I'd like to hear the community's thoughts on the matter.

Awesome... I linked it on facebook as well....

Excellent point....

There is a thread here, where I posted stuff I thought of as funny... Most of was, but some of it I realized some of it made fun of Catholics, and while I'm ex-catholic, I realized it gave me no right to make fun of another's belief...

I did post a disclaimer, but it lost its humor for me....

Jestor wrote:
I realized it gave me no right to make fun of another's belief...

I think that shouldn't be such a big thing...

I actually think everything should be ridiculed and joked about. If you are firm in your believe you wont be bothered by someone who jokes about it...

People need to let go of being offended so quikly...

Obvious you wont make friends joking about peoples believe all the times, but a well placed joke from time to time should be acceptable, and might even be amusing for the one whos ridiculed.

It's probebly due to my friends, who all have the same attitude, that i feel about it this way. We constantly ridicule eachother, even till the point that someone gets really annoyed, and then a little further
The most important thing is we are there for eachother when we have to, and it is because of the way we treat eachother that we've developed a sort of immunity to 'insulting' comments. Especially from people we dont even know.

IF your on a forum and someone writes 'catholics are gay' and you get all exited about it and start raging and getting mad...then the problem obviously lies with you and forbidding someone to make jokes about your believe isnt gonna solve the problem.

There are 6(or is it 7 now? :silly: )billion people, and probebly just as much oppinions.

Theres always someone whos against you, makes fun of you or insults you. Just let it go.

I think the majority of the essay is stuff that we've all heard before – don't be judgmental, be kind, being (christian/muslim/jewish/athiest/whatever) doesn't make you better than someone who's not. Most of it we all should have learned as children, frankly.

To me what's interesting is the last quarter of the post where he talks about taking actions. So many people talk a good game, about how they don't judge others, or they aren't cruel or callous towards folks who aren't like them (in whatever way) but how many of us really walk that talk? How many of us actually go out of our way, when we see someone who is different from us, or socially unacceptable, to extend a friendly hand, or say hello or even meet their eyes?

I had a thing happen to me, years ago, that changed the way I deal with the 'different'. I grew up in LA, in the middle of Hollywood. The corner where I often walked past had a woman begging for change pretty much every day. She was elderly and clearly mentally unwell in some fashion, as well as homeless and because of the lack of social services in LA; she had no recourse but life on the streets. And, like most people who live in large cities in the US, I treated her as if she was invisible. I never met her eyes, I never acknowledged her existence, and I walked past without ever really perceiving her. And, so did everyone else. Hundreds of people, every day, walking past her as if she didn't exist. In a city where misery and suffering and the needs of the desperate could get so overwhelming, making that suffering invisible to our minds seemed the only solution. Talk about a perfect example of how the dark side influences us ….

She starved to death in front of us all.

I viewed it but I didn't perceive it, I didn't acknowledge her as a living thing, let alone another human being. I let someone die and worse than that, I denied her very existence.

I never forgot that and I'm sure I never will.

Since then, I've practiced something that I think is very difficult for people who live in cities in the US – acknowledging the human existence of even the most difficult people in the most desperate circumstances. When I talk to someone, I meet their eyes. When I pass a homeless person on the street, I meet their eyes. If they, reading my acknowledgement of them as human as an invitation and ask me for change, I answer. I don't just pretend they never spoke. When I have to step over, or past someone, I say excuse me as if they were actually present in the world and deserved my courtesy and attention. I made a commitment to seeing everyone around me as human. I may not like them, I may have a difficult time dealing with someone, but I – at minimum – see them.

I can't imagine a worse sin than denying someone's existence or a worse hell than having everyone around you pretending you don't exist. It's less easy than it sounds but it's the most basic 'walking the talk' that I can think of.

IF your on a forum and someone writes 'catholics are gay' and you get all exited about it and start raging and getting mad...then the problem obviously lies with you and forbidding someone to make jokes about your believe isnt gonna solve the problem.

No, actually, the problem lies with them. They're being rude at minimum and callous about something that may be very important to someone else. When someone is hurt by another, it's not the responsibility of the injured party to make redress or deal with the problem.

Mocking someone and ridiculing them is a form of cruelty dressed in 'humor' and no one should abide cruelty.

Would you make fun of Jason, the guy in the essay about being a big sissy baby because he's crying that every friend he had abandoned him when they found out he was gay? Is that funny? Is he supposed to laugh it off? And, if so, why? Why is it the responsibility of the person who's been hurt - and in the case of various minority or socially unacceptable groups, probably many times - to deal with someone else's thoughtlessness so they can be funny?

