List of issues (See more detailed statements below)
-
Gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people are, by nature, just like heterosexuals in every way that is relevant to society at large.
- The Bible does NOT speak clearly on the righteousness of homosexuality
- Same-sex couples should have the legal right to marry.
- There is NO relationship between homosexuality and bestiality, incest, or pedophelia.
-
Too often, we get stuck on the "sex" in "homosexuality", and on confusion about the meaning of "homosexual behavior"
- Those who reject "group rights" should also reject the "removal of rights from everyone in a group"
- The anti-gay policies of the Boy Scouts of America are unjust, unfair, harmful, and counterproductive.
- "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" is an unjust and counterproductive policy
- Homosexuality is not a choice
- Reparative therapy does not "cure" homosexuality, and is dangerous and counterproductive.
Summary Statements on Gay Rights Issues
- GLBT people are people, too
Too many gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people are just plain Good Folks, who make straightforward contributions to society in every imaginable way, for us to reasonably marginalize them as being sinners who are outside of God's plan for society.
Gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people are, by nature, just like heterosexuals in every way that is relevant to society at large. As a group, they have the same tendency to act anti-socially, and the same tendency to act selflessly. They have the same tendency to be fiscally conservative or spendthrift. The only time one's sexual orientation should be relevant is when a friend or relative is trying to set up a date!
The one way in which GLBT do differ from heterosexuals at large is that most of them are personally and negatively affected by the pervasive societal prejudices against homosexuals and homosexuality.
- The Bible and Homosexuality
The Bible does NOT speak clearly on the righteousness of homosexuality. I've analyzed several passages in "What the Bible Doesn't Say About Homosexuality", but, to summarize:
-
Jesus was silent on homosexuality, but spoke clearly of treating everyone with respect
-
Every New Testament reference can be explained as referring to something other than "personal" homosexuality and private coupling of gay men. Some may refer to ritual pagan homosexuality, prostitution, perhaps weakness of character. Others, like the passage in Romans 1, refer to manifestations of homosexual behavior that occur among people who are distinctly unrighteous.
-
The story of Sodom does not remotely refer to "homosexual relationships" as we understand them today. There is no mention of homosexual couples; certainly not the tender committed love of two people for each other. In Biblical terms, "sodomy" isn't a sex act, it's "a mob gathered to demand anonymous sex with any man". The latter behavior would be condemned by anyone I know, and may be part of the extreme stereotype of modern homosexuality, but almost no one recognizes it as an accurate depiction of homosexuality.
-
The references to homosexuality as an abomination, or deserving death, in Leviticus must be understood in the context of other similarly described behaviors that we accept freely today, such as eating shellfish or wearing clothes of more than one fabric! There really isn't a scriptural reason to tolerate some of those behaviors but not others.
-
It is man, not God, that is trying to condemn all homosexual behavior, and, as Paul points out in Romans 2, man doesn't make a very good judge of such matters in the first place.
- Same-Sex marriage
Same-sex couples should have the legal right to marry. Since neither fertility, nor willingness to have children, nor competence to rear children are requirements for heterosexual marriage, there is no basis for making those conditions arguments against same-sex marriage.
People who are concerned about purported biblical sanctions against homosexual need to realize that adulterers, thieves, the greedy, drunkards, slanderers, swindlers, all can get married whether repentant or not, and whether they have any intention to honor the standard marriage vows. Bank robbers, murderers, tax cheaters, child molesters, people who have no intention to be faithful to their spouse, murderers on death row, bigots, jerks, cowards, and liars can all get married, too.
Opposite-sex couples can marry for profit, for political gain, for power, and can even get married just to spite someone else. But gay people can't; no matter how loyal, devoted, or committed, not even those whose motivation is exactly the same as many heterosexual couples - to consecrate a stable, supportive, loving relationship that will last "until death do us part". And then, the fact that they are unmarried is turned against them when "sexual morality" and "the breakdown of family" is brought up. Gay couple do achieve greater stability - and foster greater stability in society, when society helps them maintain steady, stable, committed relationships. Just as with heterosexual relationships, having social rituals and institutions that support relationships is a good idea. To exclude same-sex couples from those institutions and rituals is patently unfair, and is counter-productive.
