'Gay Cure'

The development of a 'Gay Cure' is something that I find myself reflecting on from time to time.

The reason for this is that if someone finds a genetic reason for being homosexual then you can bet your bottom-dollar that someone else will work out how to correct that 'genetic difficulty'. This is true for any physiological cause of homosexuality, for if there is found to be a 'cause' then there is also sure to be someone who will effect a 'cure' and this has to be wrong. Mind you, finding psychological causes doesn't do too much for the situation either, does it?

It appears that a work of fiction by writer, Marion Heath, has been the focus of a 'bit of bother' in that some are portraying it as a 'gay cure' book because it tells the tale of two men whose relationship breaks up after one has a 'religious experience'.

I think I might be more concerned by the response of an Outrage spokesman who issued what is, in my view contradictory and not only unhelpful, but likely to add support to those who want it to be a genetic aberation (a small group which deviates from the main population is considered to be abnormal and this will be neither popular with some or helpful for others).

So the assessment that the book was written, "By people who can’t get it into their thick skulls that being gay is not an illness, an ailment or something to cure. Christians in particular are worried as science moves towards seeing being gay as a genetic thing – they are running out of ammunition. If science says this, Christians cannot say ‘you are evil’ because it’s something you’re born with, like your skin colour," is a bit of a foot shooting exercise as I see it!

Exactly right, but many others will say that it is a genetic condition. The best path would have been to just ignore it and let it vanish into the ether and then, as the spokesman for Outrage said, "The book will have its moment of fame and then disappear into the remainder shelves in the bookshop." But now of course it's become an issue and the publisher will sell many more books - bet they love Outrage!

Bit of a sad story this and one which is not going to help either side of the situation at the end of the day.

It's sad because Jesus can change lives and that is a reality, but describing the life-changing work of God's Holy Spirit in this context as a 'cure' is as sure a path to conflict as the way that some of those who are homosexual (or merely support their lifestyle) posture and misrepresent the mainstream (by which I mean 'central') Christian view.

I am not bothered with who a person is but I am bothered with how a person lives their life. Why? Because so too does God who applies the rules equally to all without exception or favour - a good way to live as I see it.

So, let's all try to play nicely in the play pen and if we demand the right to live as we choose then perhaps we should afford that same right to others. We might not like what they say, but to do other than this only makes one side more right than the other and this is of course wrong (unless it's your side that benefits from the bias of course)!

Also, living as God commands appears to bring a number of benefits to our lives, relationships and community. That these are not popular has more to do with us than God, that these commandments are used as a stick to beat others speaks poorly of us and does God no favours (Galatians six applies here . . .).

Pax