http://www.seeklyrics.com/lyrics/Avalon/Testify-To-Love.html
"Testify to Love" by Avalon
http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/evanescence/sweetsacrifice.html
"Sweet Sacrifice" by Evanescence
A big topic in the U.S. and on ProgressiveU is homosexuality, for various reasons. Top on the list? Homophobia. That is the basic word for all the hate, all the "burn in Hell"s, all the blatant ignorance I have seen in my fellow Americans and my fellow bloggers.
Now, not to upset the flow of things, but my problem isn't just with homophobia. My problem is with discrimination in general.
The following is Dictionary.com's definition of discrimination.
dis·crim·i·na·tion –noun
1. an act or instance of discriminating.
2. treatment or consideration of, or making a distinction in favor of or against, a person or thing based on the group, class, or category to which that person or thing belongs rather than on individual merit: racial and religious intolerance and discrimination.
3. the power of making fine distinctions; discriminating judgment: She chose the colors with great discrimination.
4. Archaic. something that serves to differentiate.
[Origin: 1640–50; < L discrīminātiōn- (s. of discrīminātiō) a distinguishing.]
Now, why is it that everyone discriminates against others? And, yes, EVERYONE discriminates.
My theory is the same as so many others: fear. Fear of what we ourselves cannot understand. Fear of the unknown. Fear of discrimination itself. Fear of ignorance. Fear, fear, fear. That's all it really boils down to, really.
So, if you want to argue with me, let me clarify a few points you might try to use against me:
1. I am aware that I am not perfect and that I make mistakes. I also know that the same is true of you.
2. I am aware that the Christian Bible has those two all-time favorites of mine: "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you" and "Love thy neighbor." I am also aware that EVERY Christian, at some time or another, goes against those two rules of conduct, so don't try the holier-than-thou tone with me.
3. I'm not even close to done yet.
There are two theories about homosexuality out there that really bother me: the first is that it is taught, the second is that it is a choice.
I don't want to argue these points with the homophobes among you. I would just like to point out that, as much evidence as you might have, there is the same amount refuting your claim.
What is taught, what we can all agree on, is hate. Hate is taught, and it is a choice. We need no scientific studies to prove it. A child is not born to hate its parents. It is not born homophobic. Homophobia probably doesn't come into play until the child is TAUGHT what sexuality is. (I say probably here as a CYA disclaimer that I don't actually know, and I'm too lazy to look it up.)
No child is born thinking that some other race is inferior or superior. Heck, most don't even know the DIFFERENCE between African Americans and Caucasians! That is taught behavior.
No child is born thinking that women are inferior to men. As far as they know, there is no real difference. Again, that attitude is TAUGHT.
No child, without a phobia, is naturally afraid of anything. Fear, in all cases excluding phobias, is taught. We teach children to wash their hands by threat of illness. We teach kids not to talk to strangers by threat of "mean people" who want to "hurt" them. (Obviously, you do NOT tell a three-year-old about pedophiles and serial killers. You don't want to scar them for life, you just want to protect them from harm.) We teach them to FEAR.
But homophobes, racists, sexists, and other "ists" and "phobes" teach fear and hate to a degree that puts the rest of us to shame.
So, which is worse to teach: hate or acceptance? Which is the better choice: love or fear?
For me, I would love to put this world of "Sweet Sacrifice" behind and step into Avalon's Maze of Grace, where they "Testify to Love." (Yes, that IS a play on the songs, and even the CD that one of them is found on. Don't blame me for the cheesy line!)
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