I am not a homophobe. I'm just not gay. If you're gay, fine. Be gay. I'm straight. That's my business. I don't think sexuality is an intellectual pursuit. I don't think there is anything progressive about embracing homosexuality.
I keep thinking that this gay craze is going to end; that sooner or later culture will settle down and recognize that there are space probes and space stations racing above our heads--that private lives will be kept private and public lives will reflect public relations--not of a sexual nature but of community. To my alarm the craze doesn't show any signs of slowing down.
I went and saw Brokeback Mountain the other night just out of curiosity--to see what all the buzz was about. I thought with all the hype surrounding The academy Awards, there might be one big gay Hollywood conspiracy. Hollywooders trying to pedal their ideals on the rest of us. After seeing the movie, I am sure of it. But what a wonderful movie! It really was a great movie. Acting, scenery, music...the emotion. It has been reeling in my mind all week.
This got me thinking about the power of cinematic language. A couple weeks ago I saw another movie, At The End of A Spear, about a group of missionaries who bring the gospel to one of the most violent tribes the world has ever known and how it changes them into a more peaceful people. A great story but an awful movie. The way it was put together was just not comparable with mainstream Hollywood movies especially when it came to the cutting. It seems to me that Christians do not speak the visual language of film effectively enough to connect with culture at large.
It is not my intent to put Christianity opposite of Homosexuality they are not even comparable being different kinds of things. What I'm trying to say is that there are things that are important and that do matter in society. Strong families, education, hard work and fair wages, cleaning up our environment and striving for better living conditions. We should be excited about advancing scientifically and technologically, continuing in the great debates with philosophers and theologians of times past. In short, we should aspire to gain knowledge and understanding so that we may increase our happiness. I believe Christianity, unlike any other world view allows these things to flower naturally.
So, I am not gay. I am not a cowboy. But for a couple hours I understood, at least in part, what it was like to be a gay cowboy. I wish that non-Christians could experience the freedom and joy that comes with Christianity if only for a few hours.
If your gay your gay. Straight, your strait. I just hope you are more than just one of these (comparably insignificant) things.
2 comments:
Well said.
To address one of the problems some christians face with their message is precisely what you stated: their delivery.
I regularly read your blog, and when you speak of your spirituality I admire it. Your delivery is more with the message of love, peace, and understanding. You've actually been one of my inspirations to (finally) read the bible cover to cover. (It's a work in progress at this time).
Then, there is another Christian crowd. The doomsayers. Their message is usually that of why science is always wrong, why God doesn't like (insert group here), and how many different ways everyone who doesn't think specifically like them is going to hell.
That sort of message turns people off. Its naturally confrontational, and from my knowledge of Christianity, not very Christlike. (I can only think of the incident in the temple, where Christ got angry and violent, and he later said it was wrong and repented.)
Now, on to the Gay culture craze. It is a bit overplayed for such a small percentage of the population. But, in the same respect, it is a section of the population that doesn't have equal rights. Until that happens, it will continually be forced into the public eye. Once the inequalities are addressed, it will likely fade away.
Micheal, I hope your right about fading away. Especially when it comes to 19 year old emo boys making out with other emo boys in the name of freedom. I know gay couples and they are normal married people who have jobs and raise families. Like you said, they are a small segment of the population and I would hope people would just let them be. I think there is like 42.7 percent of the population though that is just trying to be trendy. There were hippies, and punks, and grungers, and today there are bisexuals.
I'd really like to avoid the whole phenomenon. Let people do what they want. But it is impossible to avoid in academia because they have latched on to it. Made it their cause. I can't study Wordsworth or Poe. I am forced to study gay, lesbian, and feminist literature.
I agree with you. The doomsayers are making it hard on everyone. Glad to hear your reading the bible. I need to get my act together and do it more regularly.
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