Happy Fourth Of July To A Freer America

Cross posted @ the Atheist Oasis

This is perhaps the happiest I’ve been (ideologically) in a long while.

On June 26, 2015, the Scotus ruled on Obergefell v. Hodges, coming to an historic landmark ruling that allowed same-sex marriage.

Because let’s face it: the only real argument against same-sex marriage is a religious one. Prior to the advent of Christianity, homosexuality was not only a recognized lifestyle, it was no huge deal to most of the ancient world. It was actually recognized in a few countries back then. It wasn’t until the Roman emperor Constantius II laid out a death sentence for this sort of ritual, that it became anathema. Then the Christians cracked down on this kind of behavior, because it was banned by their ‘holy book’. In fact, these alleged purveyors of the ‘religion of love’ indulged in some pretty horrific shit like:

In the thirteenth century, in areas such as France, male homosexual behavior resulted in castration on the first offense, dismemberment on the second, and burning on the third. Lesbian behavior was punished with specific dismemberments for the first two offenses and burning on the third as well.

(Though how someone would engage in that act after castration is a mystery.)

And so it was written, so it was done. As the evil priests of that old whore Christianity demanded, people were pre-programmed to hate and feel disgust at something we know now is not an ‘abomination’, but the expression of love two people felt for each other, regardless of genitalia, two adults whose business (sexual or otherwise) is theirs alone, not to be repressed and destroyed because of small-minded delusion.

And this rampant homophobia is embedded deeply in our culture. Teenagers still use the word ‘FAG!’ to denigrate some poor lonely isolated individual who is disliked (yeah, I got some of this ugly nonsense directed at me at that age, fucking un-fun.), and people have been savaged (and likely still are) over a sexual preference that is only disgusting if you have some serious insecurities about your own sexuality.

As an anecdote: back in the 80’s (or as I like to call it, the last century) I went to see the film Cruising. Mind you, I was still a young man, still chock full of ridiculous nonsense. I had to walk out, because the gay sex made me queasy and uncomfortable. Now, I can sit through Game Of Thrones (or Spartacus), see two men kiss (or more), and just shrug, thinking ‘good for them!’ I don’t fast forward to the hetero- scenes, I usually just wander off and come back at whatever time I feel like.

It makes me happy, to see that there’s a little less discrimination in our world.

But of course, the American Taliban is up in arms. That’s no surprise. In fact, the plethora of willful ignorance makes me want to get a Louisville slugger and start re-arranging knee-caps. But regardless of emotional vitriol, the Christians do have a good weapon: they can cry like little fucking babies because they didn’t get their way. It’s always all right when the rulings are in their favor, but they roll around on the floor, beating their heels and fists against the ground in temper tantrums like the ignorant spoiled children they are. And of course, scream their favorite delusion of  ‘Persecution!’ (as Jon Stewart once pointed out, ‘How can you be persecuted when you’ve been in charge for 2000 years?’)

And all I can say is; if you are forcing your religious beliefs down my throat, how is that in any way American?

Till the next post then.