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Prideful

Posted on Monday, May 5th, 2008

Dave!What's better than arriving home exhausted and smelling like airplane?

Arriving home and having your internet fail just as you are writing up your latest blog entry! Sweet!

While waiting for Hilly and "The Sheraton Posse" to get back from the "Rocky Steps" the other day... Dustin, Vahid, and I decided to grab some lunch and wander through the Philadelphia Pride Street Fair that was going on a block from our hotel. One thing is for sure, the gays know how to throw down a party! Everybody was there...

Philly Pride Fair

Philly Pride Fair

Despite being straight and clueless as to much of what was going on, we had a good time. Probably because Dustin managed to find a gelateria that sold authentic Italian gelato! As I entered the shop I was hoping against hope they would have stracciatella, and they DID...

Stracciatella Gelato!

Crazy deliciousness ensued.

But all was not perfect.

Because heaven forbid that people should get together to hang out and have fun when there are haters out there determined to spoil everything. Bring on the anti-gay militia protesters...

Philly Pride Fair
BAD LETTER SPACING IS SIN, PROPER KERNING CAN SET YOU FREE!

By far my favorite protesters were the "ex-gays." People who were once gay, but then found Jesus and became straight. And there's nothing wrong with that. I think people should be whoever they want to be, and if somebody decides that homosexuality isn't right for them, then by all means turn in your rainbow flag and enjoy your new-found hetero lifestyle. But to say that your decision is the correct one, and everybody else should live exactly as you do isn't the least bit narcissistic...

Philly Pride Fair
Deep down, I'd say he misses the cock, and came here to boy-watch.

Now, to be fair, many of these protesters are not actually coming from a place of hate. They genuinely believe that they are showing love by trying to "save" sinners from eternal damnation. Their interpretation of The Bible tells them that homosexuality is a one-way ticket to hell, and they love the gays so much that they are willing to risk being ridiculed and despised to help them out. And that's fine... I can respect that. Everybody has to live according to their beliefs...

Philly Pride Fair
Apparently Matthew 7 is missing from his Bible.

But when you decide to protest INSIDE the street fair, I don't care what "place of love" you are coming from... that makes you a fucking asshole. You are disrupting the event and intruding on other people's happiness. If you simply must wave your little signs of condemnation, do it OUTSIDE the street fair. That way, you get your message across just fine (because everybody attending has to enter and exit) but without being complete douchebags...

Philly Pride Fair
Disrupting an event to feel better about yourself isn't prideful?

But my real problem here is that the protesters are just plain ignorant of the scripture they use to judge others, and I find it ironic that I know The Bible better than most of them do. I am not a Christian, but I have read The Bible in its entirety more than once, and have spent time studying it (both on my own and in study groups from no less than a half-dozen different churches). Just because I choose to base much of my belief system on Buddhist teachings does not automatically make me ignorant of Christianity, even though that's the conclusion most Conservative Christians seem happy to draw...

Philly Pride Fair
Boastful and abusive, she apparently skipped over 2 Timothy 3:1-5.

For example, take this one (ironically, the flip-side of the sign above)...

Philly Pride Fair
I reads The Bible real good... ask me!

I wonder if the rude bitch holding up this sign has any clue as to the meaning and history behind the scripture she is quoting. Given the context, it is fairly obvious that she is focusing on the word "effeminate" to mean "gay" and is pretty much telling all the hetero-challenged fornicators at the street fair that they are going to hell. Apparently the only "kingdom" the gays get is "The Magic Kingdom" in Walt Disney World.

Or is it?

Because "effeminate" as it pertains to this passage from The Bible has absolutely nothing to do with being some kind of "sissy-boy homosexual." I am fairly certain it is instead referring to an entirely different meaning of the word (weakness through over-refinement) and is talking about delicacy or weakness of faith and spirituality... not delicacy of manhood (which is kind of sexist when you think about it). I know this because I questioned the passage when I had first read it and decided to do some research. As anybody who has studied translations of ancient texts will confirm, you can't always take things at face value, so you pretty much have to do research. Now, obviously, somebody could take their personal belief that being gay is a weakness of faith and spirituality and deem this passage relevant to their cause, but that's another argument. An argument I wouldn't respect unless the person doing the arguing was well-studied on how The Bible has been changed during translation from Hebrew, Greek, and Aramaic... and how it has been drastically altered and revised over the years to accommodate the whims of man... not God.

But something tells me that this would not be the people seen here. They haven't the decency or class to be respectful of others and protest outside the event... so I'm guessing they don't have the smarts to debate scripture with any kind of intelligence.

