MW: What would you say to the parent who does not want to accept their child as gay?

TAMMY FAYE: If they don't accept it I would say shame on them. When you're a parent you accept your child as he or she is. But I understand that there are mothers and dads that just can't accept the fact that they have a gay child. I think a mother and dad should accept them, not fight with them, and just accept them because they are their children and they should love their children just the way they are. My boy has tattoos and piercings all over him and I love my boy more than I love my own life.
MW: It's sometimes very difficult for parents to shed the visions they have for their kids.

TAMMY FAYE: Your child is not you.

MW: So what do you say to that parent?

TAMMY FAYE: I would tell that parent, love your child just exactly the way he or she is.

MW: What happens to the parent who won't acknowledge their child?

TAMMY FAYE: The parent loses. Because the most important relationship in the world is between mother and father and child, and I think when a parent refuses to accept any child the way they are -- I don't care if it's because they're gay or if they have a sickness or if they decide to do something different than what the parent wants -- I think the parent loses. They lose the most wonderful friendship they could ever have.

I'm trying to educate parents and the Christian world and tell them, these are wonderful people, allow them to be in your church, love them. Don't be so judgmental. Christians are so judgmental and as a result of that they become very cruel. When I go and stand among those gay men and women, I tell them "I am a preacher of the gospel that loves you. And I accept you just the way you are." I cry when I say that but I mean that with all of my heart. Somebody's got to love them and accept them. And somebody who loves God has got to love them and accept them because so many of them really love God, too.

MW: There are many Christians who say gay is evil, that it's an abomination.

TAMMY FAYE: I think being gay is just being a person who has a different thought on life. They're just people. I don't think that God categorizes people. I went to Disneyland one time, and it rained -- it's so awful when it rains at Disneyland -- and everyone disappeared inside. And when the rain stopped and everybody came out, every single person had yellow raincoats on. You couldn't tell the fat from the thin, the rich from the poor. You couldn't tell anyone from anyone else. And that day I looked up and I said, "God, I think this is how you see us, all in yellow raincoats, and only you have the permission to look under those yellow raincoats."

naïve God fearing idiots

Cassiel said:

Granted, you called yourself a "dark-hearted atheist and kind of a dick," as many people on this site tend to be, and I will keep that in mind as I write this. And I also realize that what I say may or may not cause a fascist reactionary response from others--hell, what I say may be nothing more than a piddling piss in a rainstorm. I'm speaking from the heart here (something I wish more people would do). And I'll probably be ridiculed for this, as many people are subjected to for their thoughts on this site. But I'd just like to implore people not to be so rude and intolerant and hateful of those who are religious.

Now I'm not a religious man myself, even though I was brought up that way, but it seems to me that anyone on this "enlightened" site who happens to believe in religion, especially Christianity and its many denominations, is automatically branded a fool, ostracized, and in certain cases, even crucified (no pun intended). Now I may be wrong, but that's just the general feel I get from swimmingt in the water.

I understand that many of you may have a negative opinion towards religion. Some of you find that the idea of a big old bearded man in the sky who created everything and is always watching to be stupid. Others may have family or friends who constantly pushed (or are still pushing) you to believe what they believe, and that turned you off. Others still may point to current social and geopolitical situations where religion is the bedfellow of politics (the neo-conservative Christian Right in America or fundamentalist Islam in the Middle East), and is used when making important decisions, especially those concerning certain segments of the population. And I'm sure there are more reasons that I'm not thinking of for you to dislike religion and its followers.

Certainly, there are tenets of particular religions that you may not agree with: the treatment of minorities, homosexuals, women, children, et cetera. After all, in the course of history, great strides have been made to level out the playing field, and ensure equality for all. Growing up in these times, we take those freedoms for granted, and when we find that others are not living under those same conditions, we wish it upon them.

And it is because of those, what we perceive as "stifling" and "ignorant", conditions that people may live under in a particular religion, that religion, in a very generalized sort of way, has given itself a bad name. And that absolutely anything that falls under the umbrella of religion is kicked to the curb and ridiculed. Tenets, followers, whatever.

All I'm asking you to do is to stop ridiculing religion. And I realize that may be a very difficult thing for many of you to do, for the aforementioned reasons.

I think the goal of any religion, in the truest, purest form is to get one closer to God or a god(s) or goddess(es) or what-have-you. And what's so bad about that, eh? We all live in a very large and very complex world, and we don't have all the answers, but we'd like to, because of some deep, instinctual yearning, some primal urge, that compels us to seek out the answers for ourselves. For some, that is what science is for and that is perfectly fine. But for others, religion is their key, and they find comfort in communicating with their deity, be it through prayer, worship or reflection.

Sure, some of you may say "Oh, there's no such thing as God" and quote Nietzsche or some other philosopher or even scientist, because science gives you credibility (I'll agree with that). And then you'll preach this to the Great Unwashed: those that are religious. But no, they can't get it through their thick skulls that you are right and they are wrong. Again, this is just a generalized feeling. So don't get too angry, please.

So why do you continue to hate the religious types?

I don't have that answer, really. But what I will say is that I can empathize with many of you in your frustration at religion. But I ask that you not be so intolerant of them--yes, some of their beliefs may not be able to co-exist peacefully with yours, and that's fine...just ignore those particular concepts. But please, let them believe in and communicate with their God, if only for the reason that it brings them peace and happiness. After all, everybody wants peace and happiness, right? I've met some absolutely wonderful Christians and Muslims and Jews, and other religions, who aren't fundamentalist (surprise!) as much of their populations seem to be. I think they're great people, even if I don't necessarily agree with them. I wish all religious people could be as relaxed and groovy as they are. But sadly, it just ain't so. So please, extend your tolerance a little further and open your mind and your heart a little wider. Yes, they may spout hatred and bullshit, and you shouldn't stand for that--after all, we occupy the same world and we're in it together and if the whole human race is going to survive, we should get along. Just please let them worship their deity.

And now I will say that religion is a good thing, in my opinion; organized religion, however, is not. I think that as time goes on, the original message gets lost in translation, and those with an axe to grind insert their own personal beliefs into it (this is especially true in the Big 3 religions), and that's where the strict, sometimes fundamentalist, dogmas come from, and that's what non-religious types are angry with. Why, I ask, do you need bureaucracy and buildings and clothes and whatever else, in order to talk with God? Why can't it be done on an individual level? God, in my mind and if I believed, thinks the same way and doesn't care for all the accessories and trappings of modern religions...it's just too much baggage. All he (or she) cares about is communicating with and caring for the followers.

Now, let the flaming and invoking of Godwin's Law commence.

RudieCantFail said: