Why is everyone picking on me?

Wow. This is my first entry here. I am a little nervous about this - it's not like my livejournal or my myspace blog. I kind of have to be serious here.

I'll try. I promise.

So, my subject line is "Why is everyone picking on me?". And, okay, that may not sound like I'm trying to increase personal freedom or anything. It sounds like I'm complaining, right?

Well, I really do have something behind this. Let me just get to it.

I go to a Lutheran High School in Indiana, just missing the edge of the Bible Belt of the US. My city may be the second largest city in Indiana, but it acts more like a small town than anything. I began realizing that after I moved to a small town about 45 minutes from Fort Wayne about 4 years ago.

But, I digress. My high school is Lutheran, so most of the kids are fed into it from the Lutheran grade schools around the area. And, yes, I am an alum of Concordia Lutheran Grade School (notice I didn't say proud alum).

Also, Indiana's considered a "red" state, meaning that it typically leans to the right in its voting. And, since my school is a private school, most of the people who attend it are the offspring of rich parents who teach them that anyone who thinks other than them is wrong and, most likely, is going to Hell. Including people who are not a member of the Lutheran Church Missouri-Synod of the Lutheran church.

Now, where do I fit into all of this? Well...I'm a liberal, raised by a single mom who fought to keep me in a good school. I consider myself a Christian, but nothing else. I accept everyone for who they are, regardless of their race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, income, religion, or anything else that could make them "different". Oh yeah, and I'm bisexual.

I stick out like a sore thumb in this school. Every day, we are taught about how homosexuality is evil, how premarital sex will get you into hell, and, if you don't lead a perfect life (just like our teacher does, of course), that you are going to hell.

We've also been getting into debates about the presidential candidates this semester with said "perfect" teacher. Obama is his main target; calling him "Osama", or emphasizing that his middle name is "Hussein". He says he has a Muslim background, which he does, sure; but when I said he believes in Christ, which he does, he came back saying that the UCC wasn't a real church.

Ridiculous? I think so.

The United States of America, in the First Amendment, gives us the freedom of religion. People are allowed to believe whatever religion they wish. People should not be forced to sit through religion classes day after day, being brainwashed by people who think they're better than everyone else, just because they're a pastor. That's a load of bullshit.

Oops. Hope I can curse on here...

I know a girl who was made fun of to the point of destroying her, all because she was ELCA. I know people who are GLBT, and they believe that Christ died for their sins and rose again for them. I, myself, am one of them. I believe that I have been bisexual all of my life, and that it was not a choice that I made. I've wanted to come out for 2 years now, but I can't, because people will tell me that I'm going to hell, which isn't true at all.

Every sin is equal in God's eyes.

Religion is such a touchy subject in this country. I was so glad this election that there was someone who was *gasp* a Mormon running. Granted, I wasn't planning on voting for Romney (for my own personal reasons), but I did support his campaign. For the first time, someone was really using the First Amendment in their defense.

There was such a big uproar when Kennedy was elected, all because he was Catholic. Now, he's hailed as one of the greatest presidents ever. Does your religion really matter if you're elected into office? What did people think JFK was going to do, make the country Catholic? Is that what people thought Romney was going to do? Make the country Mormon?

You can't force religion on someone. You just can't. You can share what you believe, sure, but it's up to the powers above, whoever or whatever you believe is up there, to make them decide to follow it as well.

And, going back to Obama - he has a Muslim background, but he's a member of the UCC now. He recently went to Africa, and he was wearing native garb, which consisted of a turban and a robe...and people went nuts, saying he was a terrorist.

He's not even a Muslim anymore. Chill out.

But, what would be wrong with having a Muslim as president? A friend of mine said that she would never vote for a Muslim. I asked her why. She didn't have an answer.

I believe this country needs a change. Religion needs to be free again. GLBT...we need our rights. Our country needs to be free again.

COEXIST.

...I hope all of that made sense.

(Oh, and, in case you were wondering - I'm in support of Obama.)