Christianity and Bigotry

I've been watching a lot of politically liberal and progressive shows on YouTube lately and I've noticed something. When talking about Christians criticizing homosexuality or Atheism the word bigotry comes up a lot. It almost seems that you're either pro-LGBT lifestyle or that you are bigoted and hateful. I think it's important, however, to define what that word actually means. According to the Oxford Dictionary, a Bigot is someone who has hatred or fear for a population whose appearance, beliefs or customs disagrees with his own. The disagreement itself isn't bigotry, but the way the disagreement affects someone. People disagree with each other's lifestyle choices all the time. For instance, Christians disagree with Islam. Christians believe Islam is immoral because it teaches a false god. Secular Humanists believe that both Christianity and Islam are immoral because they're morally opposed to their deities. Christians and Muslims obviously denounce Secular Humanism on the basis of it denying God himself.

The point is,  is that we disagree with Humanism and Humanists disagree with Christianity. There's no reason, though, to believe that all Humanists are bigoted against us just because they don't agree with our religious beliefs. That is ridiculous and unfair.  It's certainly possible to personally oppose something because you genuinely think it's harmful to society but to also defend one's right to practice it. Certainly, the Bible only legitimizes heterosexual marriages, but we have to remember that this country's laws are not subject to the tenants of a religious belief, even if it is the majority, and even if it is true. Banning same-sex marriages on religious grounds creates a slippery slope because the religious majority might not be the same for long. What happens if Christianity were no longer the majority religion? I don't see any reason why marriages we may disagree with from a Christian standpoint should remain unlawful under a secular government. I've said from the very beginning that from a personal standpoint, I'm not in favor of same-sex marriages, however, I support the right of a same-sex couple to legally be allowed to engage in one. Premarital sex is a sin in the Bible too, but no one is fighting for it to be illegal. It is un-biblical for a Muslim to marry a Christian as the two are unequally yoked, but nobody seems to have a problem with that remaining legal either.

A lot of my fellow Liberals are very quick to call anyone who denounces a lifestyle they support bigots. I find it odd that these people use such language when many books have been written criticizing the Christian and Islamic lifestyles. Why is it bigoted to attack the lifestyle choices of transgender people but it's perfectly OK for an Atheist to attack the religious lifestyle of Christians?

The truth is, is that criticism of your lifestyle should be fine with you. If you truly believe you are right, it shouldn't bother you. If you were giving to the poor and helping the sick, somebody bashing that lifestyle choice wouldn't bother you a bit, because you are completely confident that it is right. Just address the criticism. Don't suddenly call them bigots, try to censor them or shut them up. Address the criticism. Again, if you're right, it shouldn't be hard. Understand that there are lifestyle choices you oppose too, but it doesn't make you a bigot until you begin to hate the people who practice those lifestyles.

Christians are to hate the sin but love the sinner. Humanists are taught to love the Christian but hate his religious beliefs because they're supposedly bad for us and society. I'm fine with that. Obviously, I think Humanism is wrong in that regard but that's fine. We shouldn't adopt double-standards and preach principles only when they're convenient for us. We should preach these principles even when we're the ones on the receiving end of the criticism.

Blessings
Autumn6