"I know I'm somebody, because God don't make no junk."

[raccoon]

Ever heard somebody say that? I've heard it. If it works for somebody--well, whatever gets you through the night.

But to me it has a distinctly hollow ring to it. If I'm trying to pep talk myself, to say that to myself would be worse than useless.

If nothing else, my first thought is, and what about the mass murderers of history, serial killers, white collar criminals like Ken Lay, Andy Fastow and Tim Belden, and so on?

[peacebird]

1. Ken Lay, and the others you mention made CHOICES, sexual orientation is not a choice

At least I don't believe it is for most folks. I never made a *choice* to be attracted to men, just always have been. I never made a *choice* not to be attracted to women sexually, I'm just not. The thought of sexual intimacy with another woman just doesn't get me hot & bothered.

We choose how to act, we don't choose our sexual orientation.

And my silver haired 80 y.o. mom (devout Catholic) *always* uses the saying "God doesn't make mistakes, and God doesn't make junk" as part of her defense of GLBT rights.

[raccoon]

4. What are you talking about? "sexual orientation is not a choice"

I agree, it's not a choice.

But where did I say anything about sexual orientation? :shrug:

[peacebird]

5. sorry - as I said, my mom uses it when arguing for GLBT rights. I've never actually heard anyone

use it for anything else so I assumed that was what you were referring to with the quote.... (as usual, my assumption made an *ass* out of me....)
my bad -

:dunce:

[raccoon]

6. No hay problema! nt

[uberllama42]

7. Makes sense to me

You don't have to apologize- it's only natural that you'd make that connection. Didn't bother me any.

[izquierdista]

2. To say nothing of

Anencephalic fetuses, spontaneously aborted fetuses, spina bifida, cleft palate, congenital heart defects, a host of trisomies, etc. If man (in the form of birth defect doctors) wasn't around to repair God's handiwork, the pile of junk that God "don't make" would be a lot higher.

[JerseygirlCT]

10. Would you call that "junk"? nt

[hendo]

14. Thats quite a harsh view

birth defects do not make someone "junk".

[Meshuga]

3. I would rather see...

...a person saying what you quoted and having this use for the word "god" instead of seeing a person using the word "god" in in order to do something evil. All power to him if it gives meaning and worth to his own life.

[JerseygirlCT]

9. I can remember seeing that saying on a poster

of a young African American boy - obviously in the inner city and impoverished.

As a child, it worked for me. The message came across quite well.

[Book Lover]

8. You remind me of something I read

in one of Dan Savage's books (I think it is in Skipping Toward Gomorrah). He was talking about a friend of his that puts printed affirmations around her home, for her and others to happen on. Dan makes fun of the idea, saying he does stuff like walk up to one of the little bowls she has with these in them, picks one up to read and says, "I am Pol Pot. 'Everything I do today will bring peace to myself.'"

[JerseygirlCT]

11. I think the point is that each individual has intrinsic worth

and judgements made on account of skin color - or gender or sexual orientation or any of the stupid reasons we find for casting other people as less than ourselves - are pointless. Each person has value.

[Taverner]

12. Everybody is a different mix of DNA

So everyone is somebody

But that's a little different than made by invisible cloud dude.

[Occam Bandage]

13. The point is that each human has intrinsic worth simply by being human. I would hope

that is not an issue of contention.