And Then What Happened…?
by digby
Via Steve Gilliard I see that some conservative evangelicals have decided to deal with all the closeted homosexuality in their clergy by starting a homo-rehab program:
Recent gay-sex scandals involving evangelical pastors have prompted much soul-searching among conservative Christian leaders.
No one has proposed rethinking the theology that homosexuality is a sin. Instead, there’s a growing consensus that the church must do a better job of helping pastors resist all immoral desires, such as a lust for pornography, an addiction to drugs or a lifelong same-sex attraction.
Seminary professors, Christian counselors and veteran clergy say the best way to help pastors fight temptation is to get them talking — even about their most shameful secrets. They don’t want a sordid tell-all from the pulpit each Sunday. But they would like pastors to bare their weaknesses and admit their lapses before a small group of “accountability partners” — friends committed to listen with empathy, then rebuke or advise as needed.
J. Edgar Hoover liked to keep tabs on all teh gays too. And then he owned them.
The thing I don’t get about this is that these people are absolutely sure that homosexuality is a choice. But evangelical pastors are obviously not “choosing” to have a hidden gay life. They believe it’s sinful and they hate themselves for it. They, of all people, would not “choose” such a thing. It must be such a strong, fundamental question of identity that they are unable to resist it. (Either that or they just fast-talking religion hustlers who are completely full of shit. There are probably some of both.)
But there is actually some good news in this, I think. Under these peoples’ belief system, being gay is one of the worst sins around. Yet they are carving out a moral exception for gay preachers — the men who are supposed to set the standards and lead the people. Would they allow murderers to keep preaching? Thieves?
It seems to me that they are slowly but surely coming to realize that homosexuality knows no bounds, even among evangelical preachers, Catholic priests and other religious leaders who can’t practice what they preach. If so, it’s a good step in the right direction, no matter how small. Maybe if some of these people actually have to hear the stories of torment among their own small, elite group they’ll get some empathy — something Jesus Christ thought very highly of, if I’m not mistaken.
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