Extend your love, understanding

To the Editor:

If we knew an epidemic of teenage suicide in our community would take the life of one teen every five hours and leave 20 other teens sick or injured, surely we would set our differences aside and work together to do everything within our means to prevent such a tragedy.

But as long as this grim reality only happens on a national level — and until we find ourselves standing graveside consoling the family who has lost their son or daughter to suicide — we give this issue no more attention than a passing spring storm.

If at the core we found the cause of this catastrophe to be the fear, guilt, and shame of human sexuality, those core beliefs that leave so many teens feeling like biblical abominations, would we change our ways?

How much pain are we willing to endure before we realize that in today’s world we need to provide everyone with much more than just an understanding of abstinence?

Hell, fire, and brimstone, those speeches of eternal damnation are no substitute for love, and if I am sure of anything it is that we are to love one another. We are living in a time when life is growing more sexually explicit by the hour. The exercise of preparing our young people needs to reflect that change.

With good reason throughout time we have stopped many ancient biblical practices and changed our understanding of the Bible. I pray that we can be less literal in our interpretations of the Bible and give love, life, and happiness to so many who will surely die without change.

As a gay person in a loving relationship, I thank all those who have the courage to see “For the Bible Tells Me So.” We too need your love and understanding.

Tags: opinion, hanson