I have no memory of where I got this picture (I'd give credit if I could), but I named it "christbeatendefendingqueer"--that would be "christ beaten defending queer"--when I saved it.
My mind went directly to this picture when I read this story.
A young trans*woman was attacked by four teens: Tyreek Childs, 17; Trevaugn Payne, 16; Shara Mozie, 17, and a 15-year-old whose name was not released because of his age.
This isn't all that uncommon, unfortunately.
What is uncommon is that the priest who runs the shelter the woman lives in came out, along with other residents, and drove the boys away. And then when the guys came back with their metal pipes and paint cans, Father Braxton tried to reason with them, tried to get them to leave.
He was beaten for his care, of course. So were two of the residents who came to his rescue.
Luckily, Tyreek, Trevaugn, Shara, and the unnamed were picked up by police and are looking at actual charges.
This is what real Christians would do, protect the week and the oppressed.
Don't believe me? Read the fucking gospels.
I am not a Christian, but my parents are and so I went to bible school and read the bible. Back in middle and high school I went through and read a fair amount of it.
When the priests come to Jesus and try to trick him, they ask him what the most important commandment is.
His answer? Love God and love your neighbor as you love me.
Your 'neighbor' is anyone and everyone; no matter their creed or nationality or any other distinction.
Folks like:
Fred Phelps, Exodus International, George W. Bush, The Catholic Church (the organization, not all catholics), and these boys?
Not acting like Christians.
I don't care what your beliefs are.
But when you use your beliefs as an excuse to attack, murder, and rape people...
When you use those beliefs as an excuse to make it near impossible for us to get legal jobs, to find housing, to go to school, to get medical attention...
Then I do care. I care because you right to believe has interfered with others' right to live.
Making it impossible for us to live as ourselves, instead of some script we were slapped on the ass with, is just as bad in my opinion.
Maybe its just me, but I'd rather risk murder and assault because I'm living as myself than live trapped as someone else.
My first boyfriend was a real Christian. At the time, I admit I was very bitter towards Christians and Christianity and he helped me get over it.
He, I'll call him J, believed in Christ's most important commandment. He believed deeply that that commandment was the main way of being Christian and that all that other stuff--going to church to who you fucked--was not nearly as important.
Showing, no being, Christ's love for your fellows is how to be a Christian.
I dated J in the early part of my sophomore year of high school, right before I came out to myself (I'll talk about that in another post). He graduated at the end of that year and we lost touch of each other. So I have no idea what he'd think of me now, or what he'd think of my transition. Or that he's dated another guy. But I think he'd be happy that I'm finally coming into myself; that I'm not hiding and pretending like I used to.
I'm not a Christian, but I like Christ. I like his lessons and I think he was often right (not so much his followers). I hope any Christians reading this, who don't already know Christ's most important commandment, will take heed and follow it.
Or at least, think of it.
Think of His words when you call something gay or retarded instead of irritating. Think on them when you choose to hire a white/cissexual/male/hetero/etc person instead of an equally or more competent POC/trans*/female/queer/etc person. Remember His words when you ignore, or join in, the teasing of a queer/trans*/disabled/POC/etc.
When you come across a situation where someone is being hurt, think on what Christ would do.
Would he join in? Would he ignore it? Or would he put a stop to it? Or, would he help the person afterwards, whether giving a kind word or buying them lunch?
Even if you're not a Christian, think on what is the right action.
PS: Don't read the comments on the NYdaily website. Just don't.
Saturday, July 12, 2008
To All the Real Christians
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8 comments:
This incident was appalling. And yes, I did what you wanted and read the comment section, and yes, it reaffirmed my belief that the majority of people on this planet are walking around in a dream state.
It is sad that this had to happen. However, the incident goes a long way to support some theories out there. The four attackers were functioning on a first chakra level. The survival of the group dynamic is the number one priority. Mob (pack) dynamics are all important. When rebuffed by the priest, they came back with primitive weapons and attacked again, reinforcing their group illusion of power.
I know you read the comments section, I find it so ironic that the priest that tried to intervene and was subsequently beaten, was automatically judged to be a sex offender by at least one poster. I also find it sad that a lot of the (We assume) Christians quoted Old Testament, which is Jewish. The appalling lack of knowledge of their proclaimed faith leaves me speechless, but not without understanding.
During the second century, Christianity was hijacked. The so called bible became a magistrate’s handbook giving free reign to all that would use it to rape, pillage and burn.
Are there true Christians out there? You betcham! Do they do their thing without calling attention to themselves? Yep. Do they need our help? Absolutely!
True understanding of ones faith or religion is not achieved by listening to, or obeying your holy people. It is achieved by experiencing it. This is not a spectator sport!
We live in a world that has been very carefully constructed for us. It is a world of fear. Through fear we can all be manipulated. It is time to break the illusion.
However, the GEoR keeps grounding us, (in her own masterful style)
What’s the plan? ;)
Bright Blessings
Outis
Actually I said don't read the comments. ^.^;; they're frickin horrible.
And I totally agree with you. ^.^
I agree 100%, Drakyn. What Jesus actually stood for is, well, right on most of the time. People twist it until it's entirely unrecognizable, though.
With all due respects...
When you ask another human not to do something, you are "secretly" asking them to do it.
"Child, do what you will in life, but never, ever, push this button!" (Or fill in the blank with eating an apple or opening a box)
Yes, for the most part, the comments were horrible... but could you pick out the light workers?
Outis
Honestly, I skimmed the first page of comments and decided against *headesking*.
And it was more of a warning than an order...
It's right there in the parable of the sheep and the goats: "where you did it for these the least of my brethren, you did it for me."
The irony is that Christ deliberately sought to break down the hierarchy that imposed itself between God and His people - "where two or three of you are gathered in My name, there I am also", for example. But that wasn't much use to the Emperor Constantine (and it was also a difficulty for St Paul as he tried to forge a community of the various churches around the Mediterranean). hence the appalling authoritarian approach we see in organised religion today.
This was soooo good. Thanks for sharing. I agree with you 948%.
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Thursday, August 14th, 2008
5:30 p.m - 8:30 p.m.
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All those opposed to Prop 8 are invited to attend and/or rally at 2020 Main on August 14th.
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Or here:
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And here:
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Cheers,
Chino
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