“O, frabjous day, calloo, callay!” I chortled in my joy on learning this morning that the Supreme Court has affirmed the right of LGBT folks to the pursuit of happiness. Throughout human history most folks have pursued their happiness in the form of a secure, lasting, and loving relationship within a thriving family, i.e. marriage. Up until today, LGBT folks in these United States of incredible America had been denied that security in our relationships and families. Again, Calloo, Callay! And again! I’ve lived to see it!
Immediate commentaries by opponents of the decision were morbid concern about infringing (their) freedom of religion, insisting that other people should not be allowed to live in ways not in accordance with their (own) religious beliefs. You will note that their freedom entails the subjugation of others. Where in the world do these arrogant people get the absurd idea that their (or anyone else’s) religious beliefs are relevant to governance of this nation? Those beliefs are immaterial in both senses of the word. As citizens of this amazing nation, those disgruntled opponents of this thunderbolt of justice now have a civic duty to live by and uphold the law of the land. No exceptions. None.
I’ll defend (not necessarily to the death) the right of every one of us to hold and express our own personal religious beliefs. This is freedom of religion. But no one may compel someone else to share in or live according to their beliefs (divinely revealed or otherwise). One can never be truly free at the cost of another’s freedom. Never.
And they will wail and moan, complaining that (homo)sex(uality) is a sin. While this pious lament is by definition irrelevant and immaterial to governance of the nation, I’d like to discuss the artificial notion of sin. There are indeed positive and negative acts judged so by subjective standards and many also adjudged so by society, but the only guidelines purported to come directly from a deity are the Ten Commandments.
There’s nothing among those big no-no’s about sex except not coveting thy neighbor’s wife. Not word one about coveting thy neighbor. But there are scriptural injunctions to love thy neighbor as thyself and to do unto others as thou wouldst have them do unto thee. As a versatile sexual being, I’m all for that. Where’s the sin in loving anybody, even thy neighbor’s wife or husband?
Now you’ve gotten me started on sin, and you’re in for it. The seven deadly or cardinal sins are traditionally wrath, greed, sloth, pride, lust, envy, and gluttony. In my opinion, this list is sadly deficient and not a little trivial in most of its vices. My personal take on it is: stupidity, greed, arrogance, falsehood, aggression, violence, and cowardice. Of course, there are myriad vicious sub-categories of these deadly sins.
I find it amusing that the traditional list includes lust, i.e. sexual desire. Any sexual desire, I guess. That’s how I was catechized. But not sex itself. You can do it, but you can’t want to. Maybe that’s what makes intimate encounters so tricky. Actually, why don’t we just scratch that sin right off the list?
But let’s forget about all that nonsense. On this frabjous day, ‘tis brillig! Calloo, Callay!
Richard Balthazar 