Entries tagged with “homophobia” from Trans-cendental

I attempted to register for a class at Northern Baptist Seminary.

The seminary I attend, Chicago Theological Seminary (CTS), is part of the Association of Chicago Theological Schools (ACTS), which "was formed in 1984 by twelve theological schools located in the Chicago area to provide means for cooperation among the member institutions in the areas of student cross-registration, library access and acquisitions, interchange among faculty members in the disciplines of theological education, and communications between the schools."  - http://www.actschicago.org/index.html

Students at ACTS schools may register at other ACTS schools:

Available to the approximately 3,000 students currently enrolled at its member schools are 400 faculty, about 900 courses offered annually, and library collections of 1.7 million volumes and nearly 5,000 currently received periodical subscriptions.
   - http://www.actschicago.org/index.html

Except, in the case of at least one school, if you're gay.

Now, granted, there is a stated exception:

Exceptions to the process of cross-registration exist (1) during the summer term when tuition is normally paid to the school offering the course; (2) for D.Min. courses other than Pastoral Care and Counseling and for those students in the ACTS D.Min. in Preaching Program; and (3) in certain courses with limited enrollment. Each school in ACTS reserves the right to limit enrollment in certain courses for pedagogical reasons and to set its own policies for the admission of students from other schools to such courses.
 - http://www.actschicago.org/catalog2009/cat06.html#how, emphases mine.

I attempted to cross-register for a class at Northern Baptist Seminary (which has the awesome domain name of seminary.edu). I was aware that the seminary was more conservative, and I did not expect it to be easy to take a class there. But I was willing to sit with far more conservative students in a far more conservative school, in part to keep from having my graduation date from being pushed back another two years, and in part because I do not want to be estranged from my more conservative brothers and sisters in Christ.

I didn't want to go stealthily into the seminary for several reasons. First, I am not ashamed of who I am, nor the path taken to get here. While I don't advertise my sexual orientation or transgender history to everyone, I don't take steps to hide these parts of my life either. To do so is to walk in shadow, and I prefer to be in the light.

Second, to hide an aspect of one's life can result in feelings of betrayal should the secret be found out. It is damaging to a relationship when trust is broken: witness what happened with Ted Haggard.

Third, even if the secret is never found out (unlikely as a simple web search will find enough information about me), keeping a secret from those with whom one is in relationship creates an inauthentic, dysfunctional, and, dare I say it, sinful relationship.

So, to be as honest and authentic as possible in my relationship to the class, I sent e-mail to the professor teaching the class. I explained my background (Evangelical Free, Bible Students, Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches, and United Church of Christ), my school affiliation (CTS), and my sexual orientation and transgender history. I asked for advice on what I could do to make the situation easier for everyone involved.

I did not expect the culture clash to be easy. I also did not expect, however, to be rejected from taking any classes whatsoever.

My e-mail to the instructor was apparently forwarded to the administration who, in a very polite but firm e-mail, explained to me that the school's admission policy is applied to cross-registered students. The seminary, in their catalog, under code of conduct, states:

In matters related to homosexuality:

1. Northern will not knowingly admit as a student any person having a homosexual lifestyle.

2. If, without the knowledge of the Admissions Committee, a person is admitted to the Seminary and is found not to be a practicing homosexual, but to be striving to overcome homosexual tendencies, such a person will, in Christian love, be counseled to obtain the best help available so that with the power of God such a person may overcome the problem.

3. If, without the knowledge of the Admissions Committee, a practicing homosexual is found to have been admitted to the Seminary, when such knowledge is discovered, such said practicing homosexual would be counseled to seek education elsewhere and to enter some other vocation, and failing voluntary withdrawal from Northern, would be disallowed to continue at the Seminary.

4. In no case would the Seminary recommend for ordination or for ministry any practicing homosexual or an advocate of a homosexual lifestyle.

5. Congruent with its policy of institutional integrity, Northern Baptist Seminary will not hire a practicing homosexual or an advocate of a homosexual lifestyle, and it reserves the right to dismiss from employment any such person on the grounds that it would conflict with the purpose of the institution.
- http://www.seminary.edu/about/PDFs/Seminary%20Catalog%202008-2009%20Revised.pdf

This means they are reinterpreting the ACTS policy to say:

Each school in ACTS reserves the right to limit enrollment in all courses for pedagogical reasons and to set its own policies for the admission of students from other schools to all courses.

This in order to prevent any homosexuals from taking any courses at their school, ever.

Northern Baptist may believe my twenty-one year relationship with my spouse to be sinful and unChristian. They may believe my transition, twenty-five years ago, to living as my identified gender to be a violation of Deuteronomy 22:5.

They may well object to my behavior off school grounds, but they were not going to change that by rejecting my cross-registration. They can't make me a straight white male again by denying me the chance to study with their professor and students.

So exactly what is sinful or harmful about my taking a class at their school? Exactly what is made worse by my presence there?

At their school, I'm certainly going to hear about their viewpoint on homosexuality and transgender issues - especially since the class I was going to take was on the Pentateuch, which includes Leviticus and Deuteronomy. Were they afraid that I would rebut the reading of the few verses applied to homosexuals as they were glossing over the dietary laws, mixing of fabrics, wearing of tassels, uncleanness of women during their periods and after giving birth, trimming of beards, and the Jubilee year? Were they concerned that I would point out that Levitical law says nothing about Lesbian relationships? Did they worry that I would point out that the word "know" in Genesis 19:5 is the same as the word "know" in Genesis 18:19? (I really wasn't planning on it.)

And, perhaps more to the point, how is this following Jesus' example? Did Jesus teach only the holy? Did Jesus not teach prostitutes, lepers, tax collectors, Samaritans, Syrophoenicians, Roman soldiers, and (at the cross) thieves and murderers?

