A few weeks back The Marin Foundation was called by a Catholic church in Chicago. They were calling because they got word that a gay activist group was going to be protesting their church on behalf of all the LGBT people who don\u2019t like the Catholic church\u2019s stance on gay marriage. Over the last few weeks we have tried to work as best as we could to help set up a private discussion between the Catholic church and the activist group. That private discussion never happened \u2013 and it wasn\u2019t because The Marin Foundation wasn\u2019t willing\u2026<\/p>\n
When the day of the protest arrived an interesting thing happened. An anti- same-sex marriage organization from the suburbs showed up and started protesting the protesters. It was a freaking mess. Who does that? What good is coming out of protesting a protest?<\/p>\n
It\u2019s like two dumb, blind donkeys walking in circles in the dark threatening each other with nothing other than the smell of their own butts.<\/strong><\/p>\n There are few things that get me more heated than people on both sides of this topic who, for no greater good at all, stifle peaceful and productive dialogue that produces reconciliation by only wanting to hold nasty signs at each other and yell in their stupid megaphones.<\/p>\n You should have seen the ridiculous scene at that church: People coming in and out of mass met on the church\u2019s steps by hateful LGBT people with signs and megaphones and then looking two feet in the other direction and a group of hateful conservative Christians with signs and megaphones protesting the protest. And not one person in either of those groups had any<\/em> personal connection to that Catholic church. Amazing. Here\u2019s a quick letter to the protestors:<\/p>\n Dear Protestors Who Believe You Are Doing The Right Thing,<\/p>\n You are not doing the right thing.<\/p>\n Jesus said that wisdom will be proved right by her actions. If Jesus\u2019 words are true, then you all must have not a drop of wisdom in you. Try investing even\u00a0a quarter of\u00a0the amount of time and energy you currently use to promote\u00a0dissent into seeking dialogue and relationships of \u2018loving your enemy\u2019 and watch how productive you can actually be. I guarantee it will be a zillion times for productive and you won\u2019t even have to go to all of the trouble to do so much coloring of signs.<\/p>\n And to those conservative Christians there protesting\u2014I have a hard pressed time even believing you are a Christ-One (literal definition of Christian). God says to Isaiah:<\/p>\n \u201cThese people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is made up only of rules taught by men. Therefore once more I will astound these people with wonder upon wonder. The wisdom of the wise will perish, the intelligence of the intelligent will vanish.\u201d<\/p>\n And to those LGBT people there protesting\u2014you think your signs and megaphones make one ounce of difference to that Catholic church, The Catholic Church or any of the people in it? You don\u2019t. You just look like hateful idiots who are solidifying the Church in thinking they\u2019re doing the right thing.<\/p>\n Next time, instead of picking up your sign pick up your phone and schedule a time to sit down with \u2018the other\u2019 and have a conversation focused on trying to understand each other.<\/p>\n Much love.<\/p>\n Andrew<\/p>\n