Responding to a Gay, Celibate Christian: 'We Are No Less His Creation'

[xchrom]

http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2013/03/responding-to-a-gay-celibate-christian-we-are-no-less-his-creation/273670/

My piece "There Probably Isn't Any Neutral Way to Report on Homosexuality" prompted an engaging, introspective letter to the editor, "A Gay, Celibate Christian's Conflicted Take on Same-Sex Marriage."

A reader has now responded to that gay, celibate Christian:

One can think and pray mightily on a subject and still come to all the wrong conclusions. Sadly, I think this young man has done just that. A bit of my own background: now 60 years old, I grew up at a time when to be gay was to be sick -- a deviant who preyed on innocents. Bullies were the least of my fears, Mr. Friedersdorf. Being loathed and despised by one's own parents, family, friends--that was a daily terror that influenced not only my behavior but my self-regard. Everyone disapproved of homosexuality, so I did too. I prayed just as fiercely for "deliverance from evil"' to no avail.

To say I independently came to the conclusion that being gay was wrong (I dated women in the hope my feelings could be redirected) is farcical. Denying one's sexuality, either through celibacy or behavior modification is not a free choice. Real choice requires exposure to different experiences and views. I would suggest the choice of celibacy by gays growing up in an evangelical household is not freely made. Indeed, the pressure to conform amongst that group is probably as intense as the pressure I felt 45 years ago. The very fact that this young man only selectively shares his secret is proof that he knows he can only conditionally rely on the love and acceptance he receives from a handful of of his fellow Evangelicals.

I very much want to tell this fellow that real love is not conditional. It is not withdrawn when the beloved fails to measure up to another's expectation. If it was, literally every marriage would fail and every family would be broken--torn asunder by each others' unmet expectations. The fear that he will be shunned or excluded from a religious community is indeed troubling: is his group unfamiliar with the profound biblical admonition "judge not lest ye be judged in kind"? With respect, there seems to be a good deal of biblical "cherry-picking" that conveniently bolsters a human prejudice rather than a divine purpose. The god that made heterosexuals, also made me and him. Unlike this troubled young man I don't think I am a defective product in God's assembly line of life. I am a different model. Colors vary and features differ but we are no less His creation.

Also, I can't permit the remark "the bible teaches" marriage is between a man and a woman to pass without objection. There are a score of prohibitions in Leviticus and Deuteronomy that evangelicals and fundamentalist ignore regularly. For example, if Biblical teaching were obeyed unmarried teenage girls who became pregnant would be stoned to death. Are they? Nobody would dare sanction such behavior, but keeping gays excluded and diminished is apparently always every "good Christian's" duty. And what about Evangelicals who divorce? Are they cast out for failing to keep the marriage covenant? I doubt it. Probably they are excused. Even if his Evangelical friend can't bring themselves to acceptance, shouldn't the least we expect of an authentic Christian is forbearance? He should demand more of his friends or find truer ones.

[Plantaganet]

1. Probably more appropriate for religion. n/t

[closeupready]

2. At this point in my life, I'm just like, 'Christianity, why bother with it?'

Obviously, young people have fewer choices than adults who support themselves and live on their own.

It saddens me, as the latter, to see this cycle repeat itself, even though many like to think that was then, not now. It is now, it still happens, the estrangement and isolation and demonization of gay people by "Christians".

There's also a kind of sadness watching people contort themselves into knots, finding Biblical retorts for evangelical hatred when, at the end of the day, evangelicals will NEVER EVER EVER admit to being wrong, nor will they EVER accept a gay person as either friend or family.

It seems like a complete waste of time, energy and life itself. You are alive! Enjoy it. Profit from living. If some flying spaghetti monster in white robes is going to send you to eternal damnation and pain because he's cruel and enjoys sending his gay creations to a fire-y afterlife, what is the point in spending time and money worshiping and paying tribute to him/her/it?

[mitchtv]

3. Amen`

Why bother?