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[Editor’s Note: Calling something an “Open Letter” means “you can reprint this freely without alteration,” so we’re going to take advantage of that to bring to you an open letter from Anaheim’s Michael Buss to Kim Davis, the Kentucky Court Clerk who has been refusing to issue marriages to same-sex couples, and some days to anyone at all, to fulfill what she purports to see as God’s command. This morning, Davis has been found in contempt of court for her actions, so she is likely on her way to jail — as well as perhaps on her way to cashing in on the controversy with a book and/or a GoFundMe site of Biblical proportions.
In the event that she is actually sincere, she would do well to read Buss’s letter. If Mr. Buss wishes, we will delete the letter here and simply refer you to his post on his blog “Brit’s Eye View” — but that’s not really worth making it a separate post, so we’re going to try to do it this way to promote greater visibility.]
OPEN LETTER TO KIM DAVIS – ROWAN COUNTY CLERK, KENTUCKY
Dear Kim,
You are being very brave in the face of huge opposition to your faith-motivated stand on the gay and lesbian marriage license issue. It must take huge courage.
PART 1. The basic issue
I’m writing because I would like you to be even more brave! Let me explain how, with a little personal ramble.
I used to be a pastor of a Baptist church in England. Like you I was a firm believer that the Bible was the word of God and if it spoke clearly on any given subject then it superseded any laws or edicts of men.
I was very troubled about gay people coming to my church; two gay men in particular. Well, we did not so much mind them coming, but we thought it would be an issue if they wanted to take communion, or become church members. So nobody really said anything because we didn’t want to be rude. But we believed, as I’m sure you do, that the biblical abhorrence of homosexuality was to be taken very seriously.
This put me in a bind when preaching the Word on Sundays. Occasionally I would encounter a passage from the Bible that dealt with homosexuality. I needed to teach my people faithfully, as I understood it, but there were these two gay men, sitting there together, listening and learning. It was quite hard to be true to our evangelical understanding of the Bible and not at the same time appear offensive to these two perfectly gentlemanly individuals. What was to be done?
I happened across a book called “Brain Sex” – quite an old book by now. Very well written, it drew upon wide research into the differences between men and women, and heterosexual and homosexual people in particular. I’m not going to start quoting from it now but I’d like to share with you what I discovered. Here are the points in brief (some of which many of us already know):
- Basic gender differentiation is determined by the X and Y chromosomes. If you have two X chromosomes you are a female. If you have one of each, you are male. But, of course, it didn’t stop there.
- The actual development of the very young fetus, and in particular the set of cells that will form into gonads and genitalia, is conditioned by hormones, not genes. That was a surprise. Furthermore, these same hormones impact the wiring of the brain. Yes, the brains of men and women are differently wired. Of course I speak generally and there is no space here to develop this.
- When this “wash” of hormones (in minute quantities) hits the fetal brain and the primary gender cells, the mix of hormones might be slightly off. Too much (or too little) of one or another hormone could cause cells to develop contrary to the basic genetic sex of the fetus. The results may be mild or dramatic! You could get a genetic girl born with male looking genitalia. Or vice versa. And the effect on the hard wiring of the brain is similar. Here is a girl who feels and thinks more like a boy; or here is a boy who prefers boys to girls and yet who loves girls’ toys and dresses. It’s very confusing. The point is that the child has no control of this whatsoever. It’s how he or she is formed in the womb and molded by sex hormones.
- When puberty comes these pesky hormones kick off all over again – about which the young teen can do absolutely nothing – reinforcing the sex profile first developed when the child was only a six week old fetus.
- The growing self-awareness of young teens as to whether they like other kids of the same sex, or the opposite sex, is not a choice; it is a discovery of how they ARE; how they have been from before birth.
- The effect of the puberty hormone release also affects the brain. The wiring may become more feminine in some boys and more masculine in some girls. These are the gays and lesbians. There is a huge range of possible outcomes. I have made this very simple so that we can all grasp it.
