# On "I'm Christian, unless you're gay" and Christian "tolerance" **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [April 4, 2012, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-im-christian-unless-youre-gay-and-christian-tolerance/617867 "2012-04-04T23:52:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2012, 12:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-im-christian-unless-youre-gay-and-christian-tolerance/617867/21 "2012-04-05T12:09:52Z")
So the OP is upset that some people do not cause him and trouble, but they do so for reasons he finds objectionable? That is some serious mental gymnastics there, fella. ---
**Author:** ![boytyperanma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4491bb/32.png) [@boytyperanma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/boytyperanma)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2012, 12:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-im-christian-unless-youre-gay-and-christian-tolerance/617867/22 "2012-04-05T12:15:50Z")
> [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](#): > > So the OP is upset that some people do not cause him and trouble, but they do so for reasons he finds objectionable? That is some serious mental gymnastics there, fella. I’m so upset and angry by these articles someone please tell me who to be angry at! It’s all so confusing. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2012, 12:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-im-christian-unless-youre-gay-and-christian-tolerance/617867/23 "2012-04-05T12:20:54Z")
> [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](#): > > So the OP is upset that some people do not cause him and trouble, but they do so for reasons he finds objectionable? That is some serious mental gymnastics there, fella. Not really. The Christian fundamentalists who support Israel because they want it to be in place for a massive slaughter of the Jews of Israel in the fulfillment of (their version of) Biblical prophecy creep out quite a lot of Jews, I understand. ---
**Author:** ![anya\_marie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ebca7d/32.png) [@anya\_marie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anya_marie)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2012, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-im-christian-unless-youre-gay-and-christian-tolerance/617867/24 "2012-04-05T12:57:11Z")
I’m glad other people have issues with that typed dreck. It seemed as fake as a 7 dollar bill. That essay stunk like a week-old roadkill. While there are some good christians, some posting HERE, a bunch of them in Indiana are hateful, annoying hypocrites, writing letters to the newspapers with malice and stupidity dripping from them. I’m not seeing many logical, reasoned arguments from that lot, but they sure can throw some bible verses around. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2012, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-im-christian-unless-youre-gay-and-christian-tolerance/617867/25 "2012-04-05T13:22:25Z")
> [@Algher](#): > > I even must love you, even though you appear to be dumber than a bag of hammers with this rant. I think you’re missing the point. By, like, a LOT. Please spare me your love. I release you of your obligation to do so. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2012, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-im-christian-unless-youre-gay-and-christian-tolerance/617867/26 "2012-04-05T13:44:50Z")
I think the OP has a reasonable point, perhaps inelegantly phrased. While “we tolerate you just like we tolerate every other manner of deviant” is, I suppose, a degree of improvement over “die, faggots,” it’s still a condescending little demi-step toward what the norm \*ought \*to be, which is “it’s not our business to ‘tolerate’ you at all because there’s nothing wrong with you.” At least I think that’s what he’s getting at. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2012, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-im-christian-unless-youre-gay-and-christian-tolerance/617867/27 "2012-04-05T14:22:12Z")
Hey, Condescending – Our church has a GLBT group. So we’re even bigger hypocrites. Neener-neener. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2012, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-im-christian-unless-youre-gay-and-christian-tolerance/617867/28 "2012-04-05T14:33:32Z")
There are Christian groups that think homosexuality is a sin? Ignorance fought! ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2012, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-im-christian-unless-youre-gay-and-christian-tolerance/617867/29 "2012-04-05T14:35:50Z")
If I were a Christian who was in lockstep with the entire dogma, then I would not have any free will, but yet would be sort of insulting by sighing and saying “well, I have to love you anyway even though you’re less than me.” Would that make me a condescending robot? ---
**Author:** ![Rune](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e68b1a/32.png) [@Rune](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rune)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2012, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-im-christian-unless-youre-gay-and-christian-tolerance/617867/30 "2012-04-05T15:38:43Z")
> [@Condescending\_Robot](#): > > The worst paragraph: > > > [@](#): > > > > "The greatest spiritual leaders in history have all preached love for others as the basis for all happiness, and never did they accompany such mandates with a list of unlovable actions or deeds. They never said, love everybody except for the gays. Love everybody except for the homeless. Love everybody except for the drug users. Love everybody except for the gang members, or those covered in ink, or the spouse abusers. They didn’t tell us it was okay to love everybody with the exception of the “trailer trash,” those living in poverty, or the illegal immigrants. They didn’t tell us it was okay to love everybody except for our ex-lovers, our lovers’ ex lovers, or our ex-lovers’ lovers. The mandate was pretty damn clear, wasn’t it? Goddamn it! What a pussy faggot preacher. I can’t stand all that loving bullshit. I hate gays, drug users, gang members, trailer trash, the poor, and the immigrants, but must of all I hate pinky gay-ass pastors preaching love and forgiveness and stupid shit. But happily I make sure all my ex-lovers are dead. And what’s that faggotry thing about spouse abusers?! Only whiney ass girly-men gets abused by their women, and women just have to take what’s coming to them. ---
