The good people of Fresno, CA, have been in a heated debate over marriage equality since the Supreme Court ruling last month.
For weeks residents of the conservative city in central California have been writing their local newspaper, The Fresno Bee, to vent their emotions, and a good many of them haven’t been so favorable.
Related: This Flow Chart That Destroys Religion’s Case Against Gay Marriage Is So Easy, Any Zealot Can Use It
In a letter published on July 19, Mark J. Zoeller accused the Supreme Court of “usurping” the “sacredness” of marriage. Then he likened homosexual relationships to polygamy and slavery.
How about we take this to the next level?
Our newsletter is like a refreshing cocktail (or mocktail) of LGBTQ+ entertainment and pop culture, served up with a side of eye-candy.
Richard Owen wrote into the paper on July 8 to ask just how long he would be forced “to watch their celebration, read about it and look at that stupid rainbow?” Then he asked, “When do ‘normal’ people get their voices heard? Is it only the people who are different that get the attention from the media?”
Fresno resident Carol Fleisig decided enough is enough.
Related: 10 Bible-Based Reasons Why Christians Should Love Homosexuality
“What a tempest in a teapot!” she wrote into the paper this week. “The recent Supreme Court ruling allowing gay marriage has no impact on anyone who is not gay: no impact on Christians or those of any other belief system that disapproves of homosexuality.”
She then brought up circumcision.
“Does that belief preclude other people from not circumcising their sons?” Fleisig writes. “Of course not! Is there any public outcry against allowing Jewish people to circumcise their sons? Of course not!”
Fleisig concludes by saying that “gay marriage is none of our business if our belief system prohibits it. If you are against the practice of something, simply do not practice it.”
Word.
Read her full letter below and feel free to pass it along to your crazy Uncle Jim who watches FOX News all day…
What a tempest in a teapot! The recent Supreme Court ruling allowing gay marriage has no impact on anyone who is not gay: no impact on Christians or those of any other belief system that disapproves of homosexuality.
Let us be reminded that the Jewish religion tells its followers to circumcise their sons. Does that belief preclude other people from not circumcising their sons? Of course not! Is there any public outcry against allowing Jewish people to circumcise their sons? Of course not! There is not public outcry because people recognize that Jewish circumcision is none of their business. Each family is free to circumcise or not circumcise their sons as they choose.
Likewise, gay marriage is none of our business if our belief system prohibits it. If you are against the practice of something, simply do not practice it. Isn’t their biblical scripture about not judging others?
Carol Fleisig, Coarsegold
Tobi
There should be an outcry over circumcision unless it’s a medical necessity, the butchering of babies and childrens genitals simply to please a sky pixie or line the pockets of money-mad medics is a scandal.
Ladbrook
All of which is nice (and true!) but it assumes the audience uses logic to process such things… which it doesn’t.
And as I told my somewhat homophobic brother a few years ago: if you don’t like gay marriage, don’t get gay married!
betrthanu84
@Tobi: Sure… sure… but why post this comment here? Though she makes reference to circumcision in the letter to the editor, your comment is completely off topic and random.
Colin McCoy
Haha, I love this part: “Then he likened homosexual relationships to polygamy and slavery.” So he’s comparing it to things that are Biblically A-OK? Good to know!
Tobi
@betrthanu84: Firstly, it’s Queerty, so it’s par-for-the-course. Secondly, this kind of casual acceptance is what allows perverts the freedom to mutilate a child’s penis for their own weird gratification.
Mykaels
This was a great, happy, positive article. And then as usual, a poster becomes hellbent on making it negative.
bobmister250
@Tobi: Not that your comment is even remotely related to the topic at hand, but regardless, you have proceeded to do exactly the opposite of the point of the article which is supposed to promote butting out of peoples’ lives.
petensfo
Frankly, I was hoping for more…
Don’t try & use logic with bigots. It was never about their religious fervor anyway.
And circumcision? Really bad example… there SHOULD be a large outcry. My parent’s religious beliefs should never be allowed to justify a superfluous permanent procedure on the most private & personal part of my body. NO WAY!
Raphael
@petensfo: thats what I think. You just *cant* do that to your childrem.
Craig Shapiro
Ms Carol, so well said, so mattet of fact. This honest, commonsense article basically wraps that argument up. Sadly, honest and commonsense seem to be on the endangered list. Approaching seven decades on this planet, I’ve experienced may sinarieos of homophobia. I’ve been verbally accosted in public forums, only to be propositioned by the same ‘ macho man’, several times. There are other countries that revear Gays as essential in maintaining joy and personal satisfaction. There are Native American cultures the view Homosexuality as a higher sence of spirituality. Yes, live and let love. Fear not and love all, resonates Christs 11th commandment, ‘ love each other as i have loved you’, unconditionally. Stop be bullies, lives are in the balance.
Craig Shapiro
Correction, STOP BEING BULLIES.
John Adams
LGBT community, scary stuff in here about the way this ideology views homosexuality.
This is one of the most informative/disturbing videos you could ever watch concerning Islam, and it’s told by a well known American Muslim. Every freedom loving American had better educate themselves. Remember, the silent majority holds the largest voice. Spread the word, future generations depend on it.
http://youtu.be/4XUub1no1qw
Giancarlo85
Wow. I thought I’d read some thoughtful replies here. No, all I see are histrionics and the ability to take an article and twist it.
jwtraveler
@Colin McCoy: Religion has always been an ideological buffet. You pick and choose what you like and leave what you don’t. And if you don’t see what you want, you spike the punch.
jwtraveler
@Tobi: Your hyperbolic ranting doesn’t do your position any good. Like all religious rituals, I think circumcision is stupid, but no Jews or Muslims (who are the vast majority of those who circumcise for religious reasons)”mutilate a child’s penis for their own weird gratification.”
Milk
@Tobi: Off topic. But there’s a point to be argue the issue you have raise here regarding circumcision. If there’s a law prohibiting boys to be circumcise. Than it will supercede the religion or cultural laws that allow these people to practice it.
Tobi
@jwtraveler: Ah, you don’t find parents sacrificing their child’s foreskin to please a sky pixie a little bit of a weird gratification? Oh… okay… *shrugs*
sourwolf
@Tobi: very much agreed. Not to mention many ceremonies are done under very poor conditions.
Edsel
@Craig Shapiro: Craig
You’re right, Christ did teach people to love one another, also that we should forgive one another. But he also taught about sin. We all know about stealing and murder, but what was taught about sexual sin? Here’s a bit from 1 Corinthians which lays out quite clearly the nature of some sexual sin.
“Surely you know that people who do wrong will not get to enjoy God’s kingdom. Don’t be fooled. These are the people who will not get to enjoy his kingdom: those who sin sexually, those who worship idols, those who commit adultery, men who let other men use them for sex or who have sex with other men, those who steal, those who are greedy, those who drink too much, those who abuse others with insults, and those who cheat.”