THANKS TO the Rev. Devon Dick for his balanced comment on the elevation of the openly gay the Rev. Gene Robinson to bishop in the Episcopal Church. A few points require clarification, however.
First, the Rev. Mr. Dick is incorrect when he suggests that sexual orientation is a choice. It is true that sexual orientation has not been traced to purely genetic origins, but that does not mean that at some point one "chooses" to be gay or straight. Heterosexuals who doubt this might consider their own sexuality - at what point did you "choose" to be straight? Could you switch and become homosexual? Most people experience sexual orientation as part of the deepest core of their humanity: while people might engage in sex with people to whom they are not really attracted straight men in prison, for example - it is difficult for most of us to imagine or mimic a different sexual orientation.
QUACKERY
Therapy to "cure" homosexuality has a dismal rate of success were it not popular with religious conservatives, such treatments would likely be decried as quackery. Plus - let's be real why would any rational person "choose" a sexual orientation that would leave him or her liable to verbal and physical abuse at the hands of bigots?
Second, the Rev. Mr. Dick asks about the Bible's stance on same-sex relationships. Most people who condemn homosexuality cite the Old Testament condemnation of homosexual acts.
The catch is, those same books of the Pentateuch that condemn homosexual acts also condemn fornication, sex during menstruation or for several days after, mixing different types of fibre in clothing, eating shellfish, eating meat and milk products together, and all the rest of the Law.
Disobedient children, according to the book of Leviticus, are to be stoned to death. We ought not to cite the Law selectively - Christians who wish to condemn gays on Old Testament grounds ought logically to submit themselves to all 615 laws of the Torah! Paul's condemnation of gay sex in the New Testament seems to concern heterosexuals having homosexual sex: Paul has no notion of sexual orientation as something intrinsic to the person. Paul also suggests that homosexual fornication of this type (heterosexuals having gay sex for fun), reflects a prior decision for idolatry, certainly not so in the Rev. Mr. Robinson's case.
BLESSING CEREMONY
Finally, the Rev. Mr. Dick criticises the Rev. Mr. Robinson for not being married to his partner of 13 years. But there is no rite for same-sex marriages in the Episcopal Church: Robinson might have been able to obtain some form of blessing ceremony, but marriage was not open to him. That's the Catch-22 faced by gays in most churches: even if they believe that sex should remain within the bounds of marriage, the fact that they cannot marry means that they are forced to choose between an unsanctioned sexual relationship fornication, in traditional terms or lifelong sexual abstinence.
PERMANENT RELATIONSHIPS
Most people are not called to lifelong celibacy, and so many gay people seek permanent relationships similar to marriage. Gay people who are calling for recognition of their relationships as marriages are seeking to publicly express their love, devotion and responsibility for their partners, as heterosexuals do who marry.
They reject the notion that sexual relationships should be casual or uncommitted. People who wish to uphold the sanctity of marriage in a culture of widespread sexual licence would do well to support social and ecclesial approval for gay marriages.
I am, etc.,
Lisa Fullam
Lafullam@yahoo.com
Oakland
California
Via Go-Jamaica' to
