...And now Bushie comes out in favor of marriage equality

[Torie]

As strange as it sounds coming from me, I applaud Ben for changing his views.  Views can change over time, especially when we're young.  My own views are slowly evolving in that direction.  I'm not, yet, fully on board due to my conservative, religious upbringing, but I'm to the point where I'm no longer going to fight against it.  Give it probably 6 months or a year or sooner and I might be a full supporter of same sex marriage myself.

Let's put it this way, I basically support SSM now, I just still have to put down the occasional thoughts of going against how I was raised.  I realize, now, and the SSM thread just a week or so ago helped me see that it is not affecting my faith and walk in Jesus Christ and that is the first and foremost priority.

Just what and where was "the SSM thread" that motivated you to revisit you attitudes about gay marriage Bushie, and ponder it some more, as opposed to something that was a closed issue for you? Perhaps you can link it? Thanks.

[Torie]

https://uselectionatlas.org/FORUM/index.php?topic=170943.0

Thanks. I shall peruse it in the morn, when less impaired. Cheers.

[Torie]

I'd highly recommend you not tell your parents or anyone from Church, or they may ship you off to Kenya now instead of having one of "them kind" around.  K? Thx.

I don't dare tell my family.  I haven't even fully come out in support on facebook, yet.  I have plenty of friends on both sides of the issue.

I consider courage the next most important virtue to honesty of all the virtues myself. I can't tolerate dishonesty, and disdain cowardice. However, you don't need to be in their face about, and put down your parents' views on this matter. You can just politely say that yours have evolved. We are all a work in progress during our respective tenures on this mortal coil until we revert to the dust from whence we came.  It's a matter of conscience.  Surely your parents respect one's individual conscience do they not? Or is intolerance the coin of the realm in their world?

[Torie]

I'd highly recommend you not tell your parents or anyone from Church, or they may ship you off to Kenya now instead of having one of "them kind" around.  K? Thx.

I don't dare tell my family.  I haven't even fully come out in support on facebook, yet.  I have plenty of friends on both sides of the issue.

I consider courage the next most important virtue to honesty of all the virtues myself. I can't tolerate dishonesty, and disdain cowardice. However, you don't need to be in their face about, and put down your parents' views on this matter. You can just politely say that yours have evolved. We are all a work in progress during our respective tenures on this mortal coil until we revert to the dust from whence we came.  It's a matter of conscience.  Surely your parents respect one's individual conscience do they not? Or is intolerance the coin of the realm in their world?

I'm sure if it came up in conversation, I would tell them, but we don't talk politics very often.  They know I'm a Democrat and are okay with that and even have defended me on occasion though they are staunch Republicans.  I'm sure it wouldn't be that big of a deal if I were to tell them.  They would be very disappointed in me, but they would learn to accept my decision.  I just will not bring it up out of the blue.

Fair enough. In fact, I agree with that approach myself. There is no need to make a big deal of it. You have plenty of other issues to deal with as it is.