Still, I can't help but wonder how these douchebags would react if somebody decided to hold a protest in their church during services? After all, "...whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them." —Matthew 7:120*

   

*For a very informative take on this "Golden Rule" take a look at this. Amazing how we are all so much more alike than we are different.


Categories: Travel 2008Click To It: Permalink
   

Comments

  1. sizzle says:

    “Deep down, I’d say he misses the cock, and came here to boy-watch.”

    I’m thinking that’s very true. Seriously!

    There’s not much I can add to an already well written post except, I couldn’t agree with you more, Dave.

  2. You can call me, 'Sir' says:

    I’m a Christian who dislikes many MANY other Christians for reasons you’ve outlined exceptionally well. Hypocrisy and ignorance too often trumps open hearts and minds, the result being twisted interpretations that exploit people’s fear and laziness.

    Speaking of inspired by God, I’d happily beat the shit out of a fundamentalist for a couple scoops of cappuccino gelato.

  3. ChillyWilly says:

    These posts you do are so well thought out and obviously come from someone who understands more than these sign holders who invade the space of those they “love/despise”

    And why is their message of love and caring always presented with actions of anger, rudeness and contempt?

    It’s that whole “this is how we interpret the Bible” attitude that doesn’t help me have much respect for these people.

  4. Delmer says:

    I was at the Pride Parade in Columbus several years ago. After it ended I was talking, quietly, with a group on the sidewalk. We were with the ‘gay’ side of the street.

    As we stood there talking, minding our own business, one of the self-righteous walked by with bullhorn that had a horn-honking feature. And he kept honking the horn to disrupt us … right up until I yelled, “Honk if you love homosexuals.”

    Before the parade we moved from one location to the another. Prior to the move a group of self-righteous had been across the street to yell at us. Before we made the move one of the guys on our side said, “watch what happens when we move to the other corner.” The SR moved with us so they could shout across the street at us.

    To make this comment even longer — after the parade we overheard some members of another church group talking about how they feel the need to protest … the that they don’t want to be like some of the more extreme protesters there.

  5. Dave2 says:

    It’s fun to mess with them because it’s so easy. When one of the ex-gays paused to take a breath over telling everybody how their lives are offensive to The Almighty, I screamed out “BUT YOU’VE GOT A GREAT ASS! ARE YOU SURE YOU MADE THE RIGHT CHOICE?” which severely undermined his message and had people laughing at him as the joke he is.

    Would I have done this had he been respectfully stating his opinion OUTSIDE the street fair? Of course not. But he’s a rude bastard that doesn’t deserve any better, and I have a big mouth.

    Rudeness begets rudeness, and you reap what you sow. I’m pretty sure I read something about that in Galatians. Just doing my part to help…

  6. Ian says:

    The protesters are just bad cause gays have way more fun than straights. : )

  7. Beth says:

    everyone is entitled to their righteous belief, but when you fail to respect others and their beliefs you just become an ass. And there are too many asses in this world!!

    Dave, nothing turns me on quite like a man keen to his kerning. I am a font whore, please don’t judge me!!!

  8. Finn says:

    First let me say, GELATO!!!!!!!!!!!!

    Next… I wonder if any of these rocket scientists realize that for every piece of scripture they quote, there’s another one that totally cancels out what they think the first one means.

    And finally I’d like to point out that these people who are trying to “save” the world are the same people who cut me off in traffic whilst pitching a cigarrette butt our of their window. I know this because of the fish symbol they’ve attached to their bumper. What would Jesus do indeed.

  9. Penelope says:

    Sizzle already picked it up but this line “Deep down, I’d say he misses the cock, and came here to boy-watch”, made me spit tea! Genius!
    Brilliantly worded, and articately argued Sir Dave, I cannot stand these moralistic fundementalist hate-mongers either. He who is without sin, cast the first stone – perhaps? ;o)

  10. mew says:

    this is a great post, dave
    could really go for some gelato right now! ^__^

    (i’m wondering how many crap baskets are going to give you grief over this post.)

  11. Sue says:

    “Just because I choose to base much of my belief system on Buddhist teachings does not automatically make me ignorant of Christianity…’

    This about sums up what I’ve experienced in my life. I prefer the teachings of Zen, but sometimes fail in living by them. I make mistakes. Perfect for learning. Most of my Christian ‘friends’ also don’t understand that I don’t worship and idolize Buddha himself. It’s crazy.

  12. nicole says:

    Thank You Dave,

    I am so sick and tired of reading other blogs and having their ideals and feelings seem to be shoved down my throat, but when i read not only your blog but others that comment and i can link to there’s it’s so refreshing to hear an intelligent argument on both sides of the coin. Not only do you present your feelings and ideals on the situation but you also understand what the other side may be trying to say, It’s a refreshing change from society and the media today and I Thank you for being a well informed and intelligent blogger!!

