The issue that I was assigned for my blog post this week was the area of ‘difference’ and particularly in relation to disability. At first I decided I would write about the negative connotations and consequences of having disabilities or disorders in New Zealand. But the other day I came across an article from 2004, which asked the question; “Is homosexuality a disability?” Now I think that the Western World has changed considerably in their perception of homosexuality since then. But there is still a negative stigma associated with it, especially in the church. It is one of the taboo topics which is frequently thought about, but infrequently taught about in church circles. For that reason I’ve decided to thrust it into the Christian community.
Up until 2009, New Zealand applied the “Gay panic defence” in a court of law, when the law was abolished after being used in the defence of Clayton Weatherston. Prior to that case it had been used in Ferdinand Ambach’s defence, after he brutally killed a gay man Ronald Brown (aged 69) who apparently made sexual advances towards him. Although there was substantial evidence against Ambach he was found guilty of manslaughter and not murder. The gay panic defence was also used in 1964 after 6 teenagers kicked to death a gay gentleman called Charles Aberhart. Although those prosecuting had proof that the youth were at Hagley Park (the crime scene) for a “spot of queer bashing”, they were nonetheless found not guilty after alleging that Mr Aberhart had provoked them by making a sexual advance.
I am glad that this ‘get out of jail free card’ policy has been rightfully removed. The issue is that it was Christian values which were at the core of law and society which supported this law. This was at a time where there was no separation between church and state. But now that there is separation, and both state and society have shifted in their values, we need to ask “What went wrong?” This is the easy part as the public have no issue in being brutally honest in pointing out our failings. The hardest part is convincing them to give us a second chance, to prove ourselves as relevant in today’s society.
Ironically it is the Christian homosexuals who are our saving grace through saving face in this issue. We need to love and support our fellow brothers and sisters, as they maintain a Christian faith while being ostracized on numerous fronts. We need to disregard our outdated outlook and remember that Christianity convictions aren't perfect. The slave trade was endorsed by generations of Christians before a conscience developed against it. Antisemitism was accepted for centuries before people developed a heart after Hitler's Holocaust. The point being that even Christian's consciences are fallible.
I would like us all to recognise that we are all made in God's image and how can we call anything 'unnatural' which God has made. I have to wonder whether we are guilty like Peter of calling something impure which God has made clean through the death of Christ. Since God is not capable of creating or committing sin and if homosexuality is genetic in nature (which I acknowledge is debatable) then how can we say that God created a person who is unnatural. Also since all people are sinful, why should homosexuals be given less grace that the rest of us?
