A month in the...

Well, it seems I broke my promise to myself. In truth, I forgot I even promised myself to make an entry nearly every day. That's what happens when you get deep into winter hibernation. I found it increasingly tedious to have to try to write something every day, let alone even go online to do anything with it. I've been busying myself with other things, so less time for this. But it's still here, and I still like the idea of blogging, so here's a new entry! Yay me!

For some weird reason America seems to be obsessed with the debate about gay marriage right now. I really don't know why it's suddenly such a hot topic, but it is. I also find it really funny that they have a fancy slogan name for the election this year.. "You Decide 2004".. Why is that? Sounds to me like they're trying to assure the Americans that it is their decision. Don't they already know that?

But I digress.. I was actually pondering the whole gay marriage debate. Why is it suddenly such a hot topic? And what's funny about it is that "queer" is some kind of "cool" thing right now. There's the tv show "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy" which people loved for some reason... and others are emulating the formula (Some Washington station just advertised a bit for their morning show called "Queer Eye for the Job Interview"... uh huh). So what's the big deal? More and more people are accepting that gay people are here to stay, and it's a normal thing that is out of their control. So why not allow loving people to marry?

Many people cite god on it.. oh, sorry.. "God". There's a line in the bibble.. er.. bible that says it's wrong. Leviticus, was it? Let me find it for you...

Leviticus 18
22 Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination.

Seems pretty cut and dry, doesn't it? But wait! Why stop there? I mean, that's ONE line in an entire chapter! The rest of this particular chapter actually makes a lot of sense. It goes on about how one should not see one's parents or aunts or children naked.. oh, and right below line 22 is a line that states it's "confusion" to have sex with an animal, so don't do it.

But let's continue, shall we? What did "God" say before this chapter? Let's go back to Leviticus 11. This is where "God" tells us what we can eat. Yup, he's got a menu all ready for us!

3 Whatsoever parteth the hoof, and is clovenfooted, and cheweth the cud, among the beasts, that shall ye eat.

So cows are good, I guess? And cow-like animals. So far so good... but then, there's the restrictions... These are some things we are not to eat:

6 And the hare, because he cheweth the cud, but divideth not the hoof; he is unclean unto you.
7 And the swine, though he divide the hoof, and be clovenfooted, yet he cheweth not the cud; he is unclean to you.

So.. anyone who eats pigs or rabbits are unclean, bad people. But those aren't the worst.. I mean, it's pretty bad if you eat pigs or rabbits, but this is even worse!

10 And all that have not fins and scales in the seas, and in the rivers, of all that move in the waters, and of any living thing which is in the waters, they shall be an abomination unto you:
11 They shall be even an abomination unto you; ye shall not eat of their flesh, but ye shall have their carcases in abomination.
12 Whatsoever hath no fins nor scales in the waters, that shall be an abomination unto you.

So forget about eating that shrimp ring at the cocktail party!

Now this one is rather confusing to me.. maybe you can tell me what we shouldn't be eating here:

20 All fowls that creep, going upon all four, shall be an abomination unto you.

I thought chicken and turkeys were fowl.. oh, and ducks and geese, right? But I don't know of any birds that go upon all four... so yeah, I guess if I saw one I would indeed call it an abomination!

Oh wait.. the next lines clarify...

21 Yet these may ye eat of every flying creeping thing that goeth upon all four, which have legs above their feet, to leap withal upon the earth;
22 Even these of them ye may eat; the locust after his kind, and the bald locust after his kind, and the beetle after his kind, and the grasshopper after his kind.
23 But all other flying creeping things, which have four feet, shall be an abomination unto you.

So yay, we can eat grasshoppers and locusts! Yum! But forget about any other thing that flies AND creeps on four feet... (do tell me, you who are into insects.. how many four-legged creepy crawlies are there anyway?) Here's another grouping of beasties...

29 These also shall be unclean unto you among the creeping things that creep upon the earth; the weasel, and the mouse, and the tortoise after his kind,
30 And the ferret, and the chameleon, and the lizard, and the snail, and the mole.

So... I guess everyone in France who likes escargot are in big trouble! Thankfully I know no one who enjoys roadkill, but if weasel is a delicacy of yours, better forget it!

But enough about what we can and cannot eat.. there is so much more that is laid down for us in these chapters.. way more than I really care to READ, let alone tell.. but there's just a few more that really ought to be perused...

Leviticus 12
2 Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, If a woman have conceived seed, and born a man child: then she shall be unclean seven days; according to the days of the separation for her infirmity shall she be unclean.
3 And in the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised.
4 And she shall then continue in the blood of her purifying three and thirty days; she shall touch no hallowed thing, nor come into the sanctuary, until the days of her purifying be fulfilled.
5 But if she bear a maid child, then she shall be unclean two weeks, as in her separation: and she shall continue in the blood of her purifying threescore and six days.
6 And when the days of her purifying are fulfilled, for a son, or for a daughter, she shall bring a lamb of the first year for a burnt offering, and a young pigeon, or a turtledove, for a sin offering, unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, unto the priest:
7 Who shall offer it before the LORD, and make an atonement for her; and she shall be cleansed from the issue of her blood. This is the law for her that hath born a male or a female.
8 And if she be not able to bring a lamb, then she shall bring two turtles, or two young pigeons; the one for the burnt offering, and the other for a sin offering: and the priest shall make an atonement for her, and she shall be clean.

I don't think I even have to say anything about this chapter. It's just so ridicules! And needless to say, no one follows these rules anymore.

So my question is: Why should those who follow the bible be allowed to pick and choose what they adhere to? We all know these are just a few of the rules of the bible that are disobeyed by "Good Christians". So to all those people out there who cite the bible as why being gay is wrong, get a clue!! Suck it up and give your head a good shake. This world is not a static place. Things change, that's life. The bible? Who cares?? Our whole view of "God" should be able to evolve and grow as our minds and souls do, and the vast majorty agree that "God is love". If that's so, then there's no rational reason to believe that anything loving could be wrong. So there :P