Cause, meet Effect
ILU Dave Holmes
I’ve just finished the part of “The Unlikely Disciple” where author Kevin Roose reaches his limit of the rampant homophobia* at Liberty University, and I’m right there with him. While the general attitude toward gays seems to be “bemused pity,” some students just actively do not like gay people (never having met one, naturally). But statistically speaking, there have to be some gay kids at Liberty. Roose has a talk with the campus spiritual adviser whose job is ministry to students “suffering unwanted same-sex attraction,” which is a pretty brave move. These kids can’t drink, swear or watch R-rated movies, so you have to imagine the gossip machine is well-oiled.
Ministry-To-Gays guy serves up a “hate the sin, love the sinner” platter that’s discouraging, but could certainly be worse. It does, though, contain the one exasperating element that I’m ready to stop coming across: “We just want to keep people away from the gay lifestyle because it is one of substance abuse and promiscuous, anonymous sex, and is therefore unhealthy.”
Anytime I hear this argument, I’m reminded of swim meets.
