Religious Right Responds to Ration...
Thursday, October 29, 2009 2:18AM

....with an irrational e-mail.  Surprised?

To read Chaplain Klingenschmitt's raw anti-gay-ism opposing the historic Hate Crimes Act, check out his press release, or read my blog post about it, an exerpt, etc., below.

In addition to that post... I wrote him.  His response follows my e-mail:

Mr. Klingenschmitt,

I saw your press release regarding your opposition to the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act.  I'm a little confused by your statement. 

Are you endorsing anti-gay violence?  Do you believe that Leviticus 20:13 means we should have a US law that not only allows, but encourages violence against our lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender brothers and sisters?  Quite frankly, I'm appalled by this stance. 

A few weeks ago, I was the victim of an anti-gay hate crime.  Imagine seeing your friends getting punched in the face and thrown into cars -- simply because of who they love.

In 2008, 2,424 LGBT Americans were the victims of hate crimes.

29 of them were murdered.

These are the frighteningly true statistics that I, as a gay American, must face every day.  Imagine if over 2400 members of your church were assaulted for being Christian.  Imagine if 29 of them were murdered for loving God.

Why don't you quote Leviticus 19:18?  "Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself."

I don't hate you for what you believe in.  I respect your legal right to worship.  Why can't you respect my legal right to love?

Love. Pride. Equality.

-Blake

His response:

Thank you Blake, and I'm sincerely honored that you took the time to write me. 

I have a question for you.

Suppose two homosexual men were driving in a race car at 90mph toward a cliff, and before going over they saw a Christian man at the roadside holding a sign, that said "Stop! Danger! Cliff ahead!" but they saw another false-prophet holding a sign saying "No danger, drive faster!" and they went over the cliff and both died a horrible death.

Which prophet loved the homosexuals more? 

Do not claim that you "love" other men when you lure them into bed to satisfy your own lust, and cost them their soul in hell...your selfishness hurts them immeasurably eternally. 

Between the two of us, my motives clearly demonstrate true love, since you fail to warn them of danger, while I care very deeply about all homosexuals, enough to warn them, at risk of my own reputation, my own finances, and now at risk of government punishment, if I continue to broadcast a truthful word of repentance, while you demand the government punish me for showing such love. 

Will you jail me, and accuse me of 'conspiracy' to violence, just because I continue to warn you and your friends about God's wrath?  I love them more than you do. 

Of course I agree with Leviticus 19:18, and I have no need for violence, nor would I ever intend or endorse vigilantism, since God's wrath will certainly sort us all out at the end, there's no need for my wrath.  And yet our government has a greater responsibility, to protect the true prophets who speak truth, not to punish them for trying to save a few souls from hell.

Surely you can see things from my perspective, if you try.

In Jesus, Chaps
 

...sometimes the battles we fight are not worth it.  Sometimes we're just not playing on the same field of clarity.

 

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