This week a letter-to-the editor appeared in a local newspaper that weighed in with a Christian response to homosexuality. Here in the US Bible Belt that topic gets lots and lots of attention. As you can guess, the more conservative forms of Christianity holds a big sway over minds here.
Anyway, this 81-year-old letter writer turned a phrase that automatically
caught my attention for both its emotional stimulus and poetic flair. Describing
homosexuality he suggested:
It is so offensive to God that even the angels speak it
not.
(How he arrived at that conclusion he doesn't say, but his entire letter
can be read by clicking this link and scrolling down to The Consequences of
Homosexuality.)
Now if that writer has a right to exercise his imagination on this topic,
surely I do as well. I read the above letter and sat back in my chair with
closed eyes trying to imagine a God who - in this world filled with human
foibles and then outright inhumanity towards one another - is so offended by two
of his creatures of the same sex sharing carnal pleasure, why, that the mere
discussion of it with him by his angels is off limits.
I presume angels discuss unmitigated human greed. They probably couldn't
help but notice our penchant for killing one another. How could they possibly
miss our deep-seated habit of deceitfulness? But if humans find erotic
pleasure with one of the same sex, why, God supposedly goes all fire and
brimstone.
No, I just can't take the bait that angels can't discuss homosexuality with
God for fear of offending Him. On the other hand, I can see some religious folks
getting all obsessed about their prejudices and confusing them with divine
ordinances. When that happens the imagination can surely run wild.
How could it be wrong for two human beings, regardless of gender, to love each other.
ReplyDeleteOnly, I suppose, if the Divine Command Theory of Morality - which I DON'T embrace - were true. As I suggested, I think some people confuse their prejudices with divine will.
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