I disagree with you, but do not hate you

Today on Facebook you may have noticed a number of red equal signs appear on the profile pictures of your friends, or perhaps even your own. You will not see one on mine.

I watched comments shooting back and forth from those posting for and against gay marriage, and though I am on one side, I didn't say anything. Cowardice? Maybe. I've got a lot of friends that are pro gay marriage, and to be quite honest, I don't want to lose them. Because I don't hate them. I love them very much. And it complicates the matter.

You know what I do hate? Being accused of hate. There are no people I truly hate, and those that come close, I'm praying to be able to forgive. Perhaps that's part of the reason I said nothing (and as this blog is anonymous it's still mostly nothing). I'm not really sure, and I'm going to have to spend a lot of time thinking about it.

I think this is the heart of the matter: You don't have to agree with someone in order to love them. The opposite of that is relativism, that all truths are equally good and loving someone is agreeing with them all the time on everything. It's what people mean when they say "Don't judge me." I'm pretty sure, that driven to an extreme, no one would agree to that. Our entire country would fall into chaos. Let's just say, for example, that a serial killer says, "Don't judge me." Are you alright with that? I didn't think so.

So if I don't agree with you, is it out of hate? I hope that anyone who does know me would never think that. In fact, beyond the Bible verse slinging and arguments for complementarity in sexual unions, I disagree because I love you. This world is temporary, fleeting. I want for you what I want for me--heavenly glory. Eternal happiness, joy, and peace. Complete union with the creator. If that doesn't line up with the world's opinions, so be it.

Even if you don't agree that there is a God or heaven beyond this earth, that's what I believe. Therefore, because that is my worldview, I am putting the good of you first, though you may not like it. Is it right to blame me for that? To accuse me of hate?

There are people out there that hate, but I don't I don't think that's the majority. It's labels like that keep us from authentic dialogue, which is vital to a functioning society. I hope we'll be able to get there some day.

I know I've barely scratched the surface of the issue, but those are some basic thoughts. Maybe you've had some of your own. Feel free to share in the ComBox.



Update: After a courageous friend posted that she disagreed with the same sex marriage movement, I finally had the courage to post this: http://catholicexchange.com/the-truth-about-same-sex-attraction/
It's a pretty awesome article. Check it out. Not sure how it'll come across on Facebook, but it's worth it in the end, right?

Me, Myself, and I

Hey there!

So, I'm checking out my blogger dashboard today, and what do I see? It's been a month since I posted a darn thing. Which I figure is enough time for the awesomeness of my first post to settle in your minds. And if it hasn't yet, it'll never happen, so I'm just going to write on.

Kidding. 

Actually, the real problem was that I couldn't decide what to post. I tried a couple times, and they all pretty much came up crap, so I gave up on it for a while. And then I thought, geez Julia, it doesn't have to be some deep, profound thing, go simple. Tell them about yourself, what you want with to do with the blog. Hence, well, this post. (If you're not a Catholic I'm going to be throwing around some terms that may be confusing. Google is your best friend because I don't like (nor am I very good at) defining things.)

1. I generally write run-on sentences. It's kind of my style. (Which is a thing you can say after you've learned all the rules in Eng 101, right?)

2. Following number 1, I both over and underuse commas. Fun, right?

3. I'm don't really consider myself a Trad Catholic. I attend a novus ordo mass (pause for gasps... and we're back). And I like it when it's done correctly (read, 'no clown masses'. I've been to masses when it's done wrong and well... another post, perhaps). After all, the Latin mass came about in a time when Latin was the lingua franca of most of the people and especially those who could read. I don't really see the issue with either mass. Nor do I have a problem with guitars. Or organs. Or Benedictine Chants, for that matter. (I am considering wearing a mantilla, but that's a post for another time.)

4. I do agree with all the Churches doctrine and Dogma. I believe the Church to 100% correct in faith and morals.

5. I like our new Pope. And Pope Benedict 16. And JP II.

6. I read a lot, and right now, it's a lot of theology and history. If you've got any suggestions, I'd be happy to read them and discuss. Right now, I'm on The Jew's Pope: The Vatican's Secret Plan to Save the Jews from the Nazis. I highly recommend it.

7. I love being Catholic. Catholicism is my favorite thing to talk about. Which, frankly, is the reason I'm writing this blog. People I know get sick of me blabbing on all the time about theology and Popes and Authority and yadda yadday yadda. Hopefully this blog will give me the chance to release some of my zeal on an unsuspecting internet, instead of my weary family and friends.

So, what is this blog, then? A little of this, a little of that, probably. I'm going to throw in some apologetics, random thoughts, videos, and occasionally something on my favorite TV shows (Oh! I thought of number 8: I'm a nerd).

Well, that's all for now. Hopefully your brains don't explode with the awesometude coming from this post.