EDITOR: In The Vincentian newspaper of Friday, April 7, 2006 an article regarding the film BrokeBack Mountain referred to Vincentians’ general aversion to homosexuality as hypocritical and homophobic. In The Vincentian newspaper of Thursday, April 13th Jomo Thomas once more referred to Vincentian society as “very homophobic”. Why is it that if I do not agree with the position of some individuals I am labeled and insulted? Why is it assumed that any aversion displayed toward homosexuality is uninformed? Can aversion to it not come from being well informed of its ills and wanting what is best for society?{{more}}

Mr. Thomas went on to make many assertions in his article that included a particular reference entirely inappropriate for children reading through the paper. Perhaps the Editor fell asleep. Yet, for all the assertions and assumptions Mr. Thomas made in support of homosexuality, he has not cited a single scientific, biological, or anthropological study that supports any of his claims. I find this very interesting. On the other hand the Catholic church’s position as stated in the Catechism of the Catholic Church is that “Homosexual acts are intrinsically disordered”. This position has been maintained by careful study in the above-mentioned disciplines and by enlightened faith.

There exists an avalanche of studies from authoritative sources such as the Centre for Disease Control in America, The New England Journal of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, and even gay publications themselves, which indicate clearly that the homosexual lifestyle is simply not a good idea. You can peruse the findings of many of these studies on the Internet. Go to the Google search engine and Type in: “CDC ON HOMOSEXUAL VIOLENCE.” Read what comes up. Some of the information on the sites that are listed is not suitable for minors, but it is information every adult needs to know so as not to be taken in by emotional appeals and flawed logic. The suggested search is only a starting point. You will learn that the overwhelming majority of violence done to homosexuals comes from homosexuals. You will learn that homosexual relationships are riddled with violence, instability, and extreme promiscuity, and are therefore by no stretch of the imagination suited to the rearing of children. You will learn from the CDC that in America although homosexuals are a small minority in the population, more than (50%) fifty percent of persons living with HIV AIDS are homosexual. We can only imagine the economic cost of health care associated with the homosexual life style. You will even learn that with therapy and the willingness to change a person can leave the homosexual life style.

In the Searchlight of Friday, April 7, 2006 Mr. Simon Kamara was quoted as saying, “No one in authority should decide what the society looks at. People should have the right to read and view what ever they want.” As a student of philosophy, Mr. Kamara continues to astound me with the illogical nature of his utterances. If Mr. Kamara’s statement were made Law, those who wished so to do could freely produce and sell child pornography. Anyone could publish literature, which encouraged violent hate crimes against any group in society including homosexuals, and there would be nothing the authorities could do about it. Web sites and print media could be used freely by terrorists to recruit and influence the young. Our hands would be tied! Once again we see that no right can be absolute. Necessary protections are enshrined in our Laws. If we were blindly to buy into the kind of thinking suggested by Mr. Kamara, it would be half past too late before we realized what we had given up. Which is more important having more rights and freedoms toward self-indulgence or ensuring that the rights of each individual, in particular those most vulnerable, are respected and protected?

If, in order to win the debate, our learned friends must resort to pandering to the crowd with flawed logic and referring to Vincentians as mindless religious fanatic devils, then they should know that they have already lost. It is unlikely anyone will win people over by insulting them. Debates should be won by sound logic backed by scholarly empirical studies. Far more is learned when those engaged in a debate respect each other’s right to be wrong.

Those who support homosexuality need to remember that in so far as we break no laws we all have a right to be wrong. Enshrined in that right is freedom of speech, freedom of association, and freedom of religion. Christianity is a religion that is opposed to homosexual acts. Christianity is also a highly logical religion and thus is always easily defensible.

Those who claim to be students of philosophy would do well to immerse themselves in Christianity. Christianity has as one of its goals the setting and maintaining of high moral standards. If public morality slips we all lose. Businesses would suffer from pilfering and lax productivity, promiscuity would result in rapid spread of STDs and lack of respect for human life would make our lives unbearable.

SALT