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I keep coming back to your second paragraph, Cynthia, about the weirdness of being called to show compassion in a hostile world and your weariness of it. Frankly, it doesn’t strike me as weird at all; it seems pretty much like one facet common or garden-variety Christianity. “Take up your cross and follow me,” “we are crucified with Christ,” “If the world hates you, remember that it hated me first.” Following Christ is chock-full of hostility from the world, it would seem.
Cynthia, the State Dept initiative she’s endorsing doesn’t address sexuality; it would seem that it was her decision to leave out anyone.
Lost me when she left out LGBT persons. With Uganda and other countries criminalizing gayness, even contemplating the death penalty, it seems callous to leave us out. Plus the oppression at home, with depression, high LGBT teen suicide rates, etc.
Kind of a downer to be left out. And so weird to be called to show compassion in the world that shows me a lot of hate for who I am. It’s getting really tiring.
Does hate equal “People who disagree with my opinions and way of life”?? If that is what “hate” has come to mean then good luck with this experiment…