  13. Karl says:

    Assholes is right. I’ve yet to see gays protesting outside a church. I’m Christian, so I find it annoying/amusing that so many Christians forget that Jesus hung out with all the “sinners” in his day. He wasn’t an EXCLUDER. Any time he got angry it was what I call righteous anger…screaming at the moneychangers in the temple, for example.

    Somehow I think Jesus would punch those protesters in the face.

  14. Dave2 says:

    Wow. Who knew Jesus was so bad-ass? Chuck Norris had better look out!

  15. for the most part i would say that i wouldn’t change a thing about my tc2008 experience, but then i realize that i would have loved to have added some time to take part in the pride / equality street fair rally. dammit. might have been fun to engage some of the close minded folks in a little discussion. or britt and i could have taken turns making out with hilly in front of them. yeah, something like that.

  16. Kyra says:

    I don’t like picketers at all. I just don’t see the point. Hold your OWN “party/festival” supporting your beliefs on a different day – but stop trying to ruin everyone else’s. I have a lot of really strong opinions, but I find that I just have to be content that I love everybody, and I can’t change anything.

  17. Miss Britt says:

    Oh MAN! I’ve never been to a gay pride event! I wish I would have known it was going on – screw Rocky!!

  18. Erin says:

    Super post – I agree with you completely. Choosing to protest inside the Street Fair is just belligerent. Which, as you so rightly pointed out, many protesters tend to be. Good for you for telling him he had a nice ass. Now, if only you’d caught that on video to share with the rest of us!

  19. I don’t get people like this. Instead of holding up their signs, why don’t they go work in a soup kitchen or something a little more useful. I highly doubt anyone is going to read one of those signs, and decide to “find Jesus” because of it. They give Christians a bad name. Interesting post.

  20. Suzy says:

    I don’t mind seeing the hate posters even though they have enough of a platform on the web but I was looking forward to seeing pics of the pride event and the lovely gays themselves. Please tell me there’s a part 2 to this post?

  21. Whit says:

    As an agnostic I find it funny, in a not funny sort of way, that all of these people are spewing hate based on something that I’m fairly sure doesn’t even exist- and if it does, that’s not the way to reap its rewards. They’ll be picketing outside the pearly gates, too.

  22. claire says:

    “In our opinion, the greatest failure of organized religion is its historical inability to convince their followers that the Ethic of Reciprocity applies to all humans, not merely to fellow believers.” – my fave quote from the Golden Rule link above. States so concisely and well my take on religion.

    All your sign pics make me glad I didn’t run into such folks at any of the pride events I’ve been to. I really appreciate the commentary you wrote to go with them though: the research, thoughtfulness, and thoroughness behind your words.

  23. claire says:

    “In our opinion, the greatest failure of organized religion is its historical inability to convince their followers that the Ethic of Reciprocity applies to all humans, not merely to fellow believers.” – my fave quote from the Golden Rule link above. States so concisely and well my take on religion.

    All your sign pics make me glad I didn’t run into such folks at any of the pride events I’ve been to. I really appreciate the commentary you wrote to go with them though: the research, thoughtfulness, and thoroughness behind your words.

  24. Hilly Sue says:

    I really am sorry we missed that. Trust me, I’d have enjoyed it even more now that I know Becky would have made out with me, sheesh. Plus I didn’t get to hang out with my boys :(.

  25. Sodapop says:

    One of the BEST posts I’ve read in a very long time. Well thought out and written.

    I dislike people who called themselves Christians and then immediately throw the bible in our faces. I’m a Christian and I do not force my beliefs on anyone. Not my place to do so.

    I think that guy was there for the boy watch too. I love gay pride festivals. Very fun and free. Haven’t been to one in ages tho.

  26. turnbaby says:

    I’ve often found that as soon as someone begins to proclaim what a ‘great’ Christian they are that the next thing they do or say will be something horribly against the basic tenets of Christianity.

    Excellent post sugar.

  27. Mr. Fabulous says:

    Drinking…fornication…sodomy….but those are all my favorites!

    Stupid Christians.

  28. jester says:

    I’m spoiled. I haven’t been to a pride event that wasn’t held in a very progressive area in years.

    The crazies stay away from LA and SF pride.

    They come to my blog and spout nonsense instead. Your quote about buddhism not canceling out your knowledge of christianity? Substitute homosexuality for buddhism and you’ve got the kind of arguments i hear all the time.