- Gay Rights as the first step in the breakdown of societal norms
There is NO relationship between homosexuality and bestiality, incest, pedophilia other than in the minds of people who can't see the difference. The same arguments were made with regard to interracial marriage, and they turned out to be as baseless then as they are now.
- Terminology and Understanding
We often rely too much on efforts to separate homosexuality from "homosexual behavior". The caricature of "homosexual behavior" is compulsive, promiscuous anal sex, and it's easy enough to say, "just say no" to that. But "homosexual behavior" really runs much, much deeper than that. It is carried out in thousands of little social interaction, when a guy turns his head or feels his heart palpitate when he sees a guy who happens to catch his fancy, just like I react many times every day then I catch sight (or sound) of a woman. It happens constantly with eye contact and unconscious flirting. It's not something that is any more anti-social or immoral that similar heterosexual behavior, and it just doesn't make sense to attempt to repress one's behavior so far as to eliminate it.
- Group Rights
A disavowal of "group rights" should speak to the rejection of "removal of rights from everyone in a group" (such as "gay people can't marry"; "gay people can't be Boy Scout leaders", etc) as well as to the notion of "granting of group rights".
- The Boy Scout Anti-Gay Policies
By working so hard to establish their policy to reject gay leaders AND gay scouts, the Boy Scouts have done terrible harm to their status in society, have lost the opportunity to take advantage of the wonderful, caring, skilled nurturing of many gay potential leaders, and have condemned thousands of gay boys to unfounded rejection. They have also labeled themselves as a discriminatory sectarian organization and have lost their place of favor as a place where every boy can learn and grow. (Please read "What's Up With The Boy Scouts?", a letter-to-the editor from a PFLAG mom whose son was a gay Eagle Scout. It's posted on the PFLAG-Cleveland web site, at www.pflagcleveland.org/boyscouts.htm.)
- Don't Ask, Don't Tell
The U.S. policy on gays in the military is actually called "Don't Ask, Don't Tell, Don't Pursue, Don't Harass", and though it may be marginally better than an explicit policy that excludes gays, it is still unjust, misapplied, and counterproductive. The military's own studies show that gay people serve with the same distinction as heterosexuals, and that they pose no greater security threat. The policy forces people to be dishonest about their personal lives or be fired or possibly imprisoned. And it isn't applied consistently or honestly, since suspected gay people are still harassed, and are still asked about their sexual orientation. According to the HRC, discharges of gay U.S. service members have actually climbed 72 percent since the policy went into effect in 1993; an average of three to four people are kicked out each day. The country is losing the service of tens of thousands of dedicated Americans, and taxpayers are footing the bill — approximately $25 million per year — to replace those who are kicked out of the military for being gay.
The United States and Turkey stand alone among NATO nations in forbidding gays and lesbians to serve openly. After Australia and Canada lifted their bans in 1992, there have been no identifiable negative effects on troop morale, combat effectiveness, recruitment and retention, or other measures of military performance. Since 1983, Israel, hailed by many as an unparalleled fighting force, has allowed gays and lesbians to serve openly, though not in intelligence positions until 1993. Again, no evidence exists that the longstanding inclusion of gays and lesbians has harmed operational effectiveness, combat readiness, unit cohesion or morale. In January 2000, Britain lifted its ban; its new policy has been classified as an unqualified success with no perceived effect on morale, unit cohesion or operational effectiveness.
- Choice
Homosexuality is not a choice (in almost all cases), and sexual preference cannot be effectively changed. People can choose their sexual behavior, of course, but it is ultimately unfair and unreasonable to demand that gay people suppress so many natural and reasonable expressions of attraction and affection that are almost universally tolerated among heterosexuals.
- Reparative Therapy
Overall, reparative therapy is ineffective. Most success stories are about non-representative sexual compulsives who have managed to get their behavior in check, bisexuals who have ultimately chosen to pursue heterosexual relationships, or people who fall away. (Ex-ex gays, as they are called.) So the success stories don't speak to typical gay men or lesbians. There are exceptions, of course. After all, the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much, and people who are passionate about changing their behavior or orientation can achieve some results through relentless effort. But the fact that some people can do something doesn't mean that everyone should (much less can), so the call to send every gay person to reparative therapy to "fix" them is misplaced. And, further, reparative therapy is not only ineffective, but also counterproductive, since it tends to teach self-loathing and disrespect and disregard for people who are not quite so adamant about changing.
S
|