There's all kinds of humor and all sorts of ways to be funny, making fun of others isn't one of them.

i think that if one cannot laugh at themself, then they have no right to laugh at another. being able to laugh at yourself is a great way of letting things go and not getting offended...i've had many gay friends that i've poked fun at and laughed at and teased about it...they in turn poke fun at me, laugh at me, and tease me for not being gay...we are able to mock and laugh at each other because we can mock and laugh at ourselves. too many people take things too seriously and have lost the ability to laugh at themselves... if everyone learned to not take things personal and to understand that the whole world does not share the same views and values then it would truly be a happier place...just a thought

I told someone a while ago that if you set your expectations low enough, you will be seldom disappointed.

I have no problem with people’s sexuality, ideals or belief system. With that said, I feel there are a few points that should be gone over.
1. In the bible, Jesus clearly states that, “I am not here to replace the law.”
2. The Old Testament states that, “man should not lie with another man.”
3. In the Old and New Testament we are instructed not to judge.

All that being said, that is why the church fails so often. Its laws contradict the actions its members are to follow and are at least three millennia out dated. Who is to say that God would not amend the Law given the chance? And, if he did come down to do so, how many do you think would believe it? So, with all that said, would you really want to be a “Christian” or just one whom believes in Christ?

What I don’t get is why would someone else’s desires bother you if they do not interfere with others lives? When I read that I thought of the Knights code and how we should handle it. As for the individual, He should remember that most people are hypocritical and be honest, true to your heart and right of courage will shine through and guide you.

ah the bible...while it may be the word of god, it was written by the hand of man, and as anyone should know, man is fallible...it was written in a time and region where women were subjugated, not respected, where the value of life is less...so it's certainly very outdated, and yes the old and new testements have many conflicting rules/laws etc...the golden rule was made long before the bible existed (it was the ancient greeks that first used it though it was under a different name)

personally i like the golden rule: treat others as you would have them treat yourself(do unto others as you would have others do unto you).....if you wouldn't do it to yourself then you shouldn't do it to others

Tenrec wrote: Would you make fun of Jason, the guy in the essay about being a big sissy baby because he's crying that every friend he had abandoned him when they found out he was gay? Is that funny? Is he supposed to laugh it off? And, if so, why? Why is it the responsibility of the person who's been hurt - and in the case of various minority or socially unacceptable groups, probably many times - to deal with someone else's thoughtlessness so they can be funny?

There's all kinds of humor and all sorts of ways to be funny, making fun of others isn't one of them.

Your missing my point.

I'd never abandon a friend for being gay, even if all my other friends did. And if he were crying about how the rest has left him, then yes, I'd probebly replie with something as 'Dont be such a faggot!'.

Nonetheless I'd be there for him.
EDIT: and yes we'd laugh it off together! I dont believe crying and feeling sad for yourself solves anything.

The guys that dont hang out with an old friend because he's gay are very likely the same people who get heated up when someone calls them gay or makes a funny comment when they do something thats considerd gay.

Tenrec wrote: No, actually, the problem lies with them. They're being rude at minimum and callous about something that may be very important to someone else. When someone is hurt by another, it's not the responsibility of the injured party to make redress or deal with the problem.

Like I said before, let it go and get over it. If a total stranger actually manages to hurt your feelings by saying that something you find important is gay then thats really your problem.
I DO NOT say that it isnt rude, uncalled for or whatever, but it simply shouldnt bother you.

Your talking about a world where people dont insult eachother. I talk about one were people simply dont feel insulted.

I think that last one would be a whole lot better. If it were only for the amount of laughs we would have.

Knarf wrote: Your talking about a world where people dont insult eachother. I talk about one were people simply dont feel insulted.

Excellent...

"Nigga" is not an insult, is it? From one black person to another, maybe not, try using it as a white guy...

"Don't be such a queen/fag" isn't slanderous from one homosexual to another....

I'm Middle aged white guy who worries when I say 'Gay", or 'Black', or 'Women', that someone is going to be offended...

When really, being a fat (overweight), bald (hairless), middle aged (almost old), white (racist), male (sexist), public works employee (lazy government worker), is just supposed to roll with it, which i do, cause they are just words...

But call someone fat, or any of those, and I am being... Something... even in jest, to a friend...