homophobia

AntiUtopia (AntiUtopia@aol.com)
Sat, 06 Dec 1997 23:16:34 -0500 (EST) 

Are we really a pluralistic society?  I think not, not in our churches and
synagogues, not in our public schools, and certainly not in the academia,
institutions of "higher" learning.  

The homosexual debate on this list is a case in point.  

Two sides have been represented here.  One side quotes the book of Leviticus
to establish the judgement of God on homosexual behavior.  The other side
labels all who disagree with their stand on the issues "homophobes," the idea
being that those who disagree with them can only be motivated by fear--not
genuine, thought out, deeply held moral reasoning--only fear.  The whole world
is divided into faggots or homophobes, and never the two shall meet, it seems.

The conclusion of the movie "Kiss me Guido," however much we long to see it,
is pure fiction.  It'll never happen, not with the mindset I see on both sides
of this debate.

Each side judges the other equally; one side does so, ironically, in judgment
of judgmentalism.  Neither side is capable of saying to the other, "I could be
wrong," or, "you are free to disagree."  Both sides use shoddy reasoning.
There's no sense arguing from the Bible in a secular forum--it only carries
weight with those who accept it as an authoritative voice.  There's no sense
arguing from nature since Nature sends mixed messages.  If we look to nature
to guide our reproductive behavior, we should ask if human females should bite
the heads off their partners after intercourse (I KNOW WHAT YOU'RE THINKING),
or if we should change partners with every mating season, or allow the males
to have multiple partners and fight for the right to do so.  Since we will
only follow nature on a piecemeal basis, our following of nature is itself
guided by a value system not derived from nature, but from some other source.
That source is our true guide in sexual morality--not nature. 

The issues are so sensitive, and the prejudice on both sides so deeply
ingrained, that I couldn't publish this letter in either an academic or a
religious forum.  Will it be published on this list?  Maybe, I doubt it.  

Kinda validates what I'm saying, doesn't it?....to a large degree....

:)

I agree with the person who said we should be allowed digressions from a
direct discussion of Salinger and his work.  I'm just so sick of this
particular thread I thought I'd respond to it myself.... :)

Jim