tell me that you'll open your eyes

Hello friend.

I want to alleviate these ridiculous concerns of yours that everyone who is religious is crazy. As a Christian, I am insulted by such notions, however I see them advertised fairly regularly.

Religious people don't want women to have access to birth control. Religious people believe that abortion is a sin. Religious people don't want equality for members of the LGBTQ community. Religious people always feel the need to force their religious beliefs on those around them.

Bullshit.

Granted, there is evidence that some religious people think these things. Just take a look at the Westboro Baptist Church. They've really made a bad name for people who identify as followers of Christ.

One thing that needs to be understood is that the Westboro Baptist Church and the people who think similarly are a minority within the Christian community.

(I like to think that the same can be said for all religious communities, but I don't know for sure as I am not part of any other religious communities.)

The Christian religion is evolving. Young people who grew up with church and religion are taking a stand. And people are listening! It's a slow transformation, but it's happening. Evolution takes time.

Christian picketers of all ages peacefully stood against the Westboro Baptist Church at their appearance at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. A strong, intelligent, feminist, Christian woman who I am honored to call my friend was one of them. Her name is Lizzie, and you can read about her positive experience here.

This graduation season, Immaculate Heart High School, a Catholic all-girls institution located in Los Angeles, allowed a transgender student to graduate and walk under his preferred name and gender identity!
Furthermore, a lesbian transgender woman was asked to give the commencement speech at the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C.! Read more here. (And do yourself a favor by staying away from the comments. They are the voices of the minority.)

A very good friend of mine who is studying to become an ordained minister within the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America recently removed all mention of gender from his wedding ceremony. Furthermore, he and his partner have decided to use both of their last names in their life together. His name is Brett and you can read some of his open-minded, kind and inspirational thoughts here.

Change is happening. I know that it is difficult to see sometimes, but it is there. Do not let the minority who are screaming at the top of their lungs fog your vision. Do not let the minority convince you that they are the majority! Do not let them put ideas into your head that this is a case of Basic Human Rights v. Religion!

The fight is not against religion. The fight is against ignorance and the desire to stay ignorant!

Progress is happening within the Christian community, and this progress is the reason why the minority is screaming. The more progress we make on all levels, the more the minority will insist on saying otherwise, and the louder they will say it. The more they see people straying away from the dated values that they grew up with, the more they will try to force their religion down your throat. There will always be people screaming to be heard in a last-ditch attempt to save their morals from extinction, but someday we wont be listening anymore.

Someday we will recognize those screams for what they are: a plea from the minority asking for someone to join in their ignorance.

Not a whole religion looking to condemn a whole community.
That is never what it was, that is not what it is, and that is never what it will be.