Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
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Path: utzoo!linus!decvax!duke!bch@unc.UUCP (Byron Howes )
From: bch@unc.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.religion
Subject: Re: homosexuality, and now morals
Message-ID: <6290@unc.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 22-Nov-83 02:25:08 EST
Article-I.D.: unc.6290
Posted: Tue Nov 22 02:25:08 1983
Date-Received: Wed, 23-Nov-83 04:42:53 EST
References: <630@ssc-vax.UUCP>
Organization: University of North Carolina Comp. Center
Lines: 36

I have to side with Tim Maroney in this debate.  The term 'natural' is
historically a convenience word.  At one point in this country's history
it was not considered 'natural' for blacks to be anything but slaves.
At the same time (and others) it was not considered 'natural' for women
to be anything but subservient to men.  These are not cheap shots, just
illustrative of the fact that natural tends to mean anything I find OK
and unnatural tends to mean anything I find morally repellent or not
in *my* natural order of things.  No two people will agree down the line
on what is 'natural' or 'unnatural' as it often serves as a substitution
in the context of these sorts of debates for 'moral' or 'immoral.'

I think that Tim's morality has been fairly straightforwardly expressed.
It is not a list of rules or prohibitions but a simple guide that any-
thing one person does which interferes with anothers freedom of thought
and action is immoral.  Things done which do hurt nobody (do not inter-
fere with anyone elses freedom) are moral.  In this sense being gay is
not immoral.

In this vein what I find to be immoral is the stigmatization of gays as
degenerates or some kind of social pariahs.  This is as much an inter-
ference with another's freedom as it is to say that blacks should be
slaves or women should not be educated.  It indirectly restricts another's
opportunity to make what they can of themselves for no reason other than
you don't like what they do in the privacy of their own lives.  I,
personally, consider voting for Jesse Helms an 'unnatural' act, but I'm
certainly not about to try to interfere directly or indirectly in those
people's lives.  That you may find the concept of homosexuality dis-
tasteful is one thing.  That is a personal opinion and I don't think
anyone is trying to deprive you of it, but let's keep it at that level --
as an expression of personal belief only without a recommendation for
concomitant action.
--

					Byron Howes
					UNC - Chapel Hill
					decvax!duke!mcnc!unc!bch