Love the sinner...

Even the least-churchified among you can complete that sentence.
That condescending, holier-than-thou, 'I presume to know WWJD at all times' comment.

I don't like it.

I've never liked it.

First of all, IF I am sinning, it's none of your business. It's not up to you to point out what you perceive as my sin, or, in a magnanimous gesture forgive me for that sin.

What a crock of shit!!

And not only is it utter crap (last I heard, no one on this planet is qualified to judge me or my actions), it's shitty manners.

I was not raised to be rude to people. Neither was my brother.
As we've discussed before here I don't set out to hurt people. And if I do hurt them, I will say I'm sorry and mean it.

Much easier not to hurt them in the first place, I think.

My brother has headed down a very religious path. That's fine. If it provides him comfort and he's happy, I don't really care. I don't have to share his beliefs. They're his. I have mine.

My beliefs seem to be more conducive to decent manners, though.

I have a cousin who, after years and years of trying to live as a straight person, finally came out. There was a lot of speculation in the extended family as she married three different men and ended up divorced three times, and although Eric had her figured out years and years before she admitted that she is gay, I didn't have a clue.

Not that it matters. I think everyone who's been reading here awhile knows that I don't care what two consenting adults do, and that no matter how hard I think about it, no matter how many foaming-at-the-mouth-rabid Jesus emails I have forwarded to me by the staunch believers in my family, I can't for the life of me figure out how gay people are a threat to my marriage, the morals of the country, or my children.

My cousin is happier now than I've ever known her to be, and her wife is a beautiful person, inside and out. They're happy together, and despite the fact that most of the family won't even talk to her anymore, she's at peace with who she is and doing great.

I talked to her on the telephone a bit ago and she passed on a lovely comment made to her by my littlest brother.

He said these words to her, "Well, I love you even though I don't approve of your lifestyle."

Not being encumbered by religion seems to make people MORE accepting rather than less, have you noticed that?

Of course it's not up to him to approve or disapprove. Not up to me, not up to you.

And I am not going to mention the issue to him the next time we talk.

He'd know we'd been talking about him and it would probably stir up a shitstorm.

But if the opportunity ever arises, I'll tell him, "Not only are you exhibiting an appalling lack of manners, you're a sanctimonious prick."

And I wonder, if there really were a Jesus, if he'd approve of my brother treating his family like shit.