Always The Bridesmaid - He Said - She Said.

One night I dreamed that I was the Matron of Honor for a friend of mine. I remember thinking it was kinda odd that I was chosen as the "First" girl since I am technically only a friend of a friend. So I wondered why our mutual friend, the best friend wasn't even in the wedding party.

I was standing up looking over the crowd for our mutual friend during the wedding, in my dream it was in the church where my niece had gotten married when I was her Matron of Honor.

It was odd enough, but even a bit more so since Jim, my friend of a friend is a guy. And he's gay.

That's always the misconception people have about Conservatives, especially Christian Conservatives.

They assume we hate gay people. I don't hate anyone. Well, Wasserman-Schultz might come close, but that's a story for another day (or not).

Anyway, after my dream, I wrote on Jim's facebook page about my dream. He found it quite amusing as did I.

Kevin worked with me for a couple years. He was a great guy, always chasing the hot chicks that were WAY out of his league. He even once asked our boss out after we quit working together. She declined.

Out of earshot Jim would INSIST Kevin was gay. He always said he had his "gaydar" out and that Kevin was gay and just wouldn't admit it. It had a bit of a ring to truth to it, though.

And, of course a couple years ago, Kevin decided he WAS gay and did come out of the closet. Jim just shook his head. Jim has been with his "husband" for years. I'm pretty sure they have never gotten legally married, but he's worn a wedding band ever since I've known him.

Both Jim and Kevin are conservative. Interesting, no?

Because Jim and Kevin are friends of mine on Facebook, I would not comment there of my opinion on the whole Chick-Fil-A fiasco. I respect both of them and did not want to have them think I was judging them. I found it interesting that neither of them or my other gay friends posted anything either. Nothing for, nothing against.

Here's what I do know.

Suppose Jim's partner's family did not approve of the relationship (hypothetical). And suppose after living together for years that Jim's partner was deathly sick. And suppose the family wouldn't allow Jim into see his partner on his death bed, or be allowed to go to his funeral.

That's just wrong, I don't care what you believe.

But.

While I believe Jim should be afforded every single right that a married man should have, I have an issue with those rights being called "marriage". My faith justs prevents that. I just can't go that far.

But I don't believe that being gay is any "worse sin" that any other. And so I will not judge Jim or Kevin or anyone else. I honestly believe they are born that way. (Please no one start with the Lady Gag Gag line.)

I don't think God is going to toss Jim and his partner into the flames of hell unless they could be prayed back into straighthood. A sin is a sin and thankfully Someone gave His life so that none of us would burn. The truth is we should all burn, right?

For Jim's sake I do wish there was a Civil Union where he and his husband could be afforded the same rights as me and my husband, but currently our state would not recognize that union. Thankfully he is not in that situation where his partner's family would ever deny him his decent human right to be with the person he has loved all these years.

So, I saw no point in broadcasting my fervent belief that Mr. Cathy has every right in the world to believe and SAY that he believes in the Biblical tradition of marriage. I didn't see my gay friends screaming about how Cathy is evil and shouldn't be allowed his freedom of speech or religion. They don't push their "agenda". They don't even seem to have an agenda.

They love who they love. And who they love does not affect my life one little bit. It's only when someone, anyone starts claiming that by expressing their belief they should be tarred and feathered and put out of business that it begins to affect my life. I chose to remain silent on the subject for the sake of my friends. They apparently decided to do the same. Or more likely they also believe in freedom of speech and religion even when it disagrees with what they believe and live. As much as I despise Westboro satanists, they have a right to their hateful speech. I have no doubt they will burn in hell while my gay friends and family will not.

Tolerance my friends goes both directions. Now let's see what He Said.