  29. jewelz says:

    Amen, Brutha!!!!
    I was in Philly last summer at a National Education Association convention. We had a “Friends of Ichabod” meeting in the ‘gay area’ of town. I LOVED it. One of my greatest friends is gay….he’s my ‘gay boyfriend’….and he took me to all of the bars. We had a BLAST. I loved all of the street signs with the rainbows on them. Anyway….I purchased a “Straight But Not Narrow” pin that I wore everywhere that week. And the NEA has an actual caucus of Ex-Homosexuals. It blows my mind. Like you said, whatever choices you make in life are YOURS…but don’t pass it off as the ONLY choice in life.
    Loved your post…well said, Dave…well said!

  30. suze says:

    Love is love – what difference does gender make?

    Excellent post Dave.

  31. Tori says:

    I’m sure I should have something poignant to say about the last portion of your post… but really… I just wanted to tell you how much looking at your gelato made me want a 99 in England! (http://www.icons.org.uk/nom/nominations/99-ice-cream)

  32. yellojkt says:

    Stracciatella is my favorite flavor too. Any street festival with gelato is all good.

    Great take on the haters. If they were really so worried about the sinners’ immortal souls they wouldn’t be so hamhanded about it. I went to Mardi Gras and there were all sorts of Jesus Squaders there too. It’s a way to eat their cake and have it too.

  33. I went to a friend’s church (kinda like one of those new wave ones that they have in junior high schools on teh weekend) one time.

    When he started talking about rebuking homosexuality and the fact that they are going to hell, I stood up in front of the entire congregation (which was relatively small, as it was a small church), lifted up my HUGE ASS purse, excused myself loudly from the middle of a row, bumping over people, and walked down the center isle of the church all the way to the back from the front.

    Bastards.

  34. Seamus says:

    On the 6th day, did God not create penis?

    I didn’t really understand those Who Would Jesus Do bracelets they all were wearing. Talk about double standards…

  35. Iron Fist says:

    Having the Pride Fair right there made me feel right at home (we love our gays in Portland!).

    And now that I know how much you love gelato, I feel like a bad host: there’s an authentic gelato shop right across the street from Powell’s Books, and I’ve never once taken you there! Argh! GELATO FAIL.

  36. Mr BBM says:

    Great post Dave.

    I agree that too few people take the time to research and understand things “in context”.

    Its sad that one of the things that can/should be taken at face value (The Golden Rule), is so misunderstood by so many.

  37. Mooselet says:

    Asshats like those protesters are why I’m not a religious person. Many religions claim to embrace all of mankind, but what followers like those protesters mean is “all of mankind who believe what we believe. The rest of you should die.”

    I loved this post.

  38. Doug says:

    I too am sick of “militant Christians”. I attended a pre-Katrina Mardi Gras and the bullhorn “saviors” were everywhere. The worst part was when they paraded right down Bourbon Street on Fat Tuesday, 7 to 8 freaks wide locked arm-in-arm with about 30 rows. This to me was so absolutely antagonistic that I cheered as the folks on the balconies slammed these bastards with beads.

  39. Colin Brooks says:

    I loved this post. To add to this, from a gay point of view, we tend to laugh at these people. If they came to say, Brighton Pride, they would be teased and mocked mercilessly.

  40. apricoco says:

    Dave, I agree with you one hundred and fifty percent. This is perfectly written and thought out. Thank you for saying it so eloquently.

  41. Talena says:

    Here in Portland we have an event called Plunderathon that coincides with Gay Pride week. It is the awesome and the protesters are scared of gay pirates with swords… hehe.

  42. What a great post. I used to be Christian, grew up that way in fact. Now? not so much. I am almost, if not worse than the gays that the fundamentalists go nuts over – I’m a witch! I like to think about the Wiccan Rede when I see ignorant shitholes like the ones at that street fair; They will get back what they give out threefold.

    It will totally suck to be them!

    You are a cool guy and I think what you did for the TequilaCon attendees was pretty friggin’ awesome. I hope someday to attend and meet you and all the others, as well as get some kick-ass swag someday…when finances permit.

  43. kyle says:

    hey man – just found your blog and am enjoying it big time. i love the way you write.

    this was a kick ass post.. loved it. and your right, i’m pretty sure he does miss the cock too and boy watching is what pride was invented for!

    cheers and keep up the good work. (great graphics too!)

  44. Karen H says:

    Dave I am a faithful reader, but almost never a commenter. However, you rocked this topic!

    “… so I’m guessing they don’t have the smarts to debate scripture with any kind of intelligence.” That dear Dave, says it all. Parrots, all of them.

    I love Stracciatella SOUP…does the ice cream really taste like chicken broth with egg? How strange.

  45. CHRIS says:

    Haha.. One of the Technorati Tags is “Dumbasses”

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