Sex, Sin and Zen, Part II: Facts vs fantasies...
April 23, 2002
The current scandals with the Catholic Church are nothing new, despite what some pundits suggest. The Catholic Church has been dealing with priests stepping out with parishioners since its inception, be they with males or females. From time to time such relations seem to have even been of the same �epidemic� proportions as they are now.
The Church�s bigotry towards gays and lesbians is also nothing new, having waned and wd throughout the millennia. This bigotry was justified religiously and morally, and received a further helping hand by the conventional wisdom of the time. Of course, this wasn�t animosity directed a gay people per se. The idea that one could be gay or lesbian as a constitution wasn�t considered until the late 1800�s and the birth of the study of human sexuality. (Look at Karl Heinrich Ulrichs (1825-1895) for a discussion on one of the first modern theorists who moved past actions into identity.)
Today, many religious groups are wrestling with the whole concept of human sexuality. Our science has granted us insight into the workings of human needs and desires � the mechanics of the biology and psychology behind both who we fall in love with and who we have sex with. A good deal of mystery remains around these topics, though now, in this 21st century environment, as a result of our investigations, we understand enough to be able to separate our old, superstitious notions from those rooted in facts, observation and empiricism.
It is now a solved question that homosexuality is a natural and common expression of sexuality. We have a large body of evidence that shows its occurrence across animal species. Fairly complex animals, be they closely related to us genetically like primates, or distant relations like penguins, are all documented as being either situationally or, as far as we can tell, constitutionally �gay.� Even farther afield, in a relatively simple organism such as Drosophila subobscura (the fruit fly) has its own gay members. . (While the gene studies on humans are more strongly suggestive than demonstrated, arguments for a purely genetic basis for homosexuality grow out of the manipulations of a few genes in Drosophila. I doubt though that for humans sexuality is that cut and dried.)
As an aside, for animals, �gay� of course is an anthropomorphic term. We have no idea if the animals studied consider themselves to be gay as we use the term: one who is primarily emotionally and sexually attracted to someone of the same gender. By all outward signs though they do behave in the same way that humans who profess to be gay or lesbian do. However, as anthropomorphizing is fraught with problems, until Dr. Doolittle publishes a peer-reviewed survey of actual animal interviews, their own self-identification will remain hidden to us�
Psychologically, from Evelyn Hooker (1956) forward (Armon, 1960; Hopkins, 1969; Siegelman, 1972; Freedman, 1971; Obison & Wilson, 1974; Thompson et al 1971; Wilson & Green, 1971; Saghir & Robins, 1973; Oberstone & Sukoneck, 1976; Adelman, 1977; Bell & Weinberg, 1978; Hart et al 1978) it was established clearly that sexual orientation was natural and was not, in and of itself, a mental illness. Over 50 years of research, in psychology, sociology, biology, neurology and genetics, have created a firm foundation into the �naturalness� of both homo- and hetro- sexuality. Causes, origins, reasons are still subject to a vast amount of debate. Over the next fifty years though, I�m certain that all of our personality characteristics will be linked to genetic, environmental and nurturing factors, indicating just how complicated the simplest emotions and behaviors are in their origin.
It is as an outgrowth of all of this research that we�re able to demonstrate exactly how pejorative claims of �deviancy� and �immorality� about gays truly are. In real terms, not in the closed, self-sustaining theological terms of so many religious groups, phraseology such as �objective moral disorder�to which no one has any conceivable right to express� is not only rationally noxious but potentially deadly in so many ways. Our science --the systematic process of investigation and understanding which has allowed us to create such a world of abundance, �miracles� and �magic,� -- has given us definitive insight into this fundamental aspect of human existence. It's an insight that forces us to abandon our old, "Just So" story mythology and deal intelligently with the realities of life.
Further, it's the height of hypocrisy to extol and enjoy the benefits of science and modernity and then denigrate and ignore it when it shows that generations of dogma have no basis in reality.
Homosexuality isn�t deviant. Gays aren�t any more likely to sleep with children than straights are. The violating of trust by acting out sexually with teens has little to do with sexual orientation and a lot to do with an ancient, superstitious system that mostly encourages secrecy, shame, obedience and deference under the guise of humility, compassion, morality and social justice.
--next up, open systems vs. closed systems--
Posted by Jody at April 23, 2002 04:09 PM