The thread so far:
- Huebert wrote regarding V for Vendetta that “the idea that homosexual conduct is somehow threatened by the present political situation is preposterous”.
- On his blog Roderick Long countered (see penultimate bullet point) with “today’s high rate of violence against gays” and noted that popular Judge Roy Moore advocated “confinement and even execution” against gays.
- Bill Anderson wrote that “I doubt that the Repressive Regime of the Future will be one in which socialists, homosexuals, and non-Christians are the ones hauled off to concentration camps”.
- Anthony Gregory responded that “When the total state uses religion or atheism, I don’t think the issue is theology but rather the best method, given time and place, for maintaining and expanding power.”
As I mentioned I was at the viewing of the film Friday night of the Austrian Scholars Conference (not an official conference event) which Huebert and Long both attended. My father, a pastor, was also there visiting the Mises Institute for the first time and I found his comments on this aspect of the film interesting.
My father is a socially, morally and theologically conservative evangelical pastor. His response to the portrayal of homosexuals being persecuted by a (however hypocritically) “christian” regime was to express grief that this is how people view Christians… That they’re just waiting to seize political power so they can toss homosexuals into concentration camps. Thus, as in the film, making homosexual acts a brave choice of freedom and individual integrity as against political repression.
I remember an excellent sermon by my father from many years ago on the subject of homosexuality that challenged Christians to stop being prideful and hypocritical about this. He charged that many Christians put homosexuality in a different category than “natural” sins like adultery, heterosexual fornication, etc. He recounted men who rationalized their sins by saying “at least what I did was natural”.
Taking a cue from that I would point out that in regards to adultery, drunkenness and so many other sins, Christians have done a much better job of communicating the position of Christ: These things are not good for you but Christ and his Church love you, forgiveness is available through Christ and the body of Christ wants to help you with the pain and brokenness in your life, help you to be healed and have integrity. This is the message that homosexuals receive at my father’s church (I’m not speaking theoretically) but it is not the message that they receive from the conservative Christian community overall. This is tragic and as suggested by Anthony has a lot to do with Christianity being politicized.
2:24 pm on March 21, 2006
