Chan Lowe: Michele Bachmann's therapy session
Cultural conservatives are unwilling to accept, or even to entertain, the notion that same-sex attraction is programmed into one’s biological makeup the same as eye color, or a preference for anchovies. To continue to insist that being gay is a willful choice, or at least the result of confusion or weakness, allows one to develop a so-called moral argument that gayness is a sin that can be conditioned out the way one housebreaks a dog.
Let us set aside Scripture for a moment. To use “Because the Bible says so,” as a basis for discussion is like shooting craps with loaded dice, particularly since many people don’t accept the Bible’s words as sacred, and the Constitution, at least for the moment, still says it can’t be shoved down our throats. Conservatives like to argue that the sole purpose of marriage is procreation, and therefore same-sex marriage is a crime against society.
So we’ll pretend that’s true. What happens to people who marry when one is biologically unable to be a parent? Are they sinners? What about a straight couple that marries so late in life they can no longer have children? Would it have been more moral for them to just move in together? By the way, that’s called “living in sin.” Which is worse?
As long as we’re talking morality, let's look at the problems of the Earth with a universal, dispassionate eye. Since most of our banes⎯pollution, starvation, wars over dwindling resources⎯stem from overpopulation, it could be argued from a moral standpoint that procreating willy-nilly is a sin because it adds to humanity’s misery.
In other words, those who marry, knowing that they are biologically unable to have children except through adoption, are on the side of the angels.
Uh-oh.
CHAN LOWE has been the Sun Sentinel’s first and only editorial cartoonist for the past twenty-six years. Before that, he worked as cartoonist and writer for the Oklahoma City Times and the Shawnee (OK) News-Star.
Comments
Subject to hatred, ridicule, violence, prejudice.... Why would anyone "choose" to be homosexual?
Posted by: Buy American or Drop Dead | July 14, 2011 6:22 PM
Thanks, Chan, and also "Buy American or Drop Dead."
Posted by: V Dane | July 15, 2011 6:50 AM
Not being an expert on how the power of prayer works for the Bachmann's-Michele & Marcus, I depend on "Mr. Google"...
Matthew 6:6....."But when thou pray-est, enter into thy closet, & when thou hast shut thy door,pray to thy Father,blah,blah,blah....
I'll leave it up to others to decide things like living in sin, same-sex marriage, procreation,etc,etc,
As for me, I belong to a non-prophet organization....But- that closet thing just might work for the Bachmann's......
Posted by: Lorraine Wagner | July 15, 2011 7:24 AM
omg this just gave me a hernia...Chan, you'r getting the hospital bill!
Posted by: Glenn | July 15, 2011 9:04 AM
Michelle will give Ron Paul his best shot yet
Posted by: A1ACharles | July 15, 2011 10:38 AM
"Conservatives like to argue that the sole purpose of marriage is procreation,"....i have never heard any conservative make that argument...unless it's some religious nut job... & as a conservative, that argument you blanket label us with is completely wrong
none of my conserv friends believe that...which truly shows how off base you are on your assumptions and assertions...again
Posted by: Rob Roy | July 15, 2011 11:08 AM