The Church and Homosexuality

I usually write about class and economic issues so I thought I'd throw a bit of a curveball and write about an article I read this past week about Ted Haggard, the pastor who had homosexual relations with another man. I couldn't finish the article because I was completely angered by one comment that said something to the effect of; Ted Haggard after intense therapy was now 100% heterosexual. First of all, it's not something that is in need of therapy, it is something the church needs to realize has existed since the dawn of time. It is not a sickness, but a perspective, just like everything else in life, and who is to say which is the superior way of life? I'm a heterosexual male who has known several homosexuals and I am not in any way threatned by them. Sure, I am guilty of having judged them before, but college shed light on many things for me including what it means to be a homosexual.

Now for Ted Haggard to all of the sudden be 100% heterosexual is absurd. It's not something that can simply be rationalized away. The man had homosexual relations and that is just fine, but the church has to save face and create a stance that completely is out of touch with mainstream thought. In addition, just because somebody has homosexual relations does not mean they are a homosexual. It happens in prisons, in the military, and of course in church circles across the globe. It existed in Native American societies when men were away at war. The point is we need to make these distinctions, but this is in no way, shape, or form a denunciation of homosexuality. If Ted Haggard simply had homosexual realtions, or if he is in fact a homosexual, either way that is fine.

I am very critical of established religious institutions and this is just another example of why. They always try to deny human nature and the progression of society. Many religious fundamentalists, and many religious types in general, seem to denounce any way of life, or perspective, that is not in line with their ideas. This is not restrictive to religious believers though, it happens in politics and any other belief based system. However, established religions have done far more harm than good in this world. The wars, the death, and the harm all done in the name of religion boggles my mind, but I digress.

So Ted Haggard and the rest of the faithful, step outside the box you live in and see yourselves for what you really are. A product of humanity, a creation that is molded by its surroundings. God didn't create the world, the world created God and people don't choose to be homosexuals, but they deserve to be treated rightfully and justly as human beings, not as a social misfit.