Religious Discrimination and Religious Bullying

"Religious Bullying ... Ain't nobody got time for that!"
(I created this meme using Sweet Brown's photo & slogan at MemeCenter.)



I like to use humor a lot because sometimes having a good chuckle lightens you up enough to be more receptive to the ideas of others.

I am against all types of bullying. Religious bullying bothers me because some parents (and some family members) are rejecting their children because they are LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender) or if they don't out-right reject them, they try to preach their sexual orientation out of them. The Bible is being used as a weapon against their children. This makes for a "hostile home environment" and many children leave home to get away from being bullied. There is no bigger turn off to me than for someone to preach to me even when obviously well intended.

"I don't understand why people think that having a gay child means they
failed as a parent. Disowning your child means you failed as a parent."
(Source: PolitiComments.com)

Here are 4 articles with my excerpts:

1.) "Big Bullies: How the Religious Right is Trying to Make Schools Safe for Bullies and Dangerous for Gay Kids" Source: People For the American Way

"Students deserve an education that is free from bullying and harassment, and in many districts parents, teachers, principals, community members and students are working together to create a safe and welcoming environment for all children. Bullying can impede learning and ruin lives. ... However, many Religious Right activists want to derail efforts to combat bullying. An increasing number of conservative leaders and organizations have fiercely opposed anti-bullying programs developed by schools and education groups for the sole reason that such programs identify and attempt to combat the widespread bullying of LGBT youth. ... The crux of right-wing opposition to comprehensive bullying prevention programs is that by addressing bullying directed towards gay and gay-perceived students, schools may engage in “homosexual indoctrination. ...”

Feel free to use this graphic that I made from "Manifesto Against Religious Bullies" (by Richard J. Rosendall) on your Facebook pages and elsewhere.

2.) "Manifesto Against Religious Bullies" by Richard J. Rosendall
"... There is nothing wrong with people proclaiming their faith publicly; the problem is when they seek ...to impose it on everyone else. When Jesus said, "Judge not, that you be not judged" (Matthew 7:1), He was talking to bullies and hypocrites. ..." Manifesto Against Religious Bullies as a handout in .pdf format. (Adobe Reader, free PDF viewer download).



"Religion is like a penis, it's fine to have one and be proud of it, but when
you take it out and wave it in my face, that's when we have a problem."

Your religious freedom is not a Billy Club. (Source: AddictingInfo.org)

3.) "Religious Bullying Could Become Reality In Kentucky If This Happens" By Rika Christensen (March 23, 2013).

"... According to the ACLU, people and organizations have been using religious freedom with increasing frequency as justification for discriminating against people that, in some way, do not fit with their religious ideals. Some types of discrimination that they’ve seen include graduate students who are in training to be social workers refusing to provide their services to gay people, schools firing women for becoming pregnant out of wedlock, pharmacies refusing to fill prescriptions for birth control, and wedding service providers shutting out gay and lesbian couples. Therefore, the statement beginning with, “The right to act or refuse to act in a manner motivated by a sincerely held religious belief…” could be used to refuse any and all manner of services, even publicly funded services, to the LGBT community. ..."

"Our faith forbids us from providing parenting services anymore."



The ACLU Campaign to End the Use of Religion to Discriminate - Join & Donate


4.) "Using Religion to Discriminate" (Source: ACLU, American Civil Liberties Union) This article is packed with a lot of information and specific examples, so be sure to see it.

" ...With increasing frequency, we are seeing individuals and institutions claiming a right to discriminate – by refusing to provide services to women and LGBT people – based on religious objections. ... Religious freedom in America means that we all have a right to our religious beliefs, but this does not give us the right to use our religion to discriminate against and impose those beliefs on others who do not share them. ..."




"Excuse Me Ma'ma ...
I'd like to take a minute to talk to you
about our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ."