Like most of the world, I've been hearing quite a bit about teens taking their lives because of bullying. Often, they are bullied because of being homosexual. I'm incredibly glad that various organizations and celebrities are raising awareness about this issue. One of my worst fears as my girls get older is that they will either be bullied or be the bully. Which makes me think . . . in all of these awareness campaigns, why are we not asking the question, "where do kids learn to bully?" I mean really. At such a young age, where do we think their attitudes towards people who are different come from? We try really hard to expose our girls to a variety of people and to help them learn to love them even if they don't understand them or agree with them. I believe that's what God requires of us. God loves everyone, whether or not they live a life worthy of him (as few of us do) or even if they don't love him in return. That's how I want my girls to see others. With the loving eyes of God above anything. So I would suggest that as we raise awareness with teens, we also talk to their parents. What are we teaching our kids by the comments we make about strangers at the store, people in the news, politicians, and people who are just different than we are? I know I have work I can still do on this. Do you?
Recently, I was listening to NPR and they were interviewing a man who has started the "It Gets Better" campaign. As a gay man, he is encouraging kids to hang in there through the difficult teen years, because IT GETS BETTER. He and others have put videos on Youtube expressing this encouraging message. As he was talking, he said something to the effect that gay kids get bullied at school, they come home and get bullied by disapproving parents, and then they are dragged to a "mega-church" where they are bullied by peers and even by the speaker in the pulpit. Ouch. It hurts, but I know it's true in a lot of instances. For some twisted reason, many Christians think it will help if they remind homosexuals that their life style is not in line with God's plan. Why do we think that will help? Where's the love? I guess my prayer is that churches will find a way to reach out to all teens who are being bullied, but especially to gay teens. If the church won't show them unconditional love, who will?
Finally, I watched GLEE last night. This is by far my favorite TV show and as usual it is able to talk about a difficult topic with humor and realism. While the show was not really talking about this issue, they touched on it. In an episode where each of the characters were coming to terms with their belief, or lack there of, in God, one character explains this issue rather well. One of my favorite characters is Kurt. Kurt is a gay young man, who is learning to live life as himself and to love himself no matter what the world tells him. As he experience a personal crises, he explains his lack of belief in God. "Why would I believe in someone who took my mom away, made me gay and allows me to be ridiculed everyday, and is now taking my dad away? Either there is no God or he's not a very good guy." Those aren't his exact words, but it's pretty close. And as he said it, my heart broke. I wish I could reach out to everyone who felt this way and show them the God I know. One of love and comfort. The God who doesn't make life easy, but who never abandons me when the going gets tough. I'm not sure how to do it without invalidating the way they feel, but I am challenged to find a way.
So tonight, I pray that anyone who feels as though they don't fit in, that they are unloved or unlovable, or who feels this life holds nothing for them, will somehow supernaturally experience a movement of God. That God would put people in their path that will love them for who they are and where they are at. I pray that I am one of those people God uses.
