From: charlie@isis.mit.edu (Charlie Fulton)
Newsgroups: alt.politics.homosexuality
Subject: Sexual Deviance & Christian Forgiveness
Date: 24 Jul 92 16:24:16 GMT
Organization: Ctr for Advanced Rsrch in Oppressive Binarisms
X-Useragent: Nuntius v1.1

As fine, upstanding, sober men & women, the notion that
The Church will forgive the sin of homosexual activity seems quite
irrelevant to us.  We cannot begin to comprehend the necessity of
having our love and devotion forgiven as sin.

But let's take a moment to ponder an example of Christian forgiveness
in action.  Imagine that you _are_ in fact the deviant some would paint
all homosexuals to be.  Imagine that you are in a position of trust and
respect in both a secular and ecclesiastical context.

First the secular institution.  Let's take a random example: a New
England prep school at which conspicuous efforts to raise student
consciousness and understanding on issues of race, class, gender,
sexuality have been afoot for the last several years.  This politically
correct agenda is tirelessly espoused by an open-minded, forward-
thinking, female principal.

The situation: you are male professor with a propensity for hitting on
male students (not often, just particular cases that obssess you) and
a large appetite for pornography.  Your taste in porn has been known to
veer unfortunately (but again, occasionally) towards the unsavory and 
illegal kind involving children.

Your occasional sexual peccadilloes with students and your fast-growing
collection
of pornographic videotapes do not impede your rise to the head of your
department.  Your seniority gives you access to private housing, and you
can finally move out of your dorm apartment where discovery was likelier.

Blast from the past: a student peccadillo from years ago intrudes on your
quiet existence and wants to take up w/ you--as a man this time.  When you
rudely brush him off he warns you that He Can Make Big Trouble.

Said peccadillo informs the FBI that he received a child pornography tape
from you through the _MAIL_ (a lie) and the local constabulary descends
on your lair.
You are arrested for the possession of five child pornography tapes
(although
the later-reported figure of 650 is admittedly catchier and easier to
remember)
and must post $10,000 ($2000 per tape) bail.

The result: you are instantly fired in disgrace.  When you return home
from jail
a note of dismissal from the Academy Administration is pinned to your door
ordering you to move out within ten days.

Next institution--ecclesiastical.  Random example: the Catholic Church,
from
which conspicuous efforts to stamp out societal understanding & tolerance
on 
issues of gender and sexuality have been afoot for the last several
decades.  This bigoted agenda is tirelessly espoused by a mean-spirited,
male Pope.

The situation: you are a priest in New England whose taste in homosexual
pedophilia is more, shall we say, hands-on than the aforementioned
professor's.

Word of your multiple, vicious assaults on your younger charges makes its
way
to The Church.  Does The Church fire you instantly in disgrace?

No!  The Church forgives!  The Church spirits you away from your befouled
flock.
The Church assiduously conceals your crimes.  The Church trusts you and
accepts your tearful repentance without question.  The Church provides
you with
a new congregation in a new city.

Unfortuately, you are completely out of control and seriously in need of
help. 
Chrisitian forgiveness fails to stem your compulsion to sodomize altar
boys.
Still The Church loves you and forgives you.  The Church does not abandon
you
to amoral secular law.  The Church spirits you away and conceals your
crimes
again and sends you to a special camp in New Mexico for sexually deviant
priests.

Years later, you are discovered and disgraced.  BUT, The Church stood by
you.
The Church adandons you only when the outrage of previous victims (who do
not understand the essence of Christian forgiveness) is splashed across
every
news media.

The moral: when alt.politics.homosexuality Catholic posters tell you that
The
Church forgives sin, they mean it.  Here we see the stark contrast between
secular lip service and ecclesiastical love and forgiveness that
transcends the
strictures of mere mortal law.

charlie
Xref: sparky alt.politics.homosexuality:5250 soc.motss:33219