Sometimes my fellow Christians just piss me off.

So, SA is debating a  new/somewhat expanded nondiscrimination ordinance that will include, in addition to veteran status, gender identification and sexual orientation.  I know we shouldn't have or need laws like this but I am sorry my libertarian fails me when people are routinely treated like subhuman because of things like this, and I know it happens because I've SEEN it.  Nevertheless, it's a pretty narrow ordinance, dealing almost solely with city operations and businesses with city contracts.  The bulk of private business owners will still be free to be intolerant dickheads.

Here's what pisses me off, though.  And it's twofold.

Thing the first: there are people claiming that this ordinance would prevent them from free exercise of their religion.  They mean Christianity.  There is nothing in the Bible that enjoins you to be an intolerant dickhead.  Jesus didn't just tell us to love one another, he said "Love one another as I have loved you."  Now, Jesus wasn't some warm and fuzzy hippy as some would have us believe, but he preached a radical gospel of loving your fellow man even when they were different from you (read the parable of the good Samaritan). 

Actually, Imma break out some Scripture up in here, 'cause my fellow San Antonians clearly need a little preaching in their lives.  And I'll even use the King James version, as there is considerable overlap between the idiots who think being an asshole is sanctified and the idiots who think this is the only proper version of the Bible.

Our reading today is from chapter 13 of the Gospel of John and comes shortly after Jesus's washing of His disciples' feet, specifically verses 33 through 35:

Little children, yet a little while I am with you. Ye shall seek me: and as I said unto the Jews, Whither I go, ye cannot come; so now I say to you.  A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

(emphasis mine, duh)

And, hell, let's go for another reading, just for the hell of it.  This one is a bit longer, and I bet half of you know where I'm going with this, but bear with me please.  Here's our second Gospel reading of the day (ooh, I'm going off liturgy today!):

Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat; I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink; I was a stranger, and ye took me in; Naked, and ye clothed me; I was sick, and ye visited me; I was in prison, and ye came unto me. 
 
Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?
 
And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat; I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink; I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not; sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.  

Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?  

Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.

 (Matthew 25:34-45)

Let me be very, very, very clear here.  There is no possible way this proposed ordinance can prevent us from free exercise of our religion if we're practicing it properly.  We are told to love one another as Jesus loved us; we're told to treat people well even if we do not know them.  It is very, very, very clear, even in the archaic language of the King James version of the Bible.  The message of love is so simple many of us sang it in Sunday school--"They'll know we are Christians by our love."

Now, part two of what pisses me off:

Remember this guy?

That is Eric Alva.  In case you forgot, he is a Marine, and in fact the first American injured in Operation Iraqi Freedom.  In case you for some reason can't tell, he came home short a leg.

Eric Alva spoke in favor of this ordinance and was booed.  In Military City.  Eric motherfucking Alva, Marine and wounded warrior, was booed in his home town.  All he has done for this country is now worthless to some people because he's gay.

Seriously.  This makes me ashamed to be a San Antonian, a Christian, and a Republican.  Because this man had the courage to stand up and say it's not right that he can be refused service or refused a job or refused housing because of his sexual orientation, he was booed out of Council chambers.  By people who no doubt profess to be followers of a man who told us "By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another."