Slog
News & ArtsFriday, October 1, 2010
Homo It Gets Better: A Different Bridge
Posted by Dan Savage on Fri, Oct 1, 2010 at 9:27 PM
View more "It Gets Better" videos at the It Gets Better Project YouTube Channel.
"Once a pastor came to our church and he preached a sermon about how God had destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah to teach a lesson about gay people. Not just that gays were sick and wrong themselves, but that everyone around them were hurt by their presence. That He was willing to wipe out everybody to punish the gays. This really got to me. I thought that not only was I sick and wrong, but that God would punish the people around me. It had never occurred to me that I would wound people by my simply existing. And it seemed kind of true. We were poor, we lived in a town that was fairly depressed at the time, my mother was in the hospital... and it seemed to me like evidence that God really is hurting everyone because I'm gay. I didn't want to be the person that nobody would want, and I didn't want to be the person that would hurt other people. So I walked down to the bridge and climbed the center arch, the highest point, and got ready to jump."
3
I've gotten teary-eyed several times watching these (and I've watched A LOT of the videos), but this one was so damned moving... So simple and honest and direct, but heartfelt and beautifully worded. This guy says he's a writer; I'D buy his books after watching this.
Thank you also, Dan, for your reply to the letter writer in the previous post. I think some of these people don't even realise just how destructive their words are, how they can take a child's life. Because of a hateful pastor and a bible story, a 15-year-old was prepared to kill himself and actually believed that his death would protect people he loved. I hope some of these bigots watch these videos, Dan, and read or listen to you, and that some of them at least rethink their prejudices. This channel is really such an amazing and important and powerful way of reaching out to these kids. Dan Savage, you rock.
Thank you also, Dan, for your reply to the letter writer in the previous post. I think some of these people don't even realise just how destructive their words are, how they can take a child's life. Because of a hateful pastor and a bible story, a 15-year-old was prepared to kill himself and actually believed that his death would protect people he loved. I hope some of these bigots watch these videos, Dan, and read or listen to you, and that some of them at least rethink their prejudices. This channel is really such an amazing and important and powerful way of reaching out to these kids. Dan Savage, you rock.
4
I think this one was the most moving so far.
With each new report of another life lost, I think when will it stop? How many will die? I truly believe this project is going to prevent some of those deaths. I'm spreading the word about it wherever I can, including to teachers at my old high school. I know, because one of my best friends went through it, how hellish that place can be for gay kids.
With each new report of another life lost, I think when will it stop? How many will die? I truly believe this project is going to prevent some of those deaths. I'm spreading the word about it wherever I can, including to teachers at my old high school. I know, because one of my best friends went through it, how hellish that place can be for gay kids.
6
Here's a link to GetEqual's site, for those who don't have it:
http://getequal.org/2010/10/take-a-stand…
It links to the IGBP in the email I got.
http://getequal.org/2010/10/take-a-stand…
It links to the IGBP in the email I got.
9
I posted the letter from earlier to Facebook with some comments about how "love the sinner, hate the sin" is a joke and an excuse to teach hatred, and questioning how American evangelicals can call themselves Christ-followers when behaving exactly opposite to how Christ treated the outcasts of society.
In response I was informed that doing that whole "hate the sin" thing is the most loving thing that people can do. I posted this video in response, I hope that people will actually watch it and get it through their heads that when you're making kids want to jump off bridges because you've convinced them they're such dirty rotten sinners, that's not love.
It's so depressing because that should be blatantly obvious, if you're driving kids to suicide you're doing something very, very wrong.
I'm a Christian, but I'm fed up with the Church and their self-righteousness masquerading as concern. It's a complete 180 from what Jesus actually modeled, but no matter, they still keep rationalizing why their behaviour is in line with what Jesus did.
In response I was informed that doing that whole "hate the sin" thing is the most loving thing that people can do. I posted this video in response, I hope that people will actually watch it and get it through their heads that when you're making kids want to jump off bridges because you've convinced them they're such dirty rotten sinners, that's not love.
It's so depressing because that should be blatantly obvious, if you're driving kids to suicide you're doing something very, very wrong.
I'm a Christian, but I'm fed up with the Church and their self-righteousness masquerading as concern. It's a complete 180 from what Jesus actually modeled, but no matter, they still keep rationalizing why their behaviour is in line with what Jesus did.
10
While I'm not gay, I did have to deal with bullying through much of my childhood. I was fat and weird and alone, and I can't tell you how many times I felt worthless and unloveable, and how much I wished I had someone who would tell me I was O.K. and life would get better (which it most definitely did).
These videos are fantastic. Thanks Dan for spearheading this effort. It is so difficult for kids to see past their next 15 minutes, let alone the next 15 years of their lives, and to have these moving, positive testimonials showing them how life can change beyond their wildest dreams is just fantastic.
Sniff.