I am disappointed that Northern Baptist Seminary chose to not honor its covenant with the Association of Chicago Theological Schools.

I am also sad that sixty faculty and staff are more afraid of me than I am of them.

For those unfamiliar with the Comedy Central series, South Park is a crudely animated show featuring four young friends - and crude humor. Over the last few weeks, they ran a three part series on terrorists attacking our imaginations.

Setting aside the obvious message of buying into terrorism by letting our imaginations run wild, there was another interesting idea regarding how we imagine others, and how that affects our relationships.

Throughout the three episodes, one character (Eric Cartman) was trying to get another character (Kyle Broflovski) to make good on a bet. Eric bet Kyle that there was a real Leprechaun, and if Kyle lost, he would have to perform a type of oral sex on Eric. (I told you it was crude.) Kyle lost, and much of the series was a debate about what was real and what was imaginary. In the end, Eric imagined he was receiving oral sex from Kyle - against Kyle's protests.

It occurred to me that this might be a basis for homophobia - not so much a fear of actual rape, but one of imaginary rape. It's also a fear of being made an object. In someone else's imagination, we have no control over ourselves, and that can be disturbing.

This raises the question of personal boundaries. Do we have the right to say "no" in someone else's imagination?

We don't want thought police. Yet there are certain things with which we might not ever want to be associated. How would we feel if we were to find out that someone was imagining us in those situations?

Imagination can cut both ways. People who oppose ordination of gay clergy, marriage of same-sex couples, and adoption of children by same-sex couples often speak of what gay and lesbian people "do" - sexually. Yet these are also often imagined: although some same-sex (and opposite sex) couples may engage in some or all of these activities, there is no way of knowing a particular couple's practices - unless they volunteer the information. The couple may even be celibate.

Offensive thoughts separate us from each other's true selves. We act on the imagined actions and motives of others rather than connecting with the actual persons. How destructive can that be? We can become angry at people for what we imagine. We can sever relationships with family, friends, employers, and businesses because of how we imagine the other. We can even kill in "self defense" against what we imagine the other was planning.

In the Decalogue (or, as popularly known, the Ten Commandments), the final item is "do not covet" - do not desire what belongs to someone else. This underlines the prior items in exhorting people to not even think about taking something that belongs to someone else, because that very thought creates distance between people. Jesus challenged people to go beyond "thou shalt not kill" to "don't hate others" and beyond "do not commit adultery" to "do not lust after someone else's wife". These thoughts may enter our minds, but it serves us well to not dwell on or encourage these thoughts that separate us from the real people around us.

We can't prevent others from thinking of us in ways that offend us, but we can try to avoid imagining others in  ways that offend them. Staying with "what is real" connects the real persons involved.

I'll try to not imagine how my readers will react to this, and instead hope for comments to let me know the real readers.

So the candidates were asked when children should be told about homosexuality. In programs like "It's Elementary", we're not talking about telling kids to be gay, or how to have gay sex. We're talking about different relationships. The fact is that there are kids who have same-sex parents - and it's good to teach kids to not beat up on the ones with same-sex parents, just as it's good to teach them to not beat up on children of divorced parents.

But the way some talk about tolerance, it would seem that it is the worst form of child abuse.

And isn't learning about other people a big part of elementary education? I remember learning about the people of Pompeii and about Umskikuk the Eskimo in Social Studies class. Learning about different people - and to not hate or be afraid of them - is an important part of growing up. After learning to respect people who are different, (we hope) adults will be less likely to attack people based on differences.
 
Of course, some people are afraid that such programs indoctrinate children into a lifestyle. Perhaps the Pompeii part of 6th grade social studies is what led to toga parties. I don't know - I've never been to a toga party. I have, however, been to Alaska and visited Inuit there. I didn't join them to live there the rest of my life, though.

Perhaps what people really fear is that a broad public school education will counteract the narrow training they give their children at home. It may really be about control - if we limit a child's knowledge, the child will only see limited options as an adult.

"Train children in the right way, and when old, they will not stray." - Proverbs 22:6

So what is the right way? Is it the way of judgment of others, or of love for others?

It saddens me that people who are followers of Jesus need the help of public schools to teach their children to love their neighbors. Parents, teach your children to do what you believe is right - but also teach them the love that Jesus had for others - even (perhaps especially) for those who were scorned.

References:

• http://www.huffingtonpost.com/james-heffernan/why-not-ask-presidential-_b_66683.html
• http://www.bilerico.com/2007/10/antigays_protecting_gay_kids_worse_than.php
• http://www.newday.com/films/Its_Elementary.html
• http://www.bilerico.com/2007/10/its_still_elementary.php

Pat Boone tells a fairy tale about how sex education turns kids gay, gives them aids, and watches them die, as reported on Good As You.

Maybe he's trying to get back in the good graces of the far right after his heavy metal album.

     I was part of an online discussion where one of the participants equated two ideas:

• Calling those who oppose homosexuals "homophobic"
• Calling homosexuals "moralphobic"

     So let's examine this. In the first example, people are opposing homosexuality. The term "homophobia" implies fear of homosexuals. Might there be other reasons to oppose homosexuals, other than fear? If there was no fear of harm from homosexuality, what other reason could there be? I will admit I am at a loss here, but perhaps a heterosexual reader can enlighten me.

     In the latter example, homosexuals are opposing... well, no. Homosexuals don't oppose heterosexuality, heterosexual marriage, or celibacy. And homosexuals in general do not oppose morals, although the set of morals they embrace may not include "sex is only for a married man and woman". In fact, many homosexuals want the responsibilities of the bonds of marriage. That hardly seems to be a fear of morals.

     But perhaps I'm missing the point. If I am, I hope someone will explain it to me, and to my female partner of nineteen years.