So I began to understand that God could not possibly judge someone for being what they are if they cannot help it. It would be like saying I reject little people because they are little – but they can’t help that. Hopefully God does not reject little people.
Three possibilities are used to summarize why some people might be gay or lesbian. 1) they made a moral choice to go that way; 2) they were influenced by others or some subculture to go for a gay lifestyle, or 3) they had no choice. They were born that way.
The only correct answer is 3. They were born that way. End of argument, unless you live with your head in the sand.
Then I began to wonder why God would be so discriminatory and judgmental about gays and lesbians if they could not help how they were? This made me very uneasy. I mean, VERY!
Of course there are those who then add to all this their personal revulsion about the sexual behavior of gays and lesbians. They do things that the human body was not designed to do! And you know what I discovered? That there are many heterosexual people who do ALL the things that homosexual people do. Do I need to be more explicit? I hope not. So why the revulsion?
This brings me almost to my conclusion – a very brave one; braver than your stand right now.
I had been in the ministry for 20 years and was a well known and respected Bible teacher. I had two degrees in theology and related Christian studies. I did not really know anything other than pastoring and preaching. Sure, I always had to wrestle with my own doubts and failings – who doesn’t? But intellectually I was solid and honest with my Bible based beliefs.
Until then. Slowly I had to accommodate my mind to the fact that with regard to the Bible’s condemnation of homosexuality it was written before people understood that gay people were as normal as straight people for they were, if you will, as God had made them. They were formed in the womb and popped out with no choice as to the sexuality they developed when only a ball of cells six weeks old.
Then this: if God was going to condemn people for being what they could not help being then I was not sure I liked his program. That did not seem just, let alone loving. I wasn’t sure I liked him, and I told him so.
What to do? I could have changed my theology and become some pallid liberal who sits loose by the “inspiration” of the Bible and can therefore skip round or reinterpret what the Good Book says about homosexuality. But that would have been intellectually dishonest – to me, anyway. Many theologians hold views like that, and I am not going to debate them here.
Here is what I did. I concluded that with regard to homosexuality, the Bible was wrong! And if the Bible was wrong about this, then everything might begin to crumble. For what else could be wrong? It was no longer the inspired, infallible Word of God.
And I quit the ministry. In fact my discovery that the Bible was wrong was being rumbled by my elders and deacons and they gave me such a push that I had no choice but to go out into a world where I had no idea what to do next.
What do you do when you’re in your late 40s and you discover that the solid ground on which you had built your faith and public ministry is no longer solid? I tell you it ripped me apart. Of course I recovered in time, and I am by far the better for it. But that’s another story.
Kim, I said at the beginning that I wanted you to be yet more brave. And I do. I would like you to be brave enough – even though you have made such a huge stand on principle – to open your eyes to the possibility that you may be wrong. Not just that you may be wrong but, horror of horrors, that the Bible may be wrong.
Does that seem like everything will collapse? That’s where the bravery comes in, because it will. But I ask you to believe me when I say that being divested from a cruel and judgmental belief system is more liberating than you could ever image.
And there will be tens of thousand of people here in the Unites States who will welcome you and your extraordinary bravery. I will be just one if them.
This is the toughest time of your life. The agony will be intense. But it’s a pathway not only you, but millions of others, need to tread.
PART 2. Gay marriage
Let’s come now to same sex marriage. The very term evokes strong antipathy with many people, for reasons we all know. By definition, it is said, the only valid marriage is a union between one man and one woman.
It’s interesting how some Christians have tried to corner the market on the definition of marriage claiming it is a God-ordained institution specified in the Bible.
This resonates strongly for the Christian believer, but in fact the scope and definition of marriage owes far more to history, geography and culture than to the Bible. The ancient Chinese, Greek and Roman peoples did not know about the niceties of Christian marriage. But their men and women still married each other, as they did in countless other cultures where the joining of a man and woman was a great event, often representing some compact between the two families, and with the prospect of children. From slaves, serfs and servants to the high born marriage has had roughly the same definition for centuries.
