There were two stories the other about gay men that caught my attention, one in the political world and one in the Catholic world. In different ways I believe these stories to be instructive about how we should treat actual gays in the actual world.
In the first story, Romney appointed last week Richard Grenell to be his foreign policy spokesman. On Tuesday he resigned. Grenell is gay. Grenell resigned saying “While I welcomed the challenge to confront President Obama’s foreign policy failures and weak leadership on the world stage, my ability to speak clearly and forcefully on the issues has been greatly diminished by the hyper-partisan discussion of personal issues that sometimes comes from a presidential campaign.”
The story being promoted by the media is that the religious right was up in arms over the appointment of a gay man in a major campaign role and that Romney’s fear of the religious right eventually forced Grenell from the campaign.
As a card-carrying member of the religious right, I don’t care at all that Mr. Grenell is gay. I do care whether he can do the job well.
In my business life….
May 3, 2012 at 4:15 pm
Alcoholism doesn't cause scandal in the same way that living with a person that could reasonably be your sex partner while not married does.
Gotta agree that having a spokesman that disagrees with you on a major issue of the day and has a history of being rude to those who disagree with him isn't much of a choice for a spokesman.
On the second one… Don't want to know any more about it, but from the facts you mentioned, he shouldn't be called a saint by someone who would be presumed to be speaking theologically. (Pardon me if getting into the pissing match of the week isn't my idea of fun.)
If he was living in a manner that would lead a reasonable person to believe he was committing sin– scandal– then he isn't someone to hold up as an example of broad-spectrum virtue. Doesn't matter if he's homosexual and living with a dude, or straight and living with a chick.
Like the joke goes, too, "alcoholic" tends to be someone who is fighting the sin, not quietly embracing it or appearing to do so.
May 3, 2012 at 5:49 pm
You need to have a chat with your brother, Matthew. Earlier this week, I questioned the gleeful and critical nature with which he went after the LGBT CA contract story he posted. I just don't understand the attitude. It seems very un-Catholic and un-Christian. Your attitude is to be commended.
I'm totally serious about this. Read that story and then read yours. There's no compassion, benefit of the doubt, etc. going on with him. Please talk to him.
May 3, 2012 at 6:01 pm
The one about a dumb gov't contracting law?
Who exactly is supposed to be a target of compassion, there– the activists trying to out contractors, or the bureaucrats injecting themselves into folks' sex lives?
May 3, 2012 at 6:02 pm
Or maybe the contractors who will do just about anything to get hired? Because that's unusual… *cough*sarcasm*cough*
May 3, 2012 at 8:15 pm
sorry Matt, but queers shouldn't be working with straight people. They are a disruptive influence among normal, sane folks. As for Mark Shea, he has said for years that sodomy should be decriminalized, so his wanting to see Perry as a saint is no surprise.
May 3, 2012 at 8:28 pm
Just wanted to point out that scandal is not "living in a manner that would lead a reasonable person to believe he was committing sin." Scandal is leading someone to sin:
2284 Scandal is an attitude or behavior which leads another to do evil. the person who gives scandal becomes his neighbor's tempter. He damages virtue and integrity; he may even draw his brother into spiritual death. Scandal is a grave offense if by deed or omission another is deliberately led into a grave offense.
Therefore, Grenell would only be guilty of scandal if someone actually decided to commit some sin because of Grenell's actions or attitudes.
May 3, 2012 at 8:37 pm
Steve Dalton, God bless you.
Mark Shea
May 3, 2012 at 8:46 pm
Respect for the souls of others: scandal
2284 Scandal is an attitude or behavior which leads another to do evil. The person who gives scandal becomes his neighbor's tempter. He damages virtue and integrity; he may even draw his brother into spiritual death. Scandal is a grave offense if by deed or omission another is deliberately led into a grave offense.
2285 Scandal takes on a particular gravity by reason of the authority of those who cause it or the weakness of those who are scandalized. It prompted our Lord to utter this curse: "Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened round his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea."86 Scandal is grave when given by those who by nature or office are obliged to teach and educate others. Jesus reproaches the scribes and Pharisees on this account: he likens them to wolves in sheep's clothing.87
2286 Scandal can be provoked by laws or institutions, by fashion or opinion.
Unmarried co-habitation, plus implied approval of homosexual activity.
You might want to read again– it's a grave offense if you deliberately lead someone to a grave offense.
May 3, 2012 at 10:27 pm
Since there was no unmarried co-habitation, nor any homosex to approve of that I'm aware of, where's the scandal?
Mark Shea
May 3, 2012 at 10:30 pm
Some people pointed out that the man in question lived with another man. How could Mark point out the holiness of a man who may have (may) have been actively gay? Scandal! I think some of this reaction is profoundly unfair. Why is it that we treat same sex attraction so much differently than other struggles? Sin is sin.
Thus, why I specified that it was off of the information offered in the article.
And, assuming you are Mr. Shea rather than an impostor, I will not be responding to you again as you try to drag everything to your view.
May 4, 2012 at 12:14 am
Foxfier:
My apologies for being familiar with Perry, knowing what I'm talking about, offering an informed opinion on his virtuous behavior and character, anc correcting your erroneous suggestion that there was something scandalous in what he did. Who can blame you for not wanting to engage those mean *facts*?
Sheesh.
Mark Shea
May 4, 2012 at 4:26 pm
I don't really see where Grennell's homosexuality, even though sinful, would impact his ability to perform duties in foreign policy. I suppose it would depend upon the specific duties – e.g., if he will be involved in promoting SSM world-wide or something as a basic human right.
May 4, 2012 at 4:50 pm
c matt, if your in a sensative government position, and you're a sodomite, it makes you vulnerable to blackmail from foreign espionage and blackmail. That's why years ago, queers were rooted out of jobs like that when they were found out.