Psychic Tears

Why? Why do people who pray regularly, who maintain that God loves everyone equally, place conditions on love? 'If you're gay, you will be cast down to hell!' and 'You walk the path of fire and brimstone. God hates homosexuals.' It breaks my heart to hear these words spill from the lips of loving parents, to hear them heap such righteous remarks on their innocent children. It appears you will never be loved if you don't have a badge of perfection for your parents to admire and be proud of. How can you condemn your own flesh and blood? When you've carried him in your arms, tender and soft, when you've taught him how to look at stars and told him each one represents a dream? And when you held him on your lap and whispered a bedtime story, and watch sleep envelop such innocence? Do you not love what you have helped to create? You brought life into this world. Can you live with yourself if YOU are the one who takes the reason for living away from your child? When he was young and perfect, you told him every night, "I love you. God loves you." But when you realise he's gay, it's straight to hell he'll go. It's not fair. I read reports of gay suicide constantly. And I recall, I was on the brink of suicide myself. Many many times, I contemplated ending my miserable life. Because since people told me I was going to hell, I thought I might as well get it over with. But I had friends who supported me, even when my own family shunned me. They still do, in their own way. I've learned to filter out the hate in their words. But I cannot understand why. Why hate someone for being different? Doesn't everyone deserve to be loved unconditionally? Every hateful word will splinter an innocent's heart. Each disapproving word will accumulate and eventually choke him. It takes years of suffering to push someone over the edge to suicide. How can families turn a blind eye to this? To the pain of one of their own? Is religion so terrible that God punishes everyone who does not conform? How can these people use religion, use God as a weapon? When will they realise that everyone regardless of race, sexual orientation or religion has love in their hearts, and is in turn loved by God? How can they make their children suffer because of misguided beliefs? It takes courage to admit that you are different. It took your CHILDREN immense strength of heart to take that step forward, look you in the eye and tell you, "Mom, dad, I'm gay." They have so much to lose. The love and warmth that only family can give. And you yank that out of their hands the moment you tell them, "You're not welcome in my house until you change. This is wrong! God condemns it!" How can you say God loves everyone in one breath, and at the next minute say God hates your child? These people die alone and friendless, riddled with guilt, misunderstood by family. It is such a sad and terrible way to die. And you can stand by and allow this to happen? You placed the gun in his hand. And turned your back when he placed it to his temple. Please, prevent this. Give your children the love they need to grow and blossom into worthy adults.