Thursday, April 30, 2009

When Jesus said to love everyone, he didn't mean gays too did he?

Okay, fat forty something guys like me who generally despise everything Disney spews out of it's corporate ass are not the target demographic for Miley Ray Cyrus and her TV show/movie/singing career. And also I really despise the whole Hannah Montana thing and I despise her father, Billy Ray Cyrus, for being so willing to pimp his underage daughter out so that he can try to save his declining career. You need to understand all that up front. I have no love for either of those hicks or for Disney, but if you like them then that's fine by me, to each his or her own.
But now something has happened that makes me loathe her a little less. I'm not sure where or why she spoke out about gay folks. She basically said that she was a Christian who loves all people, gays included. She reminded people that God's greatest commandment is to love one another, and that includes loving gays as well as straights. That's pretty forward thinking for someone like her. And it's thinking that should be applauded and emulated.

Unless you're in Rev. Donald Wildmon's American Family Association that is. They have condemned Miley Ray for being tolerant, loving, and inclusive. They've come out against a teenage girl for having the gall to remind folks that God is supposed to be love. They're hating it that Miley Ray has a better grasp on the Gospel and teachings of Jesus Christ than their bigoted hateful old asses do. I've read the entire New Testament, and most of the Old, and it says repeatedly that we are supposed to love one another and our enemies. To my mind that pretty much encompasses everyone on the planet including, gays, lesbians, blacks, browns, yellows, reds, Roman Catholics, Methodists, Presbyterians, Lutherans, Jews, Zoroastrians, Muslims, atheists, agnostics, Buddhists, Wiccans, and everyone else.

But somehow the good "Christians" at Rev. Donald Wildmon's American Family Association, which by the way does not represent me or any family I have ever been in, find Miley's love for her fellow men and women somehow wrong and worthy of their scorn. Here's what they had to say about Miley's pronouncement that we are supposed to love everyone whether they are straight or gay:

Such statements will send the wrong message to our children who are influenced by this teenage megastar. Parents need to realize that Cyrus is not the positive role model she was once thought to be.... Clearly she is confused and does not understand the Bible.

Crazy huh? Jesus said to love your neighbor as you love yourself. He said to love your enemies. He said the greatest commandment is love, above all love. And the young Miley gets it. She understands it and is trying to love her life according to the teachings of Jesus. I'm not sure what Bible the AFA is reading but they are the ones who don't understand the Bible most everyone else reads. Nowhere in the New Testament, which supersedes the Old testament if you are a Christian, does it say to hate or demonize or scapegoat gays for all the ills of the world. Nowhere does it say it's okay to hate someone if they love people of their own gender.

Clearly the AFA hates Miley's message of tolerance and inclusion. They must have assumed that because Miley is from the south that she'd be as small minded and hate filled towards gays as they are.

I'm glad Ms. Cyrus proved them wrong. But that doesn't mean I'm about to ever watch her TV show or see the Hannah Montana movie or listen to one of her CD's.

11 comments:

Dave Schipper said...

Christians who don't talk about welcoming all are just sinners like the rest of us, but they sure do give the "Religion Organizations" a bad name.

Amen to your blog.

Dave

Claire said...

Congratulations to her for speaking out and using her popularity to spread a message of love and tolerance. She's just influential enough that she might change some minds. Good for her.

Mnmom said...

Good for her! Now some of her fans will Dixie Chick her but too bad. Evolution rolls baby, and to this next generation the whole gay thing is just a non-issue. As it should be.

UberDILF said...

Given the female children in my household, I have been subjected to the Hannah Montana.

I will continue to put up with it, after this.

Ubermilf said...

Dammit! That was me.

But I'm authorized to speak on Dilf's behalf. I think.

Dean Wormer said...

I keep running through the bible looking for that part in the new testament where Jesus talks about homosexuality and I can't find it.

All he does is berate rich people.

But clearly it's Miley Cyrus that's "confused about the bible."

Sigh.

Karen Zipdrive said...

If I'm not mistaken, I think I read somewhere that Jesus plans to return one day.
If and when that happens, I hope he gathers up all of his more zealous, intolerant followers and smites the shit out of them.
I may not be religious but I believe in God, and I think when I am behaving in a loving and tolerant manner, God is probably more okay with that than when I'm being a duplicitious, judgmental bitch.
I think it's great that Miley Cyrus took a stand. She has a zillion fans who'd drink hemlock if she said it was cool.
Gay hating is so Bush-era.

vikkitikkitavi said...

Thank you for posting about this. I was unaware.

Angry Ballerina said...

I will now put my Miley Cyrus voodoo doll into retirement until she does or says something that nullifies this. Good for her.

Cal's Canadian Cave of Coolness said...

Even its a shallow calculated move I still applaud anyone who stands up for what's right. The tide of history is against religious zealouts and bigots and I am quite content to leave them behind. Throw all the stones you want from your glass temples. You prove our point evertime you open your mouths.

Distributorcap said...

whenever i see donald wildmon's name -- i immediately think, what a case for post-natal abortion

he is a raging lunatic,,

well you know what i mean