As I read the news about Senator Larry Criag I felt deeply sorry for his family, and yes him. He was a very public icon of the pro life movement. He protected his rights by walkng on the rights of others. His home was the closet a place of shadows, a cave for protection, a result of religious homophobia. Larry was against gay marriage and aboriton, he was opposed legislation for the rights of newly arrived immagrints in this country. His actions promote the do what I say, and not what I do mentality.
Our Church is in a place where we have many men like Senator Cariag in places of leadership. Theocracy seems to be the currency of the day. From a Pope who refuses to address the issue of clergy sexual abuse in the Church, to group of bishops who have forgotten what Vatican II was all about.
But like Senator Larry Criag who riles against homosexuality, Pope Benedict XVI may have the same problem as Mark Foley and Ted Haggard. The clinical term for this is "reaction formation," where a person avoids one position by taking a polar opposite position. For gay people it's called "being in the closet."
Repressed sexuality whether heterosexual or homosexual, will lead to these unacceptable behaviors as we see with Catholic priests and bishops. We can start by not being judgmental about what other consenting adults are doing in bed. By really listening to each other instead propagandizing the issue of authority through the promotion of dogma, we could start the process of healing in the Church.
The Hypocrisy of Senator Larry Criag, is reflective of the hypocrisy of the pro life movement, and the Papal homophobia. If you are going to promote the Gospel message of love you need to reflect that in your relationships with your neighbors.
