Tag, You're It

Yesterday I was tagged in a post on Facebook. But this wasn’t one of those lovely memes that tell you to tag someone you think is awesome. No, this was ugly family drama. Because where else but social media should you post your dirty laundry?

My biological grandpa is 77, a Pentecostal Holiness preacher, and the proud owner of at least three Member’s Only jackets. He can actually rock them tho.

Needless to say when it comes to anything religious, we view things differently. That’s mostly because I’m an Atheist homosexual. 

Now, someone decided to post a biblical scripture meme on my grandpa’s wall that was displaying the LGBT community in a negative light. My grandpa didn’t even know it was on his wall until another relative decided to hatefully point it out to him. Because fighting bigotry with bigotry is always the best policy??

My grandpa immediately deleted the post and even apologized to the offended individual publicly on their page. And that is what I have a problem with. He owes no one an apology.

Let’s ignore the fact for a minute that someone else took the liberty to post the meme. My grandpa has every right to post what he wants because it is HIS wall. He is entitled to his beliefs just as I am to mine.

But this is the thing: My partner and I have always had a place at my grandpa’s table. He has never once told us we were living in sin, going to Hell or that we should attend church. Not ONCE. In fact, I was even allowed to carve the turkey at Thanksgiving. It wasn’t pretty, but still.  

My grandpa is a man of humility, compassion, and peace. He’s like a hippie but without the drug use or Birkenstocks. Although, if he did wear sandals he’d put them on with black socks.

And while I am not a Christian, he has shown me what a true Christian should be. He’s just a man that keeps his door open and welcomes all.

So Grandpa Epps, please see this as an open love letter to you. I have no idea why I was tagged in someone else’s disrespectful rant, but know that I would never condone a harsh word directed towards you. Continue to post, like, and share without hesitancy because I am more concerned with what your heart displays than what appears on your Facebook wall.