First of all, let me start off by saying that I have skin of steel.  Not just regular steel, but im talking military grade, tempered steel....no joke.  It takes a lot to offend me, but low and behold, someone did.  Let me also start out by stating that I make jokes a lot, and 99% of these jokes make fun of someone's something.  Whatever that something may be, I only mean it in jest and in truth, have no deep rooted prejudices.  With my insult shields running at full power, because I don't half ass things, I was talking to a friend of mine that for the sake of this blog we'll call Florence Annie-May Sassafrass Butterworth... hm... that might not work so well as a substitute name.... I think I'll her Emily. Truth be told I always told myself that when I finally got to type one of those "The names have been changed to protect the identities of the involved parties" things I would use the name Stan, but upon further reflection that would just cause confusion.

Stan...er... Emily made this statement to me: "I won't date someone who is not a Christian."

I figured hey, ok in my book, I won't date someone with 3 arms or no teeth.  Then I started thinking, and the more I thought the more pissed off I got.  Doesn't Christianity teach love, peace, and tolerance? Or does that only apply to other Christians?  Let me point out at this delighful point in my story that I am a confirmed Catholic, even though I really don't practice, so I can see both sides pretty clearly here.  When this issue boils down, it isn't even about religion--it's about tolerance of others.  If you say you don't like to date short people, or tall people, or fat people, that isn't because you think you're better than them, that simply means that you are different.  When you make a general statement that you won't date ANYONE who isn't Christian that is simply prejudice.  It is as if all those that are not Christian are beneath you in some way.  Emily is a good person but it amazes me how blind she is to her own hypocracy.  How can you preach for the fair treatment of others and the environment but not take that same advice in your own life?  How can you sit on this thrown of holiness and vehemently proclaim that because someone isn't the same religion as you that they are inferior?  I understand that preferring to date a Christian might be something you coud think or feel, but saying that you absolutely won't date someone who isn't is no different than saying you won't date a black person--and we all know how wrong that is.

Ok, so maybe she used a poor choice of words.  Maybe this isn't what she meant, but it sure as hell sounds to me like that is what she was saying, especially in the context it was used.  I know what you're thinking... "hey this guy must have got rejected and now he's pissed."  So I'm going to carefully point out that 1. I am not interested in Emily and 2. I made no advance, nor was rejected in any way. It just sickens and disgusts me that someone who so wholely believes in "God's Love" can be so hypocritical and so prejudice.