Tuesday

The New Bigots

Another story that broke last week during my 12-day hog-tie at the office (link):

Must reading http://t.co/CsWyz8xQFU

— The Daily Eudemon (@TheDailyEudemon) January 18, 2015

This whole Gary Sinise and Bret Baier story is, like the Swiss National Banc story, troubling on many levels, but the one I find most troubling, and that isn't getting a lot of cyber-ink, is the notion that these LGBT groups call Legatus anti-gay. One of the most well-known bloggers in such matters referred to Legatus as "a very anti-gay organization." As proof, he then pasted this statement from Legatus:

It's impossible to see homosexual unions as being in line with God's intentions for marriage since the product of intercourse is not fruitful. Along with masturbation, fornication, and adultery, homosexuality is a selfish act that cannot fulfill the divinely ordained purpose of the reproductive powers. The Church teaches that God instituted the sacrament of Marriage, and only He has the authority to change the nature of marriage. Neither the Church nor the state has the competence to alter the substance of marriage or the family. Attempts by civil government or the courts to alter the law in favor of same-sex unions distort the true meaning of marriage, which has existed for thousands of years.

The Church encourages people who suffer from the disorder of same-sex attraction to live a chaste and celibate life. Chastity is required of all people, no matter their state in life – single, married, or celibate. It is a virtue in which our thoughts, words, and actions are modest. Celibacy is a discipline by which one does not marry.

It then posted another statement from Legatus that tells homosexuals they can get help for their condition.

This is extremely troubling and ought to give the pro-homosexual faction of the Catholic Church severe pause (I would mention Elizabeth Scalia by name, but that would be indiscreet, and I'm not even sure it's accurate, though one of her pro-gay Tweets, it is fair to say, freaked me out). The quoted statement above is merely a restatement of Church teaching. If anyone can find a conflict between that quote and the Catechism (at 2357), which states that "homosexual acts are intrinsically disordered" and "contrary to the natural law" and that "they close the sexual act to the gift of life" and "[u]nder no circumstances can they be approved," please email me. You have my email link on the left.

But here's the thing that really bothers me: Legatus is declared "very anti-gay" because it disagrees with the pro-gay beliefs on these issues. And that's the only reason. Legatus has never called for a gay pogrom or even enforcement of the anti-sodomy laws. It hasn't called for discrimination against gays. It merely stated that it believes homosexual acts are disordered and, like any sin, there is help for those who are inclined toward that particular sin.

In that, Legatus holds beliefs that are very different than the gay movement's beliefs.

Now, I was raised to believe that different beliefs are fine. My parents, my public school teachers, my university professors, everyone without exception hammered one thing over and over and over: "The world is full of different opinions and you need to learn to tolerate them. If you hate someone because of their beliefs, you're a bigot. End of story."

The Jews and I disagree fiercely about the nature of Jesus Christ, but that doesn't make me anti-Jewish, and my Lutheran family doesn't embrace the authority of the Pope, but that doesn't make them anti-Catholic. We merely believe different things. If I hated Jews because of their beliefs or if Lutherans hated me becasue of mine, they would be declared bigots. End of story.

I'm in Kiwanis and I like the way Kiwanis does things. We have a competing Rotary Club in town. Could you imagine a Rotarian rail against me because I attend Kiwanis meetings and participate in the projects? You would think the Rotarian was nuts: "You think Eric Scheske hates Rotary because he's a good Kiwanian? Are you freakin' off your rocker? Can't he just have a club he believes in without hating your Club?" The answer, of course, is "yes, he can, just as a person can be a good Lutheran without hating Catholics or a good Catholic without hating Jews."

But in today's gay movement, that's simply not possible. Why? Because there's a new form of bigotry in America today and it's more rampant than the worst bigoted movements of the 19th century.

That's the real story behind the Sinise and Baier matter.