More Than A Game

Chapter 29

Rosalina was walking with Peter, Rafael, and Christopher at the mall, when they saw a news reporter with some of the protestors who had signs. "You've got to be kidding me," Peter said with a sigh. "The news is just going to throw gasoline on their flame." "I want to hear what they have to say," Christopher said to him. "You can't be serious," Rafael said and Christopher nodded. 

"How do you feel about the church loosing their following," the reporter asked the woman holding a protest sign. "It's shameful those people would turn to sin so willingly," the woman said. She began to really give her opinion and Peter shook his head at her. The news reporter noticed the four of them. She asked the woman a couple of more questions before turning to the three of them. "Do you mind if we ask you three some questions?" 

"Go ahead," Christopher said, ready to take advantage of this chance to speak his mind. "How do you feel about this so called church," the reporter asked him. "I feel infuriated by them," Christopher answered. "And why is that," the reporter asked. "Because their actions aren't those of a church, but more like some crazed cult. Their so called protests have resulted in damages of many businesses and to people's personal property. That's not a protest, that's mindless violence. Many of those we're close with have been affected by their acts," he told her. "Would you mind sharing your personal experiences," the reporter asked them. "My fiancé had to close his club which hurt him financially but with the protests, he worried for his patrons' safety and took that sacrifice for them to the point he almost lost his club," Christopher shared with her. "Us and a few of our friends were all here and they verbally assaulted us just for simply being together, throwing false accusations at us at a single glance." 

"A lady threw a paint can at my boy friend's car damaging his windshield," Peter shared. "We moved back to this city not that long ago, and it's been nothing but insanity. It's made me want to go back to traveling around the world with hopes it'll calm down. Only reason we're still here is because we have friends here that we see as family that we worry about." 

"It made working hard," Rosalina shared. "I used to work for Lacy Doll and the protestors loved standing outside. At one point they threw paint at the store and it got on the owner, my boyfriend, and some of the product. I was scared to go in, but I needed the money so I didn't really have a choice in the matter. And then a couple of days ago, my other boy friend had someone throw paint on his tattoo shop and threw pictures of us with insults written on them. None of us have done a single thing wrong, but we've all suffered thousands in damages, gained a fear to go certain places, and a slight strain on our relationships. I'm all for freedom of religion, but this isn't a religion. They haven't claimed a higher being of any kind. They just claim desires are sins." 

"It made simply trying to do normal things like grocery shopping extremely hard. They start fights with others who don't follow their beliefs and it's insane. We went on a trip not that long ago and I didn't want to come back due to not wanting to deal with their insanity," Rafael confessed. "I just wanted to stay happy with my boyfriends and friends." 

"I bet the person who created this so called church gets off on this chaos," Peter commented. 

"Desires are human nature. No matter the kind of relationship you have, we all have them. Those who follow this so called church are either scared of the desires they have and are in denial, or they were put down for having their desires. Embrace them, your life will be much better off," Christopher said. "Yeah, they can be scary, but if you don't at least try, then you'll never get over that fear. Who knows, you may just love it. And for calling someone's relationship a sin, is pathetic in my opinion. So what if I'm gay? How is that reason to verbally assault my fiancé and I when out on a date?" 

"I'm gay and I'm proud," Peter declared. "I'd rather go to hell for loving the life I have, that is perfectly happy, filled with consent, and a man I love, than go to heaven lying to myself to fill some mold these weird church people created."