November 5, 2013

Born that way... a thought

Whenever someone makes the claim that people are “not born gay” I am tempted to remind them that people are also not born with beards or buxom breasts. These characteristics are not “natural” in that they are not natal. They develop. And if the secondary sexual characteristics develop, so too does sexual orientation — without doubt under the guiding interplay of “nature” (what one is born with) and nurture.

I am also tempted to remind the religious-minded opponents of marriage equality that people are neither born Christian nor married. Both are estates into which one enters, the former sometimes without ones consent, but the latter never properly without it.

Tobias Stanislas Haller BSG
who was reminded of this when reflecting on the fact that some in the early church, such as Clement of Alexandria, regarded a grown man shaving off his beard as a peculiarly serious moral failing

7 comments:

Unknown said...

You continue to instruct with such economy and depth. Keep up the good and thoughtful work. You are indeed a blessing to the Church.

Tobias Stanislas Haller BSG said...

Thanks for the kind words. The more work I do on the marriage task force, the clearer some issues become!

MarkBrunson said...

Seconding Todd Ousley!

G said...

This reminds me of a blurb I've seen making its way around the intertubes which boils down most MSM reporting on trans people to this line: "He now identifies as a journalist, but was born naked, hairless, and unable to control his bowels."

Tobias Stanislas Haller BSG said...

Thanks, Mark. Geoff, "ehewww..." Though it also reminds me of the though from, IIRC Augustine, that if anyone doubted the reality of original sin, spending a few hours with an infant would likely change her mind...

Br Richard Edward Helmer BSG said...

And if the infant garners no conviction, time with a toddler will seal the case.

Tobias Stanislas Haller BSG said...

... the terrible "twos" RE. Yes. Ah yes...