Through Davis' eyes (warning potential spoiler of Real World)

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For those who are unitiated the Real World is a group of young 20 somethings living together for several weeks in the same house. Each year there is at least one gay person, usually male, living with the group. This year the gay guy is Davis, who comes from a funamentalist Christian backround. He came out to his family very shortly before joining the show and his family still isn't so great with it. Last night's episode Davis winds up breaking up with his boyfriend, totally his fault, and has a breakdown. He winds up wishing he were straight and literally crying to be saved.

I know what it is like to pray to be straight. I now what it is like to be afraid you are going to Hell for being gay. Falwell by no means is totally responsible for that. He is though, partially responsible for that. He helped make the face of Christianity for a lot of gays into a judgemental, hateful religion. Most ironicly, a person who set out lead others to Christianity may well have lost more people for Jesus than just about anyone else.

I went for over a decade without going to church because I felt I wasn't welcome. People like Falwell helped make that happen. Many gay people will forever being without religion thanks in part to him. Others have families reject them, like Davis did. Some can't take it any more and end their lives.

Honestly, it is hard for me to generate alot of sympathy for Falwell. He made lives of gays harder and did so purposely. But, all of that said, it isn't for me to judge. I have no more right to discuss the eventual fate of Falwell's soul anymore than he has a right to discuss mine. I hope in 100 years, it will be Falwell who is looked at as an out of touch dinosaur and gays who are looked upon as normal and worthy of being heard. Falwell was arguably the most powerful Protestant of my youth. By my dottering old age I can only hope that people will look at him and wonder why we ever listened to him.

I am not going to celebrate the death of anyone. But I admit that I am not exactly going to lecture people about this either.

[Mojambo]

1. They are STILL making the Real World?

I'm really quite shocked.

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2. yeah

Some are good, some are bad. If I can relate to the gay man I tend to watch, if I can't I tend not to watch. They haven't had a great year since Pedro.

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3. Pedro was a neat guy, Puck was not.

I hope Davis can get some help with his drinking. He was really likable when sober. I think that whole group was way too interested in everyone else's sex lives, or maybe I'm just getting old!

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4. Yea Davis reminds me a bit of myself in regards to drinking

Sadly it is all too easy for gays to fall into that trap. I hope he does get help.