Glory to God

There is perhaps no more comforting a thought than knowing that I have a Father in Heaven who knows and loves everything about me. The topic of religion always seems to be controversial, but it is a topic that I love to discuss, and think about in my free time.

As I have said before, I think that people get caught up in the rule making more than they do the actual philosophy behind Christianity. When I am explaining how I arrived at my particular beliefs I like doing it something like starting with what I know so that people may better understand what I believe.

So here is what I do know.

I have a Father in Heaven who knows and loves me and who is responsible for my creation.
We were given a Bible that was inspired by God to help us live our lives in accordance with His teachings.
As the Bible past through time it was translated numerous times and written in to numerous different version to accommodate a wide range of new readers.

Here is what I believe.

As the Bible was translated over and over again, many of the particulars got adjusted, added, or taken away.
The main message of the Gospel stayed the same.
Much of the history stayed the same.

Some people might think that I am a selective reader, but I tend to believe that the contrary is true. I find that the selective readers are the ones that fail to realize that our greatest commandment is to love the Lord our God with all our hearts and to love our neighbors as ourselves.

I believe that my Father in Heaven is truly a God of love. I believe that love is what we will be judged on at the last day, and I believe that those who cast judgment on others here on this earth shall as harshly be judged at the last day.

Many may find my religious beliefs to be too liberal for comfort. However, I couldn't honestly care less. I am at least willing to admit that I don't know what my Father in Heaven thinks of me. I do not even pretend to know how each of us will be judged at the last day. However I do know that He is a God of Love, and bitter hatred and intolerance is not something that He will smile upon on the last day.

Story of a boy...

Often times, Americans get caught up in the classic love story. We love to see a story of love so pure that it overcomes all obstacles thrown at it by crappy circumstance. So here is my version of America's favorite love story.

Story of a boy...

He may not have come from the greatest of situations in the eyes of society but Jacob had many things for which he was fortunate. His parents split up when he was really young, and a little later on in his life they made it all final with a divorce. His dad had not been much a part of his life, and never really had the parenting thing down to a T. However his mom made up for it all. The love she showed for him throughout his life was unmatched by any. The love was so deep and pure that it could only be envied by others. At any point in his life or in the life of his brothers, she would have gladly paid the ultimate price for him or for either of his two brothers. He didn't have the riches of the world, but he had something which surpassed even the finest of luxuries. He came from a home where he knew he was loved.

As he got older the time came for Jacob to move out into the world and make a life for himself. The move was hard on Jacob and his mother and brother, but it was something that had to be done.

Jacob had a steady job, and was getting ready to start pursuing his college education, but something was still missing from his life. Jacob was missing the same thing that his mother was missing for most of her life. He was missing a companion. Someone with whom he wanted to spend the rest of his days, and someone with whom he wanted to share his life. His mom had finally found that person, and though the newness of it all took some time for Jacob to get used to, he had finally developed a high opinion of his mom's new man. His step-father to be was really good to his mom, and it was easy for even the blind to see that there was love between the two of them.

For a long time Jacob had wanted that same kind of completeness in his life. Most his age were still pursuing the vain and temporary pleasures of the war, but Jacob had always wanted more out of life. Jacob wanted a companion with whom he could spend the rest of his days. Though the search had yet to yield promising results, Jacob held on to the hope that one day he would meet the right person.

However, any relationship that Jacob would have ever had, would not be ok in the eyes of those around him. The public knowledge of it could only cause despair. But it wasn't society's negative attitude that made the situation as awkward as it was. The news of the relationship would not be well received in Jacob's house. His mother and his brothers loved him dearly, and nothing would change that, but news of this relationship definantly had the potential to cause stress in the relationship that might not be cured for a very long time.

However what Jacob had learned from his mother, was that in time all things could be expected. When his mother had found her new love, she knew that it would not go over well with her sons at first. However, in time they had grown to love him. All Jacob could do was hope that his relationship would work in the same way. However, he had made up his mind that even though there would be some problems that would have to be worked out, his feelings for his new love were too strong to be ignored. Jacob had left his home to have a life of his own, and if that life could not be accepted by his family back at home, then it would be on them. Their intolerance would have to be worked out by themselves, because Jacob knew what he wanted, and was willing to pay the price to get it.

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Now Jacob's story might seem a little sad to the reader as they first read the story. However opinions would drastically change when they realized that the reason Jacob's relationships would not be acceptable at first glance was because he was a homosexual. That fact alone would make most loose all sympathy merely because they don't tolerate homosexuality.

What those people need to realize is that homosexuality is not a choice. People are born with natural attractions and it is those attractions to which we are bound so long as we wish to remain truthfully with ourselves. A homosexual couple can raise children just as heterosexuals can, homosexuals can love each other just as much, and a homosexual relationship can contain the truest form of spousal love that can last through all the ages of this earth.

Hopefully one day soon, the world will realize their fault, and all will be made right. Until then, we will just have to keep fighting the good fight until at last we can live in peace.