Categories: uncategorized
Date: 21 January 2007 17:20:24
Taking my prompt from Nessa's comments to my last post (cheers Nessa!) I've been thinking about the whole relationship between religion, the body, sexuality, homosexuality, etc. Nessa suggested that maybe the reason why the debate within the church about about homosexuality is always centred around male rather than female sexuality is because of "a possible 'p' word". I'm hazarding a guess that the 'p' word is paedophilia? Of course, it might be 'post-reformation protestant prudishness' or 'presbyterians against penile perversions', but let's presume I'm right. Ok, let's examine this. If many conservative / fundamentalist / evangelical christians really are against homosexuality in the church because of a perceived risk of paedophilia (I'm not sure that this is the case, but let's pretend it is for a while) then what we would need to find out is whether a homosexual man (or a lesbian woman) in a position of authority in the church is any more (or less) likely to (mis)use their authority to engage in sexual activities with an under age or vulnerable person than a married or single heterosexual or celebate man or woman. In other words, we're asking whether a homosexual man finds the erotic allure of teenage males under his authority (which would be inappropriate to act on) any stronger and more difficult to resist than a heterosexual or celebate man might find the erotic allure of teenage girls under his authority. I have simply not found any evidence whatsoever to suggest that this might be the case. Therefore, this assumption would be based on nothing but ignorance. It *might* be the case in a person who has not become psychologically mature enough to be aware of and completely responsible for their own sexual activity and identity, but this is true regardless of sexual orientation or gender. So maybe we are in a self-perpetuating circle: the church's refusal of gay / lesbian sexuality might make it harder for some gay / lesbian christians to come to a psychologically mature acceptance of their sexuality simply because we all need people around us who give us permission to be who we are. The refusal of that permission from the church is extremely damaging and is part of what makes the "christian" church a no-go-zone (and rightly so) for many in our society. On the other hand, those lesbian and gay christians I know / have known (though not in the biblical sense) who have had to battle with the whole question of how to be christian and gay / lesbian are some of the finest people I've had the priviledge of knowing simply because the experience of exile (and thus brokenness) does seem to have the effect of creating character and psychological strength. As usual it's artists rather than bishops who seem to be making more sense of love / justice / truth and the battle against ignorance.
"The Ballad Of Peter Pumpkinhead" by XTC
Peter Pumpkinhead came to town
Spreading wisdom and cash around
Fed the starving and housed the poor
Showed the vatican what gold's for
Chorus:
But he made too many enemies
Of the people who would keep us on our knees
Hooray for Peter Pumpkin
Who'll pray for Peter Pumpkinhead?
Oh my!
Peter Pumpkinhead pulled them all
Emptied churches and shopping malls
Where he spoke, it would raise the roof
Peter Pumpkinhead told the truth
Chorus:
But he made too many enemies...
Peter Pumpkinhead put to shame
Governments who would slur his name
Plots and sex scandals failed outright
Peter merely said
Any kind of love is alright
Chorus:
But he made too many enemies...
Peter Pumpkinhead was too good
Had him nailed to a chunk of wood
He died grinning on live TV
Hanging there he looked a lot like you
And an awful lot like me!
Chorus:
But he made too many enemies...
Hooray for Peter Pumpkin
Who'll pray for Peter Pumpkin
Hooray for Peter Pumpkinhead
Oh my oh my oh!
Doesn't it make you want to cry oh?
Sadly, there is only 1 book I have ever come across from a christian perspective which has anything like an informed, honest, accepting, realistic and loving attitude towards sex, sexuality, the roots of our individual sexualities and the myriad quirks and complexities of what turns us on (and off). Unsurprisingly it's written by a woman. 'Memories of Bliss' by Jo Ind. Thanks Jo!
So, what would Peter Pumpkinhead do? I think he'd simply say "Yes" to life and everything in it, of which sexuality is an important part.
I'm off out to see another band tonight: ARCC an intriguing 5-piece who create improvised cinematic soundscapes. Reports will follow.