http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8234503/

Silly…

headline isn’t it? Yet groups like Focus on the Family and other radical institutions continue to march forward in their efforts to de-homo America. Does anyone else think it ironic that one of the professed fears we hear from groups like this that an alleged homosexual agenda includes aims of converting straight America – yet here they are, outright in their attempt to convert folks to their way of thinking and worshipping?

To understand how they can even think of such things.. like homosexual agenda, and fairy tales of conversion (pardon the pun) one only need to look at how they preach to their own followers and targets for aleration. The language and methodologies that groups like this use is the very source of the paranoia which drives them to such notions.

The right for religious freedom is a precious one. Yet personal freedom from persecution, even in the name of religion must supercede the right of one to mandate, legislate, or otherwise codify a particular religious/moral conviction on others. Now. I’ve utilized the slash between religious and moral intentionally. Not because they are one in the same. Contrarily, many times they are not. But, rather because many of the religionists themselves cannot extracate themselves from the notion that this higher moral calling serves as a holy justification for all sorts of jihad.

Jihad? Interesting word choice, but would you feel more comfortable if I used terminology like Christian Crusade?

Declaring war or struggle on persons different from you is a an old fasioned Christian pasttime since the beginning of Christianity itself. To be fair, this is not how all Christians feel, nor is it particularly clear in any of the Christian writings that this is somehow a consecrated duty. Love thy Neighbor – unless he is not similar to you.

For all the talk of some religionist that terms like ‘diversity’ and such are dirty words, I think a far more obscene connotation should be applied to words like ‘conversion’. I’d rather put my energies into accepting that maybe, just maybe – God has a plan far bigger and broader than my comprehension – and maybe just maybe he’s created each and every one of us with individual contributions to be made utilizing unique and different talents.

In the meantime, I just hope reparative-therapy groups don’t hurt anyone with potentially misguided notions of emotionally bludgeoning people into thinking that God has made them imperfect.