A discussion starter.
In debates and discussions there has to be some basic agreement on the meaning of words if there is to be progress in understanding. On the other hand, the actual use of certain words in some debates actually means that the discussion is loaded in favour of one side. This is because certain words carry within their meaning in general use certain presuppositions.
Take the use of the words "homosexual" or "lesbian" or "gay" or "homosexual persons". The modern "lesbigay" movement wishes to make it widely known as a scientific fact that some people are born with an orientation towards the same sex and that this is as much a part of them as is the colour of their eyes or skin. By using the words "gay" and "homosexual person" and the like, they are seeking to establish that even as there are tall and short people, brown, yellow and olive coloured people & male and female persons, so there are within these general categories some people who are "gay", whose natures are so formed that they find genuine human fulfilment only in relation with other persons who are likewise "gay".
Thus, if these words are used in debate as useful short-hands or as commonly accepted terminology, this is practically speaking to concede that there is this category of persons within the human race [at least probably] with this fixed nature. This has the effect (practically speaking) to restrict the debate as to what is to be done about the welfare of such persons in terms of their rights and responsibilities, their fulfilment and their destiny, and so on. In other words what they claim about themselves is for all practical purposes conceded before the debate begins!
If, however, it is intended that the first area of debate is whether or not being inclined to homosexuality is part of one's fixed nature, then those who are NOT convinced that it is, need to be careful when and how they use such words as "homosexual" and "gay". If it is their view, until proven otherwise beyond all reasonable doubt, that a homosexual inclination or urge is more likely the result of [bad] nurture and experiences in life than the inheritance of certain genes, then in debate they surely must not use words and expressions that already concede the very claimed facts that they are opposing (or even investigating).
That is, they need to use the word "homosexual" only as an adjective with reference to sexual acts committed by a person and they must refuse both to use the word as a noun (so that it functions like "Caucasian" or "African-American") or as an adjective with "person" or "man". Likewise, the word "lesbian" should be used, as far as possible, only as an adjective when referring to specific female sexual activity. The word "gay" should be avoided unless one is quoting form something said by another. To follow this kind of a rule will mean long sentences and more careful construction of sentences but it will mean that the point being investigated is not conceded from the beginning.
Those who stand by the traditional Christian ethic for sexuality and believe that all of us are to be chaste, and that all sexual acts with anyone of the same or opposite outside holy matrimony are sinful and against divine order, probably need to re-think how we engage in the debate and controversy over homosexuality - a controversy that will be in society and the churches for a long time to come. If we truly wish to communicate reasonably and charitably the received Christian morality, then we must not concede the basic premises of those who seek to undermine and overturn it. We must take these precautions not only for truth-sake but also for compassion-sake, because the more that the message is heard that some of us are born with an inclination towards the same sex, and that this is unchangeable, the more likely it is that there will be more persons who think that and claim that they are so disposed and created.
One last point. In a culture where Governments and Public Bodies are actually conceding certain human rights to persons who call themselves "gay" , and where the public read this as the "proof" that there are people who are born "gay" and thus should be allowed and encouraged to be so in practice, the Church (or the orthodox therein) finds herself in an exceedingly difficult situation, if she is to conduct the debate and offer a reasoned apology for traditional sexual morality both with compassion and also without conceding the basic assumptions of the "lesbigay" claims in engaging in the debate at all.
Much of the recent discussion about the recent same-sex issues in the Anglican Communion (New Westminster, New Hampshire and Oxford/Reading) has assumed that much if not all of the claims of the "gay" lobby concerning "the homosexual orientation" is/are correct. This has meant that there has been little clarity as to what are the basic questions raised for holy Mother Church in these highly charged matters. Certainly there has been little discussion of whether or not there is a divine ordering of male and female in their relations, an ordering that reflects in some way the Divine Order which is the Holy Trinity, a Unity in Trinity and a Trinity in Unity; and that any other form of "ordering" is in fact "disorder".
The Rev'd Dr. Peter Toon M.A., D.Phil. (Oxon.)
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