These videos are fantastic. Thanks Dan for spearheading this effort. It is so difficult for kids to see past their next 15 minutes, let alone the next 15 years of their lives, and to have these moving, positive testimonials showing them how life can change beyond their wildest dreams is just fantastic.
Sniff.
11
Hey, L.R. (SL Letter of the Day 10/01),
Still feeling like people of faith are being unfairly judged as bullies?
Still feeling like people of faith are being unfairly judged as bullies?
12
The total lack of understanding on both sides of the equation simply astound me. Christians are taught and believe that homosexuality is sin, and it is. But so is lying, cheating, stealing, and an entire host of other things. The purpose of Jesus was to relieve us of our sins, all of them, homosexuality is as forgiven as marital infidelity, which by the way is also a sin. Live life and be as happy as you can.
13
Besides the 20% of homosexuals who have and give each other AIDS how many other people in their lives end up with AIDS?
the woman who waited until marriage for sexual activity, was monogamous and faithful, whose husband gave her AIDS.
their baby that got AIDS from the mom during delivery.
the 12 year old hemophiliac who got AIDS infected blood donated by the hero of our story.
be sure to spread a little sunshine everywhere you go....
the woman who waited until marriage for sexual activity, was monogamous and faithful, whose husband gave her AIDS.
their baby that got AIDS from the mom during delivery.
the 12 year old hemophiliac who got AIDS infected blood donated by the hero of our story.
be sure to spread a little sunshine everywhere you go....
14
@12: That's a bunch of born-again nonsense. Jesus' death does not magically give us permission to rape and murder.
16
Most Southerners did not own slaves.
However the devastation of the Civil War was pretty universal in the South, and exacted a high toll from the North as well....
Most Germans were not Nazis, a tiny minority worked in or even knew of the camps; the bombs that fell on Dresden didn't seem to be too selective, however.
Most cells in the human body won't be infected with AIDS virus at the time of death but the whole body dies.....
be sure to spread sunshine where ever you go......
However the devastation of the Civil War was pretty universal in the South, and exacted a high toll from the North as well....
Most Germans were not Nazis, a tiny minority worked in or even knew of the camps; the bombs that fell on Dresden didn't seem to be too selective, however.
Most cells in the human body won't be infected with AIDS virus at the time of death but the whole body dies.....
be sure to spread sunshine where ever you go......
18
Interesting point.
At what point is a society irreversibly corrupt?
When would "god" decide a society was unsavable,
and that destroying it was the only moral option left?
Surely some members of the group would choose good, even if most of their peers did not.
What about the children?
Couldn't some of them grow up to be good?
Don't the children deserve a chance?
THINK OF THE CHILDREN !
What if the society was so corrupt that the children were not taught good- only evil.
What if the children were taught that perversion and deviancy were "normal".
What if in the schools and on Sesame Street and everywhere they went children were exposed to immorality disguised as moral behavior?
What if children born into that society had zero chance to be exposed to truth and righteousness- zero chance to make the right choice for them self because they never had been and never would be exposed to truth and righteousness.
What if the advocates of perversion and deviancy WON!
What if They Were Winning!
what if.........
At what point is a society irreversibly corrupt?
When would "god" decide a society was unsavable,
and that destroying it was the only moral option left?
Surely some members of the group would choose good, even if most of their peers did not.
What about the children?
Couldn't some of them grow up to be good?
Don't the children deserve a chance?
THINK OF THE CHILDREN !
What if the society was so corrupt that the children were not taught good- only evil.
What if the children were taught that perversion and deviancy were "normal".
What if in the schools and on Sesame Street and everywhere they went children were exposed to immorality disguised as moral behavior?
What if children born into that society had zero chance to be exposed to truth and righteousness- zero chance to make the right choice for them self because they never had been and never would be exposed to truth and righteousness.
What if the advocates of perversion and deviancy WON!
What if They Were Winning!
what if.........
20
I am so happy for him - what a lovely gift he made of his experience.
His speaking of looking down the river, hoping to protect his family from the troubles he feels responsible for, economic and otherwise... couldn't help but remind me of Kate Bush's perfect part in a song about finding comfort against the temptation of bridges when you feel you don't belong.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uiCRZLr9o…
His speaking of looking down the river, hoping to protect his family from the troubles he feels responsible for, economic and otherwise... couldn't help but remind me of Kate Bush's perfect part in a song about finding comfort against the temptation of bridges when you feel you don't belong.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uiCRZLr9o…
21
His story is very touching. But what that preacher told him, and his reaction to it, is one of the more horrifying things I've ever heard.
23
I feel...horrified and hopeful. I am so completely horrified by what that poor little boy was made to feel, and by people he trusted!
But it makes me so hopeful to hear how he has made his life so wonderful. I am so full of admiration for this beautiful man.
And I am so full of admiration for you Dan Savage. Way to instigate some serious love.
But it makes me so hopeful to hear how he has made his life so wonderful. I am so full of admiration for this beautiful man.
And I am so full of admiration for you Dan Savage. Way to instigate some serious love.
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