Bullying: Still Wrong, Whatever the Reason

I came across this a few moments ago, tucked into our backup drive.  I don't recall when I wrote it--possibly after a well-publicized suicide--but it pretty much says what I was thinking today after yet another "PLEASE POST THIS" about bullying.
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I am increasingly disturbed by the amount of rhetoric being exchanged regarding bullying.  I’ll say it clearly:  Bullying is wrong!  Whatever the reason, the activity is uncalled for.  Decent people should not engage in actions to badger, harass, annoy, or otherwise distress others for any reason.  I can say that with conviction because I've been the subject of bullying.  I was the fat kid with glasses, and by changing a few letters of my last name it became “Pigger.”  I went through elementary and junior high school with that tag thrown at me on and off—not pleasant for a 10, 12 or 14 year old.  As unpleasant as it was—and the memories which still linger are—it did not drive to me take my own life, though it was not easy.

There are several points I need to make here:

First, growing up in the 50s and 60s, suicide was understood as wrong, even at that tender age.  That was at least in part because all life was given value.  In today’s culture, life is valueless.  Euthanasia and abortion have numbed our minds to the value of each and every life.  So, suicide was not an option.  I had to find other ways to deal with it.

Second, all the recent press on bullying has related to one specific type, that of young people being bullied because of homosexuality.  I would guess that more fat kids have been bullied; more kids with thick glasses, more too poor to wear stylish clothing…you get the picture. They were not the topic of the evening news.  It’s not about bullying; it’s about promoting and defending the homosexual lifestyle.

Finally, the bullying has now turned to those who won’t embrace or support the homosexual lifestyle.  Social networking sites had messages about support passed around with “won’t you please post” or similar pleas.  Those of us who chose not to—or worse yet, made comments expressing why we wouldn't were immediately attacked.  No group has been more singled out than outspoken Christians.

That’s right, it’s now the Christians who are being bullied; accused of hate-speech (also not a defensible activity).  It’s not hatred, it’s stating of the facts.  Christians hold to the teachings of the Bible and hold that as absolute truth.  It has not changed its message in the years of its existence as written or spoken word.  It is clear from both the Old Testament and New Testament that homosexual activity is wrong.  It is spoken against in the strongest of terms—it is considered unnatural, and an abomination.  Christians who make that point—even in the most gentle of terms—are railed against. 

If the homosexual group—that which has seen its support develop over the last 20 year or so—is  allowed to promote its point of view without objection, why is it that the Christian side—the side which traces its authority back over 5000 years—is told to keep silent.   That’s right, it’s now the Christians who are being bullied and forced into silence.