Monday, August 15, 2005

Christianist Rant

I am dismayed by the disturbing amount of homophobic information on the Internet. A wonderful example is found on “Focus on Your Child dot com.” Among the more blatant examples are the pages dedicated to protecting your children from becoming homosexuals. In his particularly scary book Preventing Homosexuality: A Parent’s Guide, clinical psychologist Joseph Nicolosi, Ph.D., offers some guidelines to combat raising a homosexual child (e.g., Recognize that most homosexuals “were not explicitly [so] when they were children. More often, they displayed a ‘nonmasculinity’ that set them painfully apart from other boys: unathletic — somewhat passive, unaggressive and uninterested in rough-and-tumble play. A number of them had traits that could be considered gifts: bright, precocious, social and relational, and artistically talented.” Tip: Discern whether your boy struggles with feelings of “not belonging.” If he does, seek help.) .

What a bunch of crap. Excuse my outburst. Predictably, Dr. Nicholosi represents the Christianist right. Without starting a rant on the trouble with organized religion – yes, I lump them all together, Christianists, Jews, Moslems, Catholics, etc. – I find it really exasperating that the basis of so much of christianists faith is tied up in their righteous beliefs in how others should behave. All religions also seem to utilize fear as a tool to thwart independent thought, personal discovery and freedom.

This past weekend we attended a lovely party to celebrated my cousin’s ten-year anniversary of being in a committed relationship with his partner. They serve as a shining example of what a fulfilling, loving relationship can be. Among our extended family, they also represent one of the more successful and stable relationships. They’re also productive, wealthy, tax paying, democratic, outspoken, funny, voting Americans.

If my children are or turn out to be gay I will embrace and love them for their character, not for their choice of sexual orientation. If someone holds a different point of view, I will respect that view and will not try to impose my beliefs. But if you try to tell me I am wrong for what I think or in what I believe, you take away my choice. So far I have not found the ultimate arbitrator who can decide what is right and what is not. Until and unless that woman steps forward, we really should each decide for ourselves don't you think?

12 Comments:

Blogger "" said...

I'm on hold on the telephone with my bank so I won't have time to respond to this with the depth it deserves... in short ---
I would support the nomination of Foilwoman as our supreme arbitrator. If she does not feel she can accept this nomination since her hands are full being a super heroine then I think Bill Maher would be up for the job and that would be fine by me.

8:46 AM  
Blogger Buff Huntley said...

If churches spent the amount of time on hate and violence they did on sex, what a great world this could be!

I wish someone could come up with a website blocker so we wouldn't have to read nonsense like this.

Foilwoman would probably be a good arbiter -- I also nominate Jon Stewart.

10:11 AM  
Blogger Champurrado said...

Amie, Innanabana:

Not sure mere mortals could arbitrate sufficiently. May need enhanced horsepower there. Yes, the church spends lots of time preaching against sex, sexual orientation, sex practices and the like. Unfortunately, some of the hate and violence these days is also religiously sourced; kill an infidel for god. I'd be satisfied for a little human tollerance.

10:46 AM  
Blogger Foilwoman said...

Amieo: I accept. Now we just have to get people to obey me. My first edict after this apotheosis: the only thing to reject people for is being bad people, i.e., treating other people badly. Simply eschewing those who are mean, cruel, heartless, etc. eliminates most of the human race. We don't need to do any other exclusions.

Second corrollary: with regard to sex, you are only allowed to be concerned about someone else's sexual predilections in the following circumstances: (1) you want to have sex with them; (2) they want to have sex with you and don't hear your "NO"; (3) they want to have sex with someone or something without the ability to consent in a meaningful manner (any child, anyone under the power of that person, etc.).

Those are the rules of sex. You can reject those who want to have sex with you, but those who want to have mutually consenting sex with other adults, well, how do I say this politely, fuck off. They don't want to sleep with you anyway. That's my message for everyone who thinks everyone's sexuality is just like them.

Innana: Thank you, John Stewart can help me. He can sit at my right hand (he's had my heart ever since he publicly said "I'm 5'6", 5'7" on a good day" instead of lying and saying he was 5'9". What confidence. What a sex god.).

Now all we have to do is get everyone to accept my authority. Give me time. They will surrender. Resistance is futile.

12:45 PM  
Blogger "" said...

Dear Champurrado -
I, too, have many, many friends whose lives are directly affected by anti-gay legislation. Virginia is one of the worst states for gays and lesbians to live in... yet I am completely baffled by my lovely neighbors who have been together close to 10 years, I think... they spend every weekend in their garden or working on their huge fixer-upper tuscanish villa.

They are such great guys. Sensible, generous, very, very helpful (he was once a plumber(!)...yet, these two sweethearts voted for Bush.

Mr. Amieo and I adore them but are completely baffled by their log cabin Republican politics. We have a friend who hammered a Kerry sign on our yard (we are a little more libertarian than Kerry but anyway he got our vote). The next day there was a Bush sign in our neighbor's yard and stickers on their SUV. Sigh.

When the world stops making sense the only thing I know to do is to go into the studio.

If FW has Jon Stewart on her right then I must lobby for Bill Maher to sit on her left. Someone has to represent the infidels and amusingly perverse. It would be a team that no one could resist. Maybe the three of you could write a successful platform for a second, oh, I mean third(!) party. We sure as hell need one. Nader, God love him, has hypnotized the Greens.

2:03 PM  
Blogger Champurrado said...

Foil:

HA. We'll talk about a run for the position. Long list of requirements for the candidates - most important is sense of humor.

3:22 AM  
Blogger Foilwoman said...

Hey, humor I've definitely got. Sort of in a Timex takes-a-licking-and-keeps-on-ticking kind of way. Oh, and I will smite Britney Spears, Michael Jackson, Phyllis Schlafly, Phred Phelps, and anyone else who doesn't have any redeeming features (you thought I was a god of love? Oh no, I am a jealous, but tasteful god).

6:26 AM  
Blogger Prom said...

I just participated in a Red Ribbon ride for AIDs support (bicycles at 175 miles over two days). The ride draws people of many persuasions from the flamboyant to the quiet types. From crew to cyclists. Some have been touched heavily by this disease (themselves or family or friends), some just found the combination of bikes and endurance and grass roots cause to be persuasive. This was in Mass which is a very good place to be gay. Anyway, everyone was lovely in their own way. Everyone got along. It was a nice change from real life.

6:04 AM  
Blogger "" said...

Maybe our grand arbiter will send these loser spammers straight to hell.
(which would be a loop of George Bush's State of the Union... for eternity.)

I think Bill and Jon would agree.

7:39 AM  
Blogger Champurrado said...

Prom:

Yes, I'm sure the event was a grand few days for you and the other riders. I lost a lot of friends in the 80's to AIDS. Many more are still around, hoping for cures and better cocktails to keep them going. Important to keep supporting research and funding to find a way to reverse the trend, particularly in Africa where AIDS continues to waste a path through the continent.

Amio:

Who is this Promote person and what are they doing here? Do I have to notify someone?

8:36 AM  
Blogger LiVEwiRe said...

Excellent verbalization of your views, and I concur. Ever notice how organized religion is among the most intolerant of the lot?

11:28 AM  
Blogger Champurrado said...

Livewire:

I have a few ideas about organized religion. Watch for them coming soon. Mostly I just get angry at people who think they know what's best for me.

11:52 AM  

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