Interjecting a Note of Religiosity Here

[foxglovehp]

Gays in the military?  Pagans in the military?  Gay Pagans in the military?!?  WTF???

I appreciate all the hoopla and good feelings in the gay community over the vote to repeal DADT.  It's a great step in the right direction.  It's also a policy that I might add which will stay in place even once it is signed into law - possibly for quite some

Comments

[agoodcuppajoe]

Always appreciate your insightful views.

Given the atmosphere of rampant fundamentalist Christian fervor in this country, it would seem that DADT faces the same judgmental and disrespectful light being shined upon gay marriage rights. My experience with conservative fundamentalists is that they seem to take all of this as a threat to their entire belief system. As if some house-of-cards, being faced with homosexuals as "regular people" seems to send shock waves through the whole structure. I've rarely witnessed such visceral jolts to a person as when faced by the reality rather than theoretical application. For instance, coming-out to my parents as both bi-sexual and poly. Sets up some kind of circular-logic in their cultural programming - "but he's a good person" - "but homosexuality is bad" - "but..."

In other words, isn't the question more along the lines of, is society at large ready for the acceptance of any lifestyle choice other than the narrow viewpoint espoused by the conservative Christian mainstream?

Moral judgments such as these cause far more harm than the behaviors. Most gay folks don't condemn heteros. Most Wiccans don't condemn Christians.

It will take time. But as with racial equality, here's to hoping that the military taking a lead role in this will be an example to society. And gay folks serving openly in the military will result in growing acceptance in the wider world...