god and homosexuality
Okay, the comments on this thread are out of control, and I think are contributing to our abnormally high traffic rate as everyone keeps reloading close to a thousand comments. So, if you please, those that wish to continue the conversation, please do so on this thread.
To get you started, a musing on “choosing to be gay” from someone concerned about “ex-gay” ministries such as Exodus International:
Once and for all, I wish we would just give up that tactic and concede right up front that we “choose” to be gay. Those words don’t mean what many people think they mean, but saying them aloud will strengthen our position. We ought to begin every argument over gay rights on that footing: Do we choose to be gay? Absolutely! And we love it! Who the hell are you to tell us we can’t be happy?
For context, it might be helpful to separate two entangled notions of “choice.” Do humans have a choice about who attracts us sexually? No, of course we don’t. Attraction is a chemical, biological phenomena, not subject to conscious will. Do we have a choice about whom we have sex with? Do we make choices about our sexual conduct and identity? Yes, of course we do. To say otherwise is silly.
It is the gap between these two different notions, and the lack of understanding most people exhibit about their own sexuality and sexuality in general, that creates the confusion around choice. Time and again, gay rights activists take the bait, bleating publicly about the fact that “no one chooses to be gay.” To counter that, the ex-gay folks need only prop up one professional ex-gay, to create a fake ‘gotcha’ moment. “You said no one chooses to be gay, but see? This guy chose not to be gay…” Producing one ex-gay, of course, proves nothing about any person’s sexuality but that one exgay’s. It’s a pointless PR stunt…but the masses buy it.
One of the things that interests me about the different points of view expressed on this blog (over and over and over and over) is our understanding of sexual orientation and the idea of creation. Anyway, feel free to discuss your views in the comments of this post.
August 31st, 2007 at 2:15 pm
oohh believe me its no ‘way out’
daisy and wazza.. i am not suggesting that any act of obedience is easy
for us as “totally depraved” humans whose natural orientation is towards sin … an act of obedience to moral correctness that involves denying your natural urges is hard..
indeed following Christ can cost you more than your ability to indulge your sexual preference
we need to count the cost of following Christ…
Matt 10
37″Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; 38and anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.
August 31st, 2007 at 2:34 pm
Well abtruth, I commend you on giving up so much for Christ.
My situation is not like that, I actually prefer to be monogamous. Not that I’m not tempted, but I am not constantly denying my natural preferences according to the precepts of the Church. I presume my wife also prefers to be monogamous - I would not be happy if she were naturally polygamous but acting monogamous because of religious conviction.
August 31st, 2007 at 3:07 pm
your a lucky man
August 31st, 2007 at 3:24 pm
Well, i guess by this time tomorrow Signposts in it’s original form will be no more.
Thanks to everybody (including right-wing fundo’s & literalists) for providing the only community i have had this past couple of years.
God’s Blessings upon you all.
August 31st, 2007 at 3:32 pm
oooohhh no you don’t
i have the personality type that has to have the last word
i will be sitting at my computer around the clock to have the last say on all the strings i can…
August 31st, 2007 at 4:22 pm
ditto
August 31st, 2007 at 11:02 pm
Second Bruce: New-Bruce, are you a Poofter?
Fourth Bruce: Are you a Poofter?
New-Bruce: No!
Fourth Bruce: No. Right, I just want to remind you of the faculty rules: Rule One!
Everybruce: No Poofters!
Fourth Bruce: Rule Two, no member of the faculty is to maltreat the Abos in any way at all — if there’s anybody watching. Rule Three?
Everybruce: No Poofters!!
Fourth Bruce: Rule Four, now this term, I don’t want to catch anybody not drinking. Rule Five …
Everybruce: No Poofters!
Fourth Bruce: Rule Six, there is NO … Rule Six. Rule Seven…
Everybruce: No Poofters!!
Fourth Bruce: Right, that concludes the readin’ of the rules, Bruce.
August 31st, 2007 at 11:42 pm
ahh even monty python can get trapped into legalism.
thank you to all those who challenged my thinking.. iron certainly sharpens iron and though we may not have changed our minds one bit I am sure we have clarified our own thoughts greatly which is a good thing.
September 1st, 2007 at 9:13 am
Another turning point, a fork stuck in the road,
Time grabs you by the wrist, directs you where to go,
So make the best of this test, and don’t ask why,
It’s not a question but a lesson learned in time,
It’s something unpredictable, but in the end it’s right,
I hope you had the Signposts of your life
So take the photographs and still frames in your mind
Hang it on a shelf in good health and good time
Tatoos of memories and dead skin on trial
For what it’s worth it was worth all the while
It’s something unpredictable, but in the end it’s right,
I hope you had the Signposts of your life