I can't help but break my promise to myself, that I wouldn't write more about fire arms violence: Shooting at the Empire State Building

Life in the Barracks - my first novel available for on-line ordering

The first handicapped Olympian: What can his life and death teach to us? - No, of course it's not Oscar Pistorius -

In the limelight of the Chick-Fil-A circus maximus: How a gay friend of mine sees homosexuality

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I've heard so many comments this week about loving the sinner, hating the sin. I've heard and read comments about loving homosexuals but disapproving of their lifestyle. Sometimes, I can just let it go. I pray for the strength to love my enemies, to seek a spiritual solution instead of giving into my ego that tells me I have to fight back, to make them understand. Other times, I struggle. Alt

hough I have worked hard to overcome the shame I have felt as a result of being taught that what I am is so wrong, once in a while I consider the question: What if they're right? What if I really am going to Hell? What if all of us gay people are damned for all eternity?

I can't help thinking about Langston Hughes, Ricky Martin, Elton John, Walt Whitman, Anderson Cooper, Lily Tomlin, Ellen Degeneres, Tennessee Williams, Armistead Maupin, and all the other amazing, creative homosexuals I would be there with, not to mention my beautiful, compassionate, stimulating gay friends. By their standards, the right-wingers would be stuck up in Heaven with Pat Buchanan, Sarah Palin, Strom Thurmon, Jesse Helms, Michelle Bachman and her husband (gray area?), Mike Huckabee, the two Ricks whose last names I have (thankfully) forgotten, and a bunch of other hateful, angry people I've seen on Facebook this week.

Of course I don't really believe the right-wingers know anything about my salvation or lack thereof. My sexuality and my same-sex relationship are gifts from God. On the other hand, I certainly don't claim to know who's going to Heaven and who's going to Hell, or what happens when we die. I hope that ALL God's children come together in the afterlife, surrounded by light and love, without the divisions we have created on Earth. I hope the heated, ugly fights of our earthly existence are distant memories that make us laugh at ourselves for being so ridiculous, for taking ourselves so seriously. This is how I see Heaven. (Okay, an endless supply of ice cream and chocolate goes without saying.)

If I'm wrong, and the right-wingers are right, I know for sure which of these judgment groups I'd want to hang with for all eternity--the damned homosexuals. We'd probably also get all the really cool straight people who recognize us as equals, like Dolly Parton, Barack and Michelle, Ben Cohen (HOT!), and my amazing straight friends and family members. Jesus is so much cooler than most of his so-called followers. He'll be there too, wherever we are. I just know it. 

(Reposted with the permission of the author)

From the many responses to his FB post, here is mine -since I have no permission to show the others-

My Friend, I can't believe in Heaven or Hell and talk about them only as a "metaphor." That said, I don't think you should doubt your place in Heaven with all the chocolate, cheese, and ice cream that is left in Paradise! On a second thought, why don't you reward yourself with these goodies tonight, here on Earth, the place where Heaven and Hell meets? You deserve it! But don't forget to do extra push-ups afterwards:)

NBC's Olympic coverage and the advertising industry