I’ve been very busy doing technical work for the IGF site and, for this blog, researching the facts behind Exodus’ all-too-frequent misstatements and political diatribes.
That hasn’t left me with much time to recognize venues where one’s opposition to homosexual behavior does not necessarily require one to become an intolerant ideologue.
Sed Contra, linked from the left navigation menu, is one such venue. David Morrison is opposed to homosexual behavior, but his approach is simultaneously contemplative, prayerful, rational, non-ideological, and — I believe — realistic for those same-sex-attracted Christian folks who choose celibacy.
He’s no gay rights hero by any means. I disagree with his views on homosexuality, but I respect his approach.
If this is the same David Morrison who penned an anti-gay piece a few years ago that religious right organizations still send around, I would hardly call him rational. And the slippery slope clap trap in his recent postings more than suggest that he is not.
It’s the same David Morrison who said Matthew Sheppard brought his murder on himself.
Morrison is a shill for the Catholic right, which is the greatest threat to gay people in the western world.
Thanks for the pointers. I’m working toward a more comprehensive review of his book and his activities.
I agree that “slippery slope” arguments are self-serving, un-nuanced and immature in their grasp of moral concerns.
For the record, guys, I don’t think anything of mine that I have writtent could be called “anti-gay” unless sexual activity is to be considered the litmus test for “gayness.” If Raj considered it so he would not be alone in his opinion and hence I stopped self-describing as gay years ago even though I acknowledge some degree of same sex attraction.
Frank, all I pointed out was that Sheppard had been killed by men he encountered and got involved with at a bar. I believe I also might have pointed out that, according to Newsweek, just a few weeks before he was killed Sheppard had been punched by another man in almost identical circumstance (rural area, nighttime, after a bar). This, of course, does not condone his murder, which I absolutely condemn, but serves to point out the reality that men seeking sex from man and being beaten and killed in the course of that activity is hardly a new or unique. Just recently in the DC area I believe we have been going through yet another spate of such killings.
Mike, feel free to read the book and analyze what I wrote as much as you like. I think the current parade of news makes my case for slippery slope for me.
I actually checked out the site under discussion here. It reads like something by the villian in an Ayn Rand novel, for all you IGF fans here. Life is evil, sex is especially evil, abortion is evil, on and on. Hatred of life and pleasure is the dominant motif. There is one unusually revolting story about the poor young woman who died from taking the abortion drug. His comment is that one death in 200,000 means that this drug should be outlawed. The death rate from child birth runs something over 1 in 10,000; but women are meant to suffer for the sins of Eve apparently. If I needed something to use as an illustration that christianity is a death loving, life hating cult, this would be a prime exhibit. Not exactly a sunshine and light place. Could not find advice on self-flagellation but then did not look very hard.
I can only assume the anonymous comment is from David Morrison himself, and it is ironic that this one post actually contradicts his claim that nothing he has written “could be called ‘anti-gay’.” Even bringing up the bogus claim that Matthew Shepard came on to his murderers is itself anti-gay, because it implies that violence is a natural and expected reaction to an unwanted sexual advance from one man to another – it reinforces the “moral” teaching that to be gay, or even worse to be straight and considered gay, is a character assassination. Certainly we would never give women any leeway for murdering a man who simply made an unwanted advance – if that were allowed the human race would cease to exist, as most of the straight men would be murdered in one generation. Also, for the record, testimony in the case, from the bartender and the killers themselves, showed that they approached Shepard first, and faked being gay.
As for the deaths in the DC area, most have been pre-op transgendered women who have been killed after men who paid them for sex found out they were still, or had been, physically male. Certainly prostitution is a violent profession, but it is also one of the few a “she-male” can enter to make money, and again you seem to be implying that it is perfectly reasonable for these men to resort to violence. Of course, the Catholic Bishops (or was it the Vatican?) made the same claim in one of their writings on the subject, I believe they said something along the lines of “gay people who advocate for their rights should expect violence as a result,” so perhaps you’re just following Catholic doctrine (BTW, I thank God every day that I have left that church).
