Jonathan Jones

By Jonathan Jones

I’ve been watching the evolving arguments relating to the Pope speaking out against homosexuality. Why aren’t people able to comprehend that Catholicism (and Christianity to a larger extent) will always be against homosexuality, well homosexual acts to be more specific.

The Christian line has always been, it’s okay to be homosexual providing you aren’t doing anything about it which is sort of like having a brand new television but not plugging it in. “Look, it’s a Sony Bravia LCD TV, it has a 32 inch screen and a whole range of amazing features, look it says so on the box!”

There are two things which have always puzzled me about all of this. Firstly, why do people take advice and suggestions about sex and sexual relations from an elderly virgin? I can’t comprehend that at all. Would you go to a mechanic who not only didn’t possess a car but in fact had never learned to drive to begin with? Of course you wouldn’t.

Secondly, why do gay people (when they know what Scripture has to say about them) persist in believing in the Christian god? Okay, so Jesus never said anything specific in relation to it but the vast majority of Christian churches and traditions are against same-sex relationships and unions.

One could fall into the trap of believing that the Church has moved towards being more accepting of homosexuality but then we hear of the schism developing in the Anglican church whereby whole sections of believers are wishing to fall away to go back to what they view as the correct teachings of the Bible and we see that there is a genuine crisis developing.

I simply cannot comprehend why someone would wish to be allied with a belief system which has caused so much heartache, so much devastation down the ages. There are of course beautiful passages within the Bible which do portray a loving and just god but there are many more which show the Christian god to be a murderous, tyrannical, wrath-filled, vengeful, bloodthirsty psychopath.

It has got to have an adverse effect on the mental and emotional wellbeing of LGBT’s of faith when they’re surrounded by people who profess to believe as they do but in fact are dead against who and what they are on a deep and personal level. Love the sinner but not the sin. Where’s the sin in expressing sexually the love you have for another? For many who still wish to believe, the answer comes in seeking out more liberal churches/denominations.

I’m not seeking to bash anyone’s beliefs, if it makes you genuinely happy then fair play to you. What I’m continually astounded by is the reaction of the gay community to an outburst by the Pope or by an Islamic cleric who despises homosexuality. Christianity, Islam and in fact most of the major religions, aren’t accepting of gays and probably never will be so why is there always such an outcry when someone within each tradition makes such a remark? Religion isn’t even especially accepting of heterosexual sex, wishing for it to be only within the confines of marriage and then really only for the act of procreation.

Sex is wondrous and beautiful as are people. I think it would be a greater shock if the world’s religions and their leaders promoted this idea. Their power lies in diminishing us so that we look to something greater for the solution. Do you know what the sad thing is? We’re all pretty okay as we are. Unfortunately with all of this negative programming most of us will never get to fully realise it and that truly is a shame. In fact, it’s the shame of our age.