You're Looking
for an Easy Fix

From Joshua Hawley

Posted Dec. 21, 2004

It's not really a solution to give all people who say they are gay some formal recognized status. We're not getting at the core of the issue by giving someone a status. Rather, it seems we are justifying that behavior.

According to all scriptural evidence, homosexuality is condemned as being a sinful activity. There is no argument to defy that point. If you are really serious about giving gays a solution in spiritual life, then why not take a look at the factors that lead to homosexuality? There are numerous studies being conducted into just that very matter.

Instead of giving someone a title or recognition for what we genuinely know to be against the principles of sastra, why not look for the cause of this type of behavior? More and more evidence is showing that homosexuality is not something that is a genealogical defect. Rather, it is something that develops in early childhood.

How about doing some preventative measures, instead of looking for an easy fix? Yeah, everyone wants to be Krishna conscious, so everyone should have that opportunity. But please remember that giving people a recognized formal status of being "gay" would mean that you would have to facilitate them in every way that you would any other recognized social group.

In effect you would have to, by your endorsement, give them asrama facilities independent of other asramas and any other requirement they may need. While that is not an entirely objectionable idea, I personally feel that it would have to be done as a sort of rehabilitative process.

There are a good many Christian scholars dealing with this very point, and they have come up with some remarkable insights. They are offering many social and welfare programs, and Dr. Dobson has devoted a good amount of time and effort in researching this exact point: that homosexuality is not something one is born with but rather a result of defects in the parenting and other social factors current in modern times that allow for someone to entertain the idea of homosexuality.

I have heard from many gays that the only reason they are gay is that the sex is so much better. So in this modern age, where everything is driven by how you feel and not on principle and integrity, that would lead many to believe that homosexuality is a right and natural function of humanity. It's a fault of the modern education and media and ultimately ourselves for not alleviating the causes that lead to these various social abnormalities such as homosexuality.

My point is that you're not really offering a solution to this issue. Rather, it's like a little piece of adhesive tape over the wound. The best medicine is prevention, and if we are really serious about tackling this issue, then it would require a much deeper and much more serious look.

Finally, I would invite Hridayananda Maharaja to offer some scriptural or scientific evidence support each of his points.

Best regards,
Joshua Hawley

© dipika.org Dec. 21, 2004