Arts: Bad Religion

Now playing: Slate V, a video-only site from the world's leading online magazine. Visit Slate V at www.slatev.com.
The Book Club Bad Religion Why can't gays practice fidelity, chastity, and continence? By William Saletan Posted Wednesday, Apr 18, 2012, at 04:40 PM ET Ross, You've put your finger on the central truth. It's in that quote from the future Pope Benedict: "We cannot resolve great moral problems simply with techniques, with chemistry, but must solve them morally, with a life-style." But what does that mean? Look at the case you've made against contraception. It isn't a case against contraception. It's a case against trends and problems you associate with contraception: abortion, illegitimacy, declining marriage rates, de facto polygamy, and embryo research. What you're really arguing for is, in your words, "encouraging people to be more morally discerning about whom they sleep with, and when, rather than focusing on technologies that promise … to make such moral discernment unnecessary." I'm with you there. No technology will make moral discernment unnecessary. But technology can be part of the package. Contraception can be part of a discerning, moral lifestyle. If Pope Benedict won't explore that synthesis, I hope you will. And I hope you'll do the same with homosexuality. Here we're talking about science, not technology. Any reader of Bad Religion will see that you're struggling with this issue. You've been handed scriptures and a faith tradition that treat homosexuality as a kind of hedonism or corruption. But homosexuality doesn't belong on that spectrum. It isn't a vice or a lifestyle. It's an orientation, to which the same teachings about sexual virtue can apply. At times, you speak with the voice of ... To continue reading, click here. Join the Fray: our reader discussion forum What did you think of this article? POST A MESSAGE | READ MESSAGES Also In Slate Why Are Secret Service Agents Always Touching Their Earpieces? A Nanny Explains Why Working Mothers Are Such Terrible Bosses Battle in Kansas: Should Toto Be the State Dog?	Advertisement
Manage your newsletters subscription: Unsubscribe | Forward to a Friend | Advertising Information
Ideas on how to make something better? Send an e-mail to slatenewsletter@nl.slate.com. Copyright 2011 The Slate Group | Privacy Policy The Slate Group | c/o E-mail Customer Care | 1350 Connecticut Ave NW Suite 410 | Washington, D.C. 20036