I was thinking last night that there must be room to come to some compromise on the Homosexuality issue between the right wing Christains and the Gay Activists to end this tit-for-tat approach to resolving this issue.
Some of my initial ideas:
A. Christians agree that gay people have the right to live their life in peace and to not be preached to about the 'abomination' of their lives. Further, Christains agree to leave their teachings with regard to this issue in Church where it belongs and out of politics and the public arena.
B. Gay people agree that Christains have the right to disagree with their lifestyle and to not employ hateful tactics to distrupt Christain teachings on this issue outside of public life.
C. Christains agree that gay people deserve complete equal rights afforded to every citizen up to an including the right to get all the legal rights afforded by marriage. Further, Christains agree that discrimination in housing and in the work place against gay people is wrong and intolerable and will support gay people in pursing such endavors and the prosecution of people who violate it.
[I suggest that EVERYONE support the creation nation-wide of a legal Civil Union for anyone who wishes to get married, gay or straight; and be afforded all the LEGAL rights of said such to include the tax benefits, SS benefits, inhertance rights etc.]
I'm going to be pillard by other gay people for such a suggestion because of the separate but equal argument. However, if everyone would think about it, in the eyes of the law all 'civil-unions' would thus be equal
D. Gay people agree that the word and concept of 'marriage' is sacred to many Christain people and by their faith reserved for only a man and a women. Gay people agree that Christains have the right to marry in Church's that restrict such to only a man and a women -- and they have respect for such w/o activitsm
E. Christains agree to stop and desist in their on going media campagin to potray gay people as evil, pedophiles, or sex addicts.
F. Gay people agree to stop their on going media campaign to potray Christains as hate mongoring and evil extremists.
G. Both groups agree to not en mass protest each other traditions e.g. Bible rivals or Gay Pride Events.
H. Both groups agree to not use the most extremist fringe groups like MAMBLA or the KKK as examples of each other's beliefs, lifestyle, or rehetoric.
I. Both groups agree to not use the public school systems as a way to teach the validity or invalidity of each other's beliefs.
J. Both groups agree to cease and disist with the endless use of the Bible to prove either side's point of view as no agreement on the intrepretation of such will ever be possible.
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These are just my initial thoughts. I'm sure I'll think of others. Perhaps some feed back from both sides of this debate.