Calling homosexuality “immoral” is truly immoral

Ignorant intolerance, what is your name? This week it's "Gen. Peter Pace," chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, who believes that homosexuality is as immoral as adultery.

It's also the Portland Oregonian columnist David Reinhard, who strongly supported Pace's religious bigotry in his "Tolerance or Approval?" piece a few days ago.

Homophobes do their best to ignore science, just as global warming deniers and intelligent design advocates do. But the truth has a way of sliding through even the most closed-off minds.

Consider the case of Rev. Rob Schenck, a prominent evangelical leader, who came to the conclusion that homosexuality is not a choice but a "predisposition," something "deeply rooted" in many people.

This is, of course, also the conclusion favored by the scientific community. I admire Schenck for looking beyond his religious belief system and opening his eyes to the evidence. Neil Swidey wrote a Boston Globe story, "What makes people gay?" He said:

Schenck told me that his conversion came about after he'd spoken extensively with genetic researchers and psychologists. He argues that evangelicals should continue to oppose homosexual behavior, but that "many evangelicals are living in a sort of state of denial about the advance of this conversation." His message: "If it's inevitable that this scientific evidence is coming, we have to be prepared with a loving response. If we don't have one, we won't have any credibility."

A loving response.

Hear the advice, Pace and Reinhard? If homosexuality isn't a psychological choice, but a physical compulsion, calling gays immoral for wanting same-sex sex is as ridiculous as calling straights immoral for wanting opposite-sex sex.

No, it's more than ridiculous. It's immoral. To sit in judgment on someone for a mostly (if not entirely) genetically-based attribute is so wrong it's sick.

Would Pace or Reinhard call someone born with a birth defect a sinner? No, they simply would be viewed as different from most people. Likewise, about two to four percent of the population is attracted to members of the same sex.

Ever-increasing evidence points to the conclusion that they are born gay. I've got little doubt that soon we'll look back on those who hold that homosexuality is a sin with the same how could they ever believe that? incredulity as we now view racists.

That's my hope, at least. Sadly, fundamentalist religion may help keep gay-bashing alive for longer than it would otherwise survive. Consider this bizarrely head-in-the-sand statement from The Council on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood:

In the end, the scientific evidence is not morally important, though it may be medically useful. The church's witness to the biblical condemnation of homosexuality as sin is a crucial test of faithfulness, no matter where the biological research may lead. The church must take its stand on the Word of God, and leave the genes to the geneticists.

They've got it backwards. A morality that isn't founded on reality is what's immoral. The Bible isn't the word of God. Whatever or whoever the ultimate reality often called "God" may be, few would disagree that truth is what God speaks.

And the almost-certain truth is that homosexuality isn't a choice. If you're religiously inclined, you could call it God's plan for some people. Or (my preference), a strong genetic predisposition.

Either way, it isn't immoral.

Comments

[Rain]

What got me was the evasive response of Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama to this when it was first posed to them. They did retract that and said it wasn't immoral after there was outrage. In the past, there were those who believed to be born with epilepsy or many malformations was the mark of the devil. It was ignorance that kept people thinking that way as homosexuality is. I think this is a bigger issue than some think as it's a whole attitude toward sexuality, which some lay responsibility to onto God. It leads to some being forced to deny who they are, to pain in families when the truth comes out, and for what?

When Oregon voted to define marriage as between a man and woman, I was in shock as I thought we were a state that respected individual differences but found out the hysteria of-- it will ruin marriage for others-- trumped commonsense. Just amazing what some believe and feel righteous for believing. It's especially popular when it doesn't impact their own choices but just someone else's.

[Paul Sunstone]

Fundamentalists and many evangelicals are increasingly doing whatever they can to remove themselves from contact with any science they don't want to believe. As part of that effort, they have sold themselves on the lie that the sciences are dominated by political agendas and, hence, not to be trusted. At some point, their refussal to cope with reality will come home to roost. The only thing I'm concerned about is that they don't take the rest of us with them.

[stephen]

Hi,

I am a gay christian (Anglican-you americans call it episcopailian) i attend university, and am 37, and now cellibant by choice, and this will change when i met mr right.
I believe that god accepts homosexuality, we are freed from jewish law with the comming of christ, funny is it not how people sit down to roast pork and critize "fags", hmm may be they should take the log out of thier eye and their asses (sorry kiddies). The key is love, and commitment, if you are gay it is not a licence for "adultary" but rather a chice of life partner. Infact for the old testment buffs, Johnathon and David... no wives until one was dead...they made a covanent together, and johnathon was willing to die for david in reality. Commitmnent to a partner, regardless of their gender is truely "loving your neighbour as yourself"

But on
"Hear the advice, Pace and Reinhard? If homosexuality isn't a psychological choice, but a physical compulsion, calling gays immoral for wanting same-sex sex is as ridiculous as calling straights immoral for wanting opposite-sex sex" rather a very st. Augustinian view, usually put by those who need to "Fight" such impulses.
kindest regards world
stephen
"the happy"