“Police lady or Lesbian
over there?
Where?”1
To me, this highlights many of the themes that surround the issue of homophobia. Fear is a driving motivational factor that influences the actions and attitudes of a large percentage of the population. That fear can take many forms: fear for personal safety, fear of others, fear of rejection, fear of neglect, fear of the unknown, and many more. I believe that Hughes is making a point that society would do well to take note of. Externally, you generally cannot tell if someone is homosexual. Homosexuality is not a disease or a disorder; there is no logical reason for a person to fear someone that is homosexual. In my mind, acts such as hate crimes stem from fear; the only plausible solution that can be seen by that those who cannot accept things different from themselves seems to be to eliminate the threat. History will tell us that humans are creatures of habit. That which is established generally continues to exist, and ideas can often be accepted simply because they have been accepted for an extended period of time. Just because something has been practiced for hundreds of years, does that make it correct? Make it righteous? I think not. Perhaps the most obvious example of something that has existed for centuries but might not be completely correct is the Bible’s decree about homosexuality.over there?
Where?”1
The Bible denounces homosexuality, and calls it “a detestable sin.”2 In a country where religion, particularly Christianity, at times seems to play a prominent role in the government, how can we expect to overcome this seemingly stifling ultimatum? I say the religious look again to the Bible. As a non-religious person, I admit my naiveté about the teachings of the Bible or how they are to be followed. However, doesn’t Adam defy God and eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil? Yes, Adam and Eve are subsequently expelled from the Garden of Eden, and man is born into sin because of it, but I refuse to believe that this story of the origin of man is simply to serve as a template for what not to do, and something that establishes that man has to work his way out of sin. If the original Adam, the Adam that God created, was created “in his [God’s] own image,”3 this person should represent the ideal. Adam’s capability to defy God should then symbolize man’s own ability to defy God. Yes, the Bible does say that homosexuality is wrong, but since Adam has the ability to defy God, so too should man now have the ability to defy God. This is the type of person that God created, again, “in his own image.” Ultimately, based on my interpretation of the model of Adam, I believe that the Bible itself encourages man to challenge it, and to make decisions like Adam did, even if it requires falling from the grace of God. Just as God’s very explicit decree that if Adam ate from the tree he was “sure to die,” so too is the Bible’s decree to man that he is detestably sinning if he practices homosexuality. Let us look to God’s creation in his own image, and follow his example. We must do what we are compelled to do, even if it goes against God’s decree. Something tells me that even if I were religious, I would not listen to a text that so explicitly said to hate another group of people. I would instead question and challenge it, just as Adam questioned and challenged God.
1Hughes, Langston. Café: 3 a.m.
2Bible. Leviticus 18:22.
3Bible. Genesis 1:27.
I agree with this for the most part. I think that for any person brought up believing that God's word was divine would never think to challenge or question it. I'm not sure I view Adam's actions as directly challenging God because it wasn't his personal intention to eat the fruit of the tree of knowledge. However, you could argue that God gave humans free will with a transparent understanding of what would come of it. That's not to say humans can chose whether or not they're homosexual, but they can chose whether or not to condemn homosexuals for giving into their temptations and sinning (as perceived by the religious person).
ReplyDeletedefinitely think fear of ______ (fill in the blank) is at the root of most "bad" behavior - fear by definition is an emotional response to threats or dangers, perceived or real
ReplyDeleteOn the challenge of God side, this isn't a response as much as an observation. I was in Cincinnati a few weeks ago and saw one of the abortion clinics where "good anti-abortion christians" blew up the clinic and killed doctors. The bible, the name of God and religion are all open to interpretation and have been used both well and horribly over the years - I don't see how any of the above can justify killing doctors
i think i would have to agree that much has been done in the name of religion that has been morally wrong in my mind - lying, killing, stealing, hatred, prejudice. i would consider myself a spiritual person but not a particularly religious one. having to obey blindly and without questioning cannot be right whether it is God or a ruler or anyone. each human deserves the right of their own views and a religion that requires strict adherence to views you may not share simply to be recognized seems wrong to me. i went to the funeral of a catholic friend who had died tragically in a car accident. her husband was not allowed to take communion at her mass because he was not catholic. i found that to be the very antithesis of what religion should be about. to me, the best that religion has to offer is to treat others as we would wish to be treated and live your life with grace and compassion. was this not what Jesus was trying to teach us? "forgive them Father for they know not what they do" he asked God even as he was being nailed to the cross. this magnanimous spirit of love and understanding and compassion is what religion (christianity or otherwise) should be about to me. people sin or fall from grace every day but i want to believe that, just as a mother's love would not lessen or stop for a child who had erred, so too would God's love not change for any of us that lost our way or simply differed from what might be expected.
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