Live and let live

Why the brouhaha about homosexuality?

A friend of mine shocked me the other day by saying she would not mind a criminal moving into her neighborhood, but would move out of her house if a homosexual couple came next door.

I often wonder why people make a bigger deal about a person having a deviant form of sexuality than they do of real vileness. If we have to take a stand, why not against rapist and pedophiles? I am shocked at how vociferous our society is against gay men and women, and displays only fleeting outrage at racists or serial killers. Murderous impulses are reprehensible, being rude is bad, treating people differently because of their color or beliefs is a sin. Being gay? Its their business. And what two people decide to do between themselves should not be a third person's concern. Let us not make judgements we are not asked to make. My religion does not allow homosexuality, but it also does not permit me to decide what someone else does with their lives.

Before we take up arms against an individual's choice of a sexual partner, however strange or objectionable it may seem to us, we have to think about where we are headed with this. If we give ourselves the authority to force our convictions on those who may not agree, what will be next? Are we going to regulate what we read, or what we believe? Freedom is not issue-specific. Either you are free to choose or you are not. It is not subject to our likes and dislikes. If some people choose to behave in a way that goes against our grain, they are well within their rights - as long as they are not hurting anyone, its absolutely alright. Curtailing their freedom, denying them the choice of who to be, is deleterious to the very concept of liberty.

People tell me if we accept homosexuality today, we will eventually be asked to accept all 'other perversions'. There is only one perversion - and that is forcing someone against their will. So if a gay man assaults another , he commits an opprobrious crime, as is the assault by a straight man. But if two men want to get together, it is not a perversion - even if I cannot understand it. Labeling it perversion is a personal choice, and should be kept at that. We cannot enforce our interpretation on someone else's rationale or predilections. Its a matter of personal choice.

The basic rule for civilization is universally applicable - if it not a detriment for you, or does not affect you in a negative way, its not your right o complain about it.

Most religions clearly do declare homosexuality a sin against God. So is cheating, and adultery, and murder. Do we get so riled up about someone who lies? We do not; it almost becomes a matter of course for us, an unpleasant part of life. People will lie, and cheat, and unfortunately even kill. Why does this rationalizing not extend to homosexuality if religiosity is what is driving those who harangue against it? I, personally, do believe homosexuality to be a sin, yet I surely have no problems with being friends with people of a different sexual orientation. But I would hate to be be friends with a cheat or a compulsive liar.

So, they want to get married. Let them. I believe in the sanctity of marriage too. And I believe it is sacred enough to NOT be affected by the wedding oaths that people of the same sex might take. The sacredness of any relationship depends on the two people involved in it. What sanctity are we talking about if a husband and wife cheat on, or rob, each other? I will never understand what is so disturbing if two men or two women want to make a commitment to each other. They certainly are not asking you to commit to either of them! So what is your problem?

The test of a mature society is not on how it moulds everyone to fit its rules and laws, but on how many different ideologies it encompasses within its framework. People are not angels, we will sin. So why not let homosexuals be? They are not hurting anyone. They do not try to convince us their way is better. Who are we to force them to say theirs is worse?