Tuesday, September 4, 2007

Hypocrisy and the religious right

This will be a semi-religious post, so if you are not interested in that than please feel free to read another of my posts or you can move on and check back in with me tomorrow.

So, many people have pointed out the hypocrisy of Sen. Vitter and Sen. Craig, among others, who have come out for family values and against gay rights and then have had affairs whether they are heterosexual or homosexual. This is a huge hypocrisy and so should be pointed out, but there is another one, one that I think is much bigger that I have not noticed anyone else point out (if you have then please put the link for that post in the comments section as I would be interested in seeing someone else's thoughts). The fact that these so called Christians question God. They say that God created the world and everything in it, they say that God is perfect, they say that you should not question God's judgment, they say that God is omnipotent and that God knows the path of each person's life and yet they say that God made a mistake with homosexuals. The religious right and other religious fundamentalists say that homosexuality is wrong and point to passages in religious texts that support their views. Ok, so then why does God allow homosexuals to exist, if God is all powerful and all knowing and does not approve of homosexuals, why doesn't God just wipe them off the planet or better yet why were they created? If humans are created in the image of God then doesn't it make sense that homosexuality must be part of God's plans for us humans. God does not create what is not needed if God is perfect and all powerful. I know what you are thinking, it is a choice and God does not approve of the choice, but gave humans free will so there is nothing God can do about it? That seems to be weak to me. That is giving up on God, in my opinion, and saying that God really isn't all powerful. That is like the Koan, can God create a rock that even God cannot lift? It is circular and there is no real end to that without exiting the paradigm and saying that God is not all powerful. So the idea that God creates free will for humans and then allows choices that God does not approve of to exist, just doesn't make sense to me. There is also this idea that if you pray enough God will make you straight again, but then doesn't this undermine free will. Either we do not have free will and God has ordained that some people will be heterosexuals, some will be homosexuals and that some will be bisexual or we do have free will and God does not care about our sexuality. This means that praying enough will not cure you and going to a special camp or therapy program or whatever will also not cure you, you are who you are. God created you the way you are supposed to be.

Also, I am not sure I have heard Sen. Craig say it, but I have heard it said that it was lust that was the sin. He was not gay, it was lust that got him. Well, I would buy that in Sen. Vitter's case. He was overcome by lust and it was for another woman, hence the only real issue is the lust part, but Sen. Craig was lusting after men. So not only is he showing lust, but also after the same sex. That seems to be more complex than simple lust. That seems to be a man, who is not willing to admit to himself and others that he is at least bisexual if not homosexual.

So here is the hypocrisy, we as humans know better than God even when we say that God is the creator of all and that we have to trust in God's judgment.

Here is where my own thoghts come in. We are ALL children of God or Gods and we are all created in their image and that we are how we are supposed to be. If we are black, green, orange, yellow, white, homosexual, heterosexual, male or female, we are how God created us. We need to learn to accept ourselves and those around us for the strengths that they bring into the world and the complex people that they are. We need to stop underestimating God and trust that our lives are created the way they are supposed to be. I think that as long as the people involved in the relationship can give consent, hence no children and no animals, than it is no ones business, but their own. I believe I have no right to question your faith and you have no right to question mine. I have no right to question if your belief in God is strong enough or in the "right" God or Gods and you have no right to do the same to me. I also have no right to expect you to believe in God, if you are an atheist, than more power to you and I encourage you to continue to live your life within your own moral code. I definitely fall into the free will camp and hence God is not all powerful, but that does not mean that I cannot believe in a higher power and one that I pray will give me wisdom, safety for myself and other and the ability to teach and learn as much as I can from those around me.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hey Boxer -

Nice post.

I've heard this argument before, and usually someone all puffed with outrage and moral indignation comes along and says something about Original Sin, and some mention of Free Will (St. Thomas Aquinas, usually gets thrown in there, too).

As you probably know, I don't profess much faith, I don't even believe the next Kleenex will pop up (and half the time I'm right).

So in Bill & Ted fashion, I believe in treating others excellently and leaving my campsite cleaner than I found it.

Regards,

Tengrain

Anonymous said...

Coming as I do, from a family of Bible thumping blinded-by-the-right fundies, the only faith I had was the hope that I would get away from there as soon as possible. When I finally saw the light, it was a Exit sign, and I've never looked back. I don't begrudge anyone for their beliefs, but I draw a line when it comes to imposing doctrine on others.

One other related point. The key differences between Vitter and Craig were that Vitter was likely to be replaced by a Democrat, while Craig was assured to be replaced by a Republican. Even more importantly, Craig was railroaded out because he had opposed key parts of the Patriot act when it was up for renewal. In this administration, that is considered not only treasonous, but blasphemous as well.

joshhill1021 said...

Ten- Being Jewish, I am not very familiar with Thomas Aquinas, but I still say that either we have free will and God doesn't care about our sexuality or we don't and it is in God's hands, either way it works for me. That is exactly what i was saying, no matter if you have faith or not just let your own moral compass guide you.

Morse- You are very correct about another difference between Vitter and Craig. My issue is that the reasons that they were pressured to resign is the same for both, they sinned, but in my thoughts the wrongs were very different.

Anonymous said...

Well said, BR. Hypocrisy comes in many flavors and sizes, but religious hypocrisies always seem the most egregious to me.