Sometimes Mrs. Hillbilly absolutely amazes me. She is taking the Servant Leadership course through our church, and one of the women in her study group is a lesbian with a partner who has a pre-teen daughter. As the Mrs. and I were talking last night after her class, she told me she was shocked that her new friends were forced to live in the closet because they could be fired from their jobs for being in a relationship. The idea that someone could be fired for that in Arkansas totally shocked her. It lead to a brief conversation before sleep overtook us about equal rights for all, and why this year my blog's focus had been where it has been. I think the part that shocked her the most was that a religion that professed so much love and compassion for one another could be so hateful toward another group of people. God bless her.
The Episcopal Church has been her first real exposure to Christianity outside of sneaking communion from the Catholic Church at Christmas Mass. She has never been the religious type, being the more grounded and practical of the two of us. To find out that the brand of Christianity I grew up in would call her friends "abominations" completely threw her for a loop.
I really wish everyone could be as innocent as my wife in some regards. Even though she is the more mundane of us, sometimes she shows the love of Christ better than anyone else I know.
And yes, it's true that in Arkansas you can be fired for being gay. Since this is a "right to work" state there are few protections for employees.
3 comments:
And it is precisely that hatred that drives some people away from relationship with Christ--they think if those who profess to love Christ are like that, Christ must be as well.
God help us all. Blessings to you and to your wife.
What Lauralew said!
AH, I know that any man who understands that Pyrs need lap time too, will understand justice.
Hugs, man.
Post a Comment