Sometimes we just have to continue forward in our lives. We need to fight to survive and recognize that we are still living. There are many things that make us hallow inside. Different events will break the heart and rip the soul right out of us. At least that is what we want to believe.
Everyone has friends and family to lean on for support during these hard times. What happens when you fall back and no one is there though? How do you learn to trust again? How do you figure to pick yourself up and become whole again?
We have to look past the pain to see things brighter and better. We have to look past the pain to see a real meaning and reason(s). Many of us though are very selfish people. Let's face it, we are in a time of "me" and not others. Even when donating to charity we want to ensure we are recognized for our "good deeds".
There are several organizations out there who were created by people looking past their pain. I look at them with respect. I don't want to mention any of them by name, because I fear that my views could change when confronted with why didn't you list mine.
However, you don't have to create an organization everytime you lose someone close to you in life. You could donate to another one who's cause is close to yours.
We always believe that no one knows what we are experiencing whenever we are faced with personal pain. How many of you stop to think about someone else who lost the love of their life; lost a kid/family member; just got fired with a few years before retirement; or many other tragic life curve balls. We tend to forget that we are here to learn and grow. If we didn't suffer, how much growth would we really have? Let's face it, suffering causing growth, but looking past the pain and moving forward creates the largest amounts of growth.
It is tragic when we are faced to look our lives and ask why. It is easy to wallow in self pity and want to stay in a state of desperation. What would our world be like though if everyone was to remain in this state? Everyone knows someone who has chosen to live in this state. Most of us try to help them, with no success. Next we become hardened by them, and lastly we decide for our best interest we need to move forward without them in our life.
Let's face it, all of us have had to make this happen at some point. My question to you is this though. How do you look past the pain?
Saturday, July 18, 2009
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Letter of Support for EHEA
Dear Ohio Legislature:
As clergy representing a broad spectrum of religious traditions from across Ohio, we unite our voices to urge you to pass HB176, the Equal Housing and Employment Act (EHEA), and ensure everyone in Ohio has equal access to employment, housing and public accommodations. Your support of EHEA is the just and right thing to do and it would align Ohio’s laws with Ohio’s values.
We provide for identification purposes only our denominational backgrounds because, as religious leaders, we can speak only for ourselves and not entire congregations or communities. But each of us clearly embraces the call to love and respect one another.
To fire someone from their job, or to deny a person housing or other public
accommodations simply because they are gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender--or even straight, for that matter--does not pass the litmus test of the Golden Rule, nor does it treat our neighbors and fellow citizens with the dignity, kindness, justice and respect to which our faith traditions aspire.
Ohio law already bans such injustice based upon race, gender, age, disability, ethnicity, national origin and religion. We believe all people should be given equal protection under the law.
We acknowledge that people of faith often hold very divergent views regarding the theological, biblical, and ethical issues of sexual orientation and gender identity.
However, we submit that it is imperative to maintain and assert our cherished and unique American value of religious liberty for all of our citizens, including gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people as well as those individuals and religious institutions whose convictions are not supportive of or comfortable with GLBT inclusion. Religious liberty in America demands that one particular religious conviction not be allowed to deny equal rights and protections to those of differing beliefs.
In a time of profound crisis Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote, "The ultimate question for the responsible person is not how he might heroically extricate himself from the affair; the ultimate question is how the coming generation is to live." His question applies to many challenging situations, including your action to do what’s already been done by twenty-one other states, 433 of America's Fortune 500 companies, and sixteen Ohio cities.
Please support HB176. Act now to help create an Ohio where everyone feels at home; where core values of equality, diversity and inclusiveness are universally honored; and where government stands for fairness to all people.
In Faith,
Rt. Rev. Isaac L. Kramer
Bishop of the Interfaith Diocese of Ohio
As clergy representing a broad spectrum of religious traditions from across Ohio, we unite our voices to urge you to pass HB176, the Equal Housing and Employment Act (EHEA), and ensure everyone in Ohio has equal access to employment, housing and public accommodations. Your support of EHEA is the just and right thing to do and it would align Ohio’s laws with Ohio’s values.
We provide for identification purposes only our denominational backgrounds because, as religious leaders, we can speak only for ourselves and not entire congregations or communities. But each of us clearly embraces the call to love and respect one another.
To fire someone from their job, or to deny a person housing or other public
accommodations simply because they are gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender--or even straight, for that matter--does not pass the litmus test of the Golden Rule, nor does it treat our neighbors and fellow citizens with the dignity, kindness, justice and respect to which our faith traditions aspire.
Ohio law already bans such injustice based upon race, gender, age, disability, ethnicity, national origin and religion. We believe all people should be given equal protection under the law.
We acknowledge that people of faith often hold very divergent views regarding the theological, biblical, and ethical issues of sexual orientation and gender identity.
However, we submit that it is imperative to maintain and assert our cherished and unique American value of religious liberty for all of our citizens, including gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people as well as those individuals and religious institutions whose convictions are not supportive of or comfortable with GLBT inclusion. Religious liberty in America demands that one particular religious conviction not be allowed to deny equal rights and protections to those of differing beliefs.
In a time of profound crisis Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote, "The ultimate question for the responsible person is not how he might heroically extricate himself from the affair; the ultimate question is how the coming generation is to live." His question applies to many challenging situations, including your action to do what’s already been done by twenty-one other states, 433 of America's Fortune 500 companies, and sixteen Ohio cities.
Please support HB176. Act now to help create an Ohio where everyone feels at home; where core values of equality, diversity and inclusiveness are universally honored; and where government stands for fairness to all people.
In Faith,
Rt. Rev. Isaac L. Kramer
Bishop of the Interfaith Diocese of Ohio
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Marriage Equality by 2010
No minority group should have to defend its right to equality. Yet in 2008, anti-gay groups organized to pass Prop 8, which took away the right of gays and lesbians to marry in California.
Prop 8 proponents won by a small margin, 52-48%, by spending over $40 million on deceptive ad campaigns. They won votes with claims that allowing gay people to marry would change school curriculums and put churches at risk. These were lies.
This isn't about gay vs. straight. It's not about religion. This is about love and equality. If you value human rights and feel that protecting minorities is one of the things that makes our country great, please join us and vote "YES" for marriage equality in 2010.
http://equality2010.org/
Prop 8 proponents won by a small margin, 52-48%, by spending over $40 million on deceptive ad campaigns. They won votes with claims that allowing gay people to marry would change school curriculums and put churches at risk. These were lies.
This isn't about gay vs. straight. It's not about religion. This is about love and equality. If you value human rights and feel that protecting minorities is one of the things that makes our country great, please join us and vote "YES" for marriage equality in 2010.
http://equality2010.org/
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