**Author:** ![Condescending\_Robot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a183cd/32.png) [@Condescending\_Robot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Condescending_Robot)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2012, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-im-christian-unless-youre-gay-and-christian-tolerance/617867/31 "2012-04-05T15:46:56Z")
I think using this analogy is usually stupid but hey, let’s go for it. “Don’t worry about being black. I forgive you. I can look past that sin and love you. I’m so fucking awesome!” See the problem? See the biogtry? See why Christians are terrible? ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2012, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-im-christian-unless-youre-gay-and-christian-tolerance/617867/32 "2012-04-05T15:51:00Z")
> [@VinylTurnip](#): > > I think the OP has a reasonable point, perhaps inelegantly phrased. While “we tolerate you just like we tolerate every other manner of deviant” is, I suppose, a degree of improvement over “die, faggots,” it’s still a condescending little demi-step toward what the norm \*ought \*to be, which is “it’s not our business to ‘tolerate’ you at all because there’s nothing wrong with you.” > > At least I think that’s what he’s getting at. Yes, I think you get it. Why people are having a hard time understanding this is beyond me. “What you do is a horrible sin, but I’ll tolerate you because God says I have to. How awesome am I?” Not all that awesome, actually. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2012, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-im-christian-unless-youre-gay-and-christian-tolerance/617867/33 "2012-04-05T15:55:31Z")
> [@tdn](#): > > Yes, I think you get it. Why people are having a hard time understanding this is beyond me. > > “What you do is a horrible sin, but I’ll tolerate you because God says I have to. How awesome am I?” Not all that awesome, actually. Can you quote the part was the person says “how awesome am I”? The OP linked to some 20+ minute video that I’m not going to watch. Not saying I think you’re wrong, I just would like to see what the person actually said that makes you think he is saying that. ---
**Author:** ![PandaBear77](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@PandaBear77](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PandaBear77)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2012, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-im-christian-unless-youre-gay-and-christian-tolerance/617867/34 "2012-04-05T15:59:10Z")
How about I just love you because Jesus died for you, like he did for me as well? Is that ok? Or is that eeeeevil too? Seriously, man – if the worst thing that ever happens to you because you’re gay is that you get tolerated – sack up. There have been unspeakable things done to gays in the name of religion – being left alone to live your own life in peace is not one of them. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Hamster\_King](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8edcca/32.png) [@The\_Hamster\_King](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Hamster_King)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2012, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-im-christian-unless-youre-gay-and-christian-tolerance/617867/35 "2012-04-05T16:01:05Z")
> [@tdn](#): > > Yes, I think you get it. Why people are having a hard time understanding this is beyond me. > > “What you do is a horrible sin, but I’ll tolerate you because God says I have to. How awesome am I?” Not all that awesome, actually. Exactly. I suppose that if it gets some Christians to stop being such nasty haters, it’s a step in the right direction, but it falls far short of accepting homosexual love as a natural, respectable, and beautiful thing. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Borgia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/larry_borgia/32/156_2.png) [@Larry\_Borgia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Borgia)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2012, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-im-christian-unless-youre-gay-and-christian-tolerance/617867/36 "2012-04-05T16:08:36Z")
This is only one (1) Christian. It’s silly to extrapolate from a soon to be expired internet meme to all Christianity. Were I gay I’d be much more concerned about groups like Focus on the Family and National Organization for Marriage, than a solitary closet case on the internet plaintively appealing that we should love and tolerate people we find strange. ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2012, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-im-christian-unless-youre-gay-and-christian-tolerance/617867/37 "2012-04-05T16:19:26Z")
> [@tdn](#): > > I think you’re missing the point. By, like, a LOT. > > Please spare me your love. I release you of your obligation to do so. No, you are. Although since all atheists believe in forced gay marriages with mandatory abortion of any pregnancies that result (Don’t ask!), I suppose I shouldn’t expect anything more. Good luck figuring out why I posted that – hint: it’s ironic in nature. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2012, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-im-christian-unless-youre-gay-and-christian-tolerance/617867/38 "2012-04-05T16:25:16Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > Not saying I think you’re wrong, I just would like to see what the person actually said that makes you think he is saying that. I was actually referring to the mom’s blog post, but on re-read, I may have read a certain smugness into it that probably isn’t there. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2012, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-im-christian-unless-youre-gay-and-christian-tolerance/617867/39 "2012-04-05T16:31:37Z")
> [@Polycarp](#): > > No, you are. I never said anything about what all Christians believe. I was commenting on the subset who generously “tolerate” those horrible, horrible gays. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2012, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-im-christian-unless-youre-gay-and-christian-tolerance/617867/40 "2012-04-05T17:08:05Z")
I’m kind of surprised at the attitude to the OP. I totally see his point, along the lines of **Vinyl Turnip** ’s post. “Tolerating” someone just means you’re not intolerant. It doesn’t mean you’re _nice_. A person who tolerates gays the same way they tolerate gang members and spousal abusers is a bigot. On the other hand, there are Christians who tolerate gang members and wife beaters and just “don’t have a problem” with gays. There’s a Facebook group called The Christian Left that I’m a member of even though I’m not a Christian nor particularly leftist; they’re like that. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-im-christian-unless-youre-gay-and-christian-tolerance/617867.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-im-christian-unless-youre-gay-and-christian-tolerance/617867.md?page=3)