January 4, 2008

Bigots spew hatred on gaytheist teenager.

Those lovable loonies at Americans for (the distortion of) Truth are at it again. In response to a letter they received from 14-year-old gay boy they unleashed a torrent of homophobic associations and lies.

I no more hate you than I hate those who engage in other behaviors that I consider immoral, and those would include me, my husband, and my children. Every single human who has ever lived, save one, engages in immoral behavior. Our task is figuring out what constitutes moral and immoral behavior. You have appropriated one philosophical perspective on what determines right and wrong: you believe that if a behavior doesn’t directly harm another person physically, then it’s moral. But some of the greatest thinkers who have ever lived define morality differently. Defining morality as you have would permit adult consensual incest, lying, selfishness, polyamory, and apotemnophilia.

Funny you should mention lying…..

And as to people who claim “morality” based on Biblical principles while whipping others for their alleged immorality, just check out this monument to their utter hypocrisy. I hope you have lots of spare time available.

Neither Mr. LaBarbera nor I believe that homosexuals choose the feelings they have anymore than those who are attracted to adolescents or children or their siblings choose their powerful attractions, or those married men who are attracted to other women choose those attractions, or those who are powerfully drawn toward gambling or alcohol or drugs choose those attractions. We do believe, however, that those who experience same-sex attraction choose how they will respond to their desires, just as I choose how to respond to my selfish, or greedy, or angry, or lustful desires. Some in society tell you that acting on same-sex impulses is legitimate and good. They have lied to you, and it is a cruel lie.

Comparing gays to pedophiles, people who commit incest, adulterers, addicts, etc. How original. Not. The simple fact is that being gay is a natural state of being which has been observed in more than 1,000 species of animals (including human beings). The “cruel lie” is that perpetuated by the RRRW; that being gay is unnatural, must be changed–can be changed.

Joe, homosexuals do have the full complement of civil rights. They even have marital rights. Every homosexual can get married; they simply can’t redefine marriage. They can’t eliminate the criterion of complementarity, just as those who “love” children cannot eliminate the minimum age criterion, and those who love relatives cannot eliminate the consanguinity requirement, and those who love multiple partners cannot eliminate the binary requirement. The fact that homosexuals cannot redefine the institution does not mean the institution is unavailable to them.

No we don’t. We can still be fired and/or be denied housing for being gay in many states. We do not have federal hate-crimes protection. We cannot get married in any state but MA, and cannot get federal marriage benefits anywhere. Do not give us that nonsense about “redefining” marriage. Marriage has been “redefined” countless times over time. If one wants to rely on the Bible, we have to recognize that men often took not only wives (yes, that’s multiple wives) but numerous concubines as well in Biblical times. Therefore this notion of “One Man, One Woman” is not rooted in the Bible but a recent “redefinition” of the RRRW. Of course historical redefinitions of marriage included allowing inter-faith and interracial marriages. So this notion that marriage has been a static institution that never has been, and never should be, changed, is a fabrication of lying liars.

As to your comment that homosexuals can think logically: You’re absolutely right, Joe; you were created in the image and likeness of God, and, therefore, you possess the gift of reason. It is not just religious traditions that inform us that homosexual conduct is wrong. Natural law tells us that. You are heterosexual, Joe. All humans are. Species cannot procreate homosexually. Our bodies are not designed for homosexual sex.

Again, gay sex has been observed in more than 1,000 animal species so natural law tells us that gay sex is perfectly normal and acceptable. Without referring to religious dogma/texts people cannot come up with a single valid argument against homosexuality (and the “ick factor” is not a valid argument). Furthermore, procreation is not the only purpose of sex no matter how loudly the RRRW tries to scream that it is. Sex is an expression of love, and it’s also quite pleasurable. (Of course that’s a significant reason the RRRW tries so hard to suppress the sex-instinct.)

Please, do not dismiss arguments that emerge from religious tradition. Speaking as one who deeply values logic, evidence, and intellectual argument, I can attest that Christianity holds up intellectually. And remember, atheism too is based on faith. You are no more able to prove the non-existence of God than I am able to prove unequivocally God’s existence.

You admit you’re not able to prove God’s existence, yet you insist on imposing your religious principles and morals on everybody, of every religion (and no religion). You won’t provide others the very religious freedom that you wish for yourself and your loved ones. That is utterly despicable.

And it’s not just the Christian Bible that teaches that homosexuality is wrong; the Old Testament does also, as does the Koran.

They also teach that lying is wrong, but you do that constantly and seemingly without concern for the damage it will have on others. Do you not fear the wrath of God or has he promised you special dispensation?

Posted by: Buffy

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