The real problem in DC is the roving band of men who have been attacking innocent gay men (just walking down the street) with pipes, apparently for the thrill of beating up a fag. But I guess we should simply accept that as a feature of being open and honest about who we are.
The comment came from Cardinal Ratzinger, head of whatever euphemism is disguising the Inquisition these days. It seems to be generally accepted among Catholics that this is the official, authoritative teaching of the church.
Morrison recently mislabeled a request that Rev. Earle Fox receive pastoral care from his bishop after making inappropriately graphic comments at Gene Robinson’s consecration.
When I pointed out Rev. Fox’s prepared text included references to urine and feces and that this was a church gathering of all ages (including children) he surmised that it was “probably” inappropriate, but hoped that Fox’s bishop would congratulate him for making a “good try”.
My personal assessment is that the man has a good heart and is sincere, but as I’ve told him myself, he also baffles me.
Your soul is purer than mine, Steve. I have as much use of Morrison as I do for Earle — none.
Hi again guys, sorry about the anonymous comment earlier. I thought the identity feature picked up my information. I have entered it again to make sure. Also, is it just my browser or do all the comments vanish under the menu to the right side of the screen as you type?
CPT, if you want to call bogus the claim that Sheppard came on to his attackers, at least attackers in an similar incident a few weeks before he was killed, you need to take that up with Newsweek. I expect they would stand by their reporting. And also, I am not seeking to give a pass to any attackers, but merely pointing out that the circumstances for a lot of bashing has the seeking of homosexual activity at their root. I also read the Blade, as well as the Post, on a fairly regular basis. I must have missed the stories (recent?) about the gangs of young men prowling the streets to beat up gay men. Send me a link if you track one down.
Steve, you baffled me too. But I think I am getting a bit better idea of your perspective now.
Dale, my comment on the young woman’s death was in response to one like yours from the abortion advocates and was meant to illustrate what cold comfort such thinking could be expected to bring her family. Also, if you are going to state that Sed Contra that life is evil, I would ask that include cites. I don’t think life is evil. I think life is grand and lovely and worth protecting. I don’t think sex is evil, if anything the opposite, I think sex and our bodies are precious and deserving of respect and genuine love, so I would appreciate references to where you think I have said that life was evil.
The tone of your note above makes me wonder if a little tranference is at play here, as described in one online article: “Because the experience of the other person often is limited to text, there is a tendency for the user to project a variety of wishes, fantasies, and fears onto the ambiguous figure at the other end of cyberspace.”
David notes: “if you want to call bogus the claim that Sheppard came on to his attackers, at least attackers in an similar incident a few weeks before he was killed, you need to take that up with Newsweek. I expect they would stand by their reporting. And also, I am not seeking to give a pass to any attackers, but merely pointing out that the circumstances for a lot of bashing has the seeking of homosexual activity at their root.”
Golly, Dave, this is the last thing I want to launch into here, because it’s all so old and key facts are well-established… Aaron McKinney’s admission that Matthew did not hit on him or make advances, McKinney & Henderson deliberately misleading a guy who was a fraction of their combined size… the list could go on, but the bottom line remains that blaming the victim was no defense for the thousands of lynchings of African-Americans, nor is it in Shepard’s case.
Here is a song by early 20th-century labor activist Joe Hill on the subject.
[Moderator’s note: I’ve linked to the song and deleted the lyrics from Dale’s message, since they’re copyrighted. — Mike A.]
Googled on the subject of deaths in childbirth. In the US the rate is approximately 11.5 per 100,000 births. By this calculus, there has been 1 death from the RU40 versus 23 deaths that would have resulted had the pregnancies ended by RU40 continued to term. The death of one person is a tragedy, as noted. But one must also realize that this one death is outweighed by the 23 lives saved. RU40 results in the net saving of 22 lives. In which case, Heathen that I am, I can only regard it as a good thing to have this medicine available. We do not live without risk; it is inherent in life that we commit to courses of action where the immediate outcome is unknown. Yet we do so by using odds and probabilities of possible outcomes. I do not see this understanding on view in the referenced post. Rather there is simply a blanket condemnation of the technique. With an implicit recomendation that it be outlawed. Which I would regard as life hating, this world rejecting.