To the Editor:

This is in regards to “Others Should Be Reading Bible More.”

You can sit there and quote the Bible until you are blue in the face. It does not matter.

I was raised Catholic but I do not participate in religious services anymore. Over the years I felt as though I was being brainwashed.

I do not want to hate someone because “God” says so. I do not want to show such negativity! My heart is huge. I love with everything I have.

I am a married woman, to a man, with a son. A wonderful son. I want my son to grow up well rounded and educated. I do not want my son to feel differently about anyone.

I am not sure what you are all afraid of? Gay, straight, bi-sexual, black, white, native…we are all people. We all have beating hearts. We all breathe. We all make mistakes. We love. Some of us love unconditionally. Some of us do not put limits on our love.

I have numerous gay friends and they love just as I love. With every inch of their souls. Why does it matter who they love? It only matters to you because you are stuck. You are stuck behind some “book” that tells you how to feel. Tells you what is “right or wrong.”

The only sin is not being accepting of others. Not allowing people to be who they were meant to be. You believe God created us all, well guess what? If he/she is such a wonderful and perfect God then why create some people gay? Why create some people white? There is no rhyme of reason to what you believe in.

In the words of a famous artist, “If you preach hate at a service, those words aren’t anointed and that holy water that you soaked in has been poisoned.”

You cannot claim to be all about God and God’s creations but not accept some of his creations. You’re either in or you out.

It is a shame that in 2014 some of you have not come to realize that we are all people. This is exactly why I cannot and will not follow religion.

I am an adult. I am well educated. I refuse to let anyone run my life. I am my own person and I think I am pretty darn great! I accept everyone. I refuse to miss out on meeting a wonderful person just because they are not like me.

Shame on you. Shame on anyone who has not opened their heart and learned that acceptance is the only way this world will ever find some kind of peace. It’s your hatred that causes this world to be the way it is.

Lindsay Francis

Massena