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Homosexuality and Religion

By Jim Andris For the Alestle

Some of the prejudice against homosexuality can be traced to the Judaeo-Christian code, thinks Dr. George Weinberg. In Society and the Healthy Homosexual he points out that as part of its broader campaign against pleasure, the Church ideal was complete celibacy. Not even sexual intercourse between husband and wife for purposes other' than procreation was above reproach.

The Church set up canon law to implement its own bans. "It punished people for actions that harmed no one, and justified itself by calling them sinful and arguing that they were damaging to the performer." Because of the influence of the Church, the public gradually embraced this view of homosexuals as heretics and sinners. In fact, the term "faggot" in medieval times meant "match", after the practice of using the bodies of suspected homosexuals to fire the pyres of suspected witches.

In fairness to contemporary religion, it must be pointed out that some denominations have taken a more liberal view of homosexuality. In 1972, the National Federation of Priests Councils, which represents about half of the 56,000 Roman Catholic Priests in the United States, passed a resolution which notes the oppressive laws and societal restrictions placed on homosexuals. It also notes that priests who choose to work with the homosexual community encounter stigma as a result of their work, and resolves to develop a model for a Christian ministry to the homosexual
community.

Some denominations affirm gays as equals with heterosexuals, such as the Unitarian Universalist Association. Probably more representative, however, of the new positions being taken by church groups on homosexuality is the one by the Lutheran Church in America. They hold that homosexuality is a sin in the eyes of God, but support repealing legislation governing sexual acts between consenting adults, and support understanding and justice for homosexuals within the church and community.

In spite of these statements of social policy, discrimination at the level of local congregations remains a painful reality. Gay people have been forming their own churches. The Reverend Troy Perry won a following of 16,000 homosexuals in eleven major cities in the U. S. A. Reverend Perry notes that the same book of the Bible which condemns homosexuality also condemns wearing red dresses and eating shrimp, yet scarlet, shrimp-eating women continue to cite the Bible as proof that homosexuality is wrong.

The Metropolitan Community Church, Rev. Perry's church, has branches in many large cities, including St. Louis. They are now extending their mission to other countries. Rev. Lee Carlton, executive secretary of MCC's Board of Evangelism and World Mis- sions, hopes to concentrate on Australia next, where some 800,000 homosexuals are estimated to live. Rev. Perry has reached thousands more homosexuals through his book, The Lord Is my Shepherd and He Knows I'm Gay.