Twelve year old commits suicide -- because he was taunted for being gay.

[We Never Know]

A grade 7 student in Shelbyville, Tennessee, took his own life on November 28. He did it because he was constantly being taunted -- for being gay, and for not being religious. Constantly told that he was going to Hell because "Jesus hates you."

And now he's dead. If this is so, then I think it is something that casts a black shadow on religion that needs to be discussed.

There is, however, another really interesting part of this little news item -- I can only find it in the BRITISH PRESS. Nobody in America, it seems, thinks it's important enough to comment on!.

What am I missing about this? Is this a fake story -- as I mentioned, I can find nothing in mainstream press, and I don't want to be accused of spreading misinformation, so any assistance from members would be greatly appreciated.

Why didn't you start a thread about this girl?

13-year-old girl commits suicide because of bullying.

“It’s her glasses. It’s her braces. It’s she’s shaped funny, her shoes, her clothes,” said Perkins."

https://www-wwltv-com.cdn.ampprojec...cide/289-4dd7fddc-b1e9-48ee-8128-a3db0a5b77a4

 

[Evangelicalhumanist]

Why didn't you start a thread about this girl?

13-year-old girl commits suicide because of bullying.

“It’s her glasses. It’s her braces. It’s she’s shaped funny, her shoes, her clothes,” said Perkins."

https://www-wwltv-com.cdn.ampproject.org/v/s/www.wwltv.com/amp/article/news/crime/mother-mourns-the-death-of-daughter-gone-to-suicide/289-4dd7fddc-b1e9-48ee-8128-a3db0a5b77a4?amp_js_v=a6&amp_gsa=1&usqp=mq331AQKKAFQArABIIACAw==#aoh=16393413885991&referrer=https://www.google.com&amp_tf=From %1$s&ampshare=https://www.wwltv.com/article/news/crime/mother-mourns-the-death-of-daughter-gone-to-suicide/289-4dd7fddc-b1e9-48ee-8128-a3db0a5b77a4

Because I didn't see it? It might surprise you that I do not know every news story that's ever been written.

But now that you've posted it, why not comment on it, rather than trying to make it look like I care for some people and not others?

 

[We Never Know]

Because I didn't see it? It might surprise you that I do not know every news story that's ever been written.

But now that you've posted it, why not comment on it, rather than trying to make it look like I care for some people and not others?

Its just as sad and bad as your OP except its main focus isn't religion and being gay, its bullying period.

 

[Evangelicalhumanist]

Its just as sad and bad as your OP except its mainly focus isn't religion and being gay, its bullying period.

And I agree! How about that?!?

But if I could ask you to look from my perspective, just for a moment, if it's not too much trouble.

Remember, I've told everybody that I am gay -- and turned 12 in 1960, and went to a boy's private boarding school. When the Children's Aid dumped me on the streets of Toronto, just before I was 18, that was a time when even the police were really sort of "allowed" to beat the **** out of people like me -- and there was nothing that could be done about it. Being "gay" is just another way of being "different," but it carried a great deal more weight -- nobody, not your teachers, the law, even your parents, would defend you if your particular "difference" was that you liked sex with members of your own gender.

And whether you will admit it or not, that is not all that different today, in many sectors of society.

Yes, all bullying is hurtful. Yes, I think that parents could -- if they put in the effort -- raise children who would be horrified at the idea of bullying someone else. My best friend has 2 kids, a girl 5 and a boy 9, who I know well, and who understand that completely. In fact, his 9 year old son just this school season has asked why kids in his class are calling another of his classmates "gay," and bullying him. As this boy himself said to his dad, "Allen (that's me) and Joseph (my lover) are gay!" As it happens, this little boy loves us, and we love him.

 

[We Never Know]

And I agree! How about that?!?

But if I could ask you to look from my perspective, just for a moment, if it's not too much trouble.

Remember, I've told everybody that I am gay -- and turned 12 in 1960, and went to a boy's private boarding school. When the Children's Aid dumped me on the streets of Toronto, just before I was 18, that was a time when even the police were really sort of "allowed" to beat the **** out of people like me -- and there was nothing that could be done about it. Being "gay" is just another way of being "different," but it carried a great deal more weight -- nobody, not your teachers, the law, even your parents, would defend you if your particular "difference" was that you liked sex with members of your own gender.

And whether you will admit it or not, that is not all that different today, in many sectors of society.

Yes, all bullying is hurtful. Yes, I think that parents could -- if they put in the effort -- raise children who would be horrified at the idea of bullying someone else. My best friend has 2 kids, a girl 5 and a boy 9, who I know well, and who understand that completely. In fact, his 9 year old son just this school season has asked why kids in his class are calling another of his classmates "gay," and bullying him. As this boy himself said to his dad, "Allen (that's me) and Joseph (my lover) are gay!" As it happens, this little boy loves us, and we love him.

I can see where you are coming from. Sorry you had toll go through that. And to be honest I thought the main reason you shared the story is because it mentions gay and religion.
As for as I know the child could have done it because he was getting teased about his favorite clothes that he wore everyday. That had to make him really sad/depressed that he was being bullied over his favorite things.

Bullying leads to way too many children taking their own lives. Bullying needs to be put in check no matter what it its about or for.

 

[Evangelicalhumanist]

I can see where you are coming from. Sorry you had toll go through that. And to be honest I thought the main reason you shared the story is because it mentions gay and religion.
As for as I know the child could have done it because he was getting teased about his favorite clothes that he wore everyday. That had to make him really sad/depressed that he was being bullied over his favorite things.

Bullying leads to way too many children taking their own lives. Bullying needs to be put in check no matter what it its about or for.

Thank you.

And caring parents could teach their children that.

I hope that more will try...which is what this sort of conversation is all about.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

Are you trying to say that if I can't prove that Christians might say something hurtful to gays, then they don't? QED? Or that it was therefore only the atheists?

However you answer, I put it to you that the organizations that back "conversion therapy" to "cure" gays, are just about universally allied (like NARTH) to LDS and Fundamentalist Christian groups. That in itself is suggestive.

It is amazing how some try to pretend the Abrahamic religions don't actually condemn homosexuals even though they explicitly do. They want to point out to this and that, but this amd that usually isn't telling them directly that homosexuals are an abomination, are detestable, and are to be killed.
And I think NARTH shut down. A founder who promoted that garbage, turns out it didn't work for him either.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

I can see where you are coming from. Sorry you had toll go through that. And to be honest I thought the main reason you shared the story is because it mentions gay and religion.
As for as I know the child could have done it because he was getting teased about his favorite clothes that he wore everyday. That had to make him really sad/depressed that he was being bullied over his favorite things.

Bullying leads to way too many children taking their own lives. Bullying needs to be put in check no matter what it its about or for.

True, but we have a more specific source of the bullying, and that is the Bible. That so-called holy book that commands homosexuals (and technically also bis and those who engage once out of curiosity) are both to be put to death and proclaims their blood to be on their hands. Their god hates homosexuals, he finds them detestable, he thinks they are an abomination and he they do not inherit the Kingdom. There's no getting around that, and it does fuel bigotry in general towards those who are LGBT.