here we go again...

If you would have told me a few years ago that a chicken sandwich restaurant and a man who makes duck calls for a living would answer a few questions about their beliefs (the comments themselves not withstanding because they could indeed be described as "controversial") that would temporarily send a whole mess of people in this country into a tailspin of hate and closed mindedness, I would have said...

...yup. sounds about right... humanity at its finest...and that's sad.

I know its not that simple.  Words and comments which make national news can and do hurt people and also send provocative messages to the public.  Those comments, especially when they are different from our own beliefs, mean that someone might be questioning our choices or our beliefs??... Often that does make us angry... perhaps because we can't understand how someone could have an opinion or belief different than our own?

I know that I don't have an answer about every social/political/religious/scientific debate we find in our world today.  I'm probably not adding a whole heck of a lot by preaching in a blog either?!?  I know I need the wisdom of someone wiser than myself (so, personally, I turn to God and the scripture for HELP because I feel lost right now!!!!).

But, I also feel like I KNOW that shouting at either side of an issue with more comments like,

"BIGOT, IGNORANT FOOL, RACIST, SEXIST, GAY, QUEER, HOMOPHOBE, RELIGIOUS FREAK, RIGHT WING NUT, LIBERAL TREE HUGGER, IDIOT"

does nothing to further the command I heard to "Love God with everything I have and to love my neighbor as myself".  

So today, I will pray for our world.  May God grant his peace and comfort to those who are hurting, and may the love of Christ inspire us to serve and love one another for His glory this season.

(and off the soap-box)