I find that in many ancient cultures gay marriages also took place! Not surprisingly it seems that the practice, though allowed, was not as widely acceptable as heterosexual marriage. But it was no secret.
In the United States the mindset about traditional Christian marriage has been very deeply rooted in our culture. But cultures and attitudes change. More and more people refuse to be bound by the religious definitions of the few.
Here, in my opinion, is the crucial issue. I have shown already that being gay is not a choice. So the extension of rights and opportunities to gays and lesbians through marriage is a matter of justice.
Gay people who love each other, and choose to live together have, until recently been denied the many hundreds of special provisions made for married people with regard to tax regulations, healthcare, funerals and wills, banking, and so forth.
If there were not so many special provisions for married, straight people, there might not be an issue. But this simple question is unanswerable: why should gay people, who want to commit their lives to each other, be denied the rights extended to straight couples simply because the hormonal “wash” at six weeks in the womb, set them up to be homosexual?
In our modern age it is a monstrous travesty of natural justice that equal treatment should not be extended to gay couples. Of course, there is no way the thousands of relevant rules and regulations can be picked though and modified to accommodate gay couples equally. There is only one quick, simple remedy. Let them be married on equal footing with other couples.
And that’s where we are now. Deep emotional or religious reasons might make individuals balk at the changes. It takes a very brave decision to let go of outmoded principles to embrace the reality of our modern culture.
Remember, I have shown that the biblical attitude to gays and lesbians is hideous, and based on cultural and scientific ignorance from over 2000 years ago. It is morally indefensible to contend that what the Bible says on the subject comes from a heart of infinite justice and love. And if God really did utter all those biblical condemnations of homosexuals, then I do not believe that THAT God even exists. The Bible was tempered by the prejudices and beliefs of a bygone era. We now know so much more. We have moved on.
So we come to our conclusion. It takes a brave person to change their mind. It can be personally costly and emotionally confusing – as it was for me. But that’s where courage comes in. For whatever the personal cost, we sometimes have to change our minds, free ourselves from the prison of an unreal belief system, and give space for other people to live their lives the way they deserve to.
Kim, ponder these things carefully as you continue your struggle to try and maintain your conscience against so much social pressure.
It is no longer brave to stay where you are. The only brave thing to do is to change. Many have done it before you. You will not be alone.
Wishing you wisdom, courage and humility.
Yours, with care and tenderness,
Michael Buss
September 1, 2015
References
Moir, A and Jessel, D. Brain Sex: The Real Difference Between Men and Women. 1992
History of same-sex unions, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_same-sex_unions.
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This is your weekend open thread. Discuss this that or the other within the usual realms of decency and decorum.
The latest news:
The Reverend Kim is going to the slammer until she starts writing those licenses.says
the judge!…
*Kim, Kim…..Wolfgang Puck does not serve you Pizza in the slam. You might get “A whopper” with double fires however.
I’m pretty sure she wore clothing woven of two kinds of material to her court dates.
ps-nice letter from Mr. Buss
God has forgiven her for that. And God is willing to forgive others for everything other than what she personally disapproves of. which is therefore unforgivable.
If God made me gay I wouldn’t be wanting or looking for his forgiveness, or anyone else’s.
It’s not up to God, silly. It’s up to Kim Davis.
why is it that when someone on the right makes a stand or goes to jail for following their conscious, they are mocked and ridiculed but when someone on the left goes to jail for standing up for what they believe, they are hailed as a hero?
me thinks that there is some sort of double standard
Perhaps it’s because when someone on the left goes to jail for standing up for what they believe, it’s generally the result of an unconstitutional injustice, whereas when someone on the right does it (especially when acting under color of law) it’s generally in furtherance of an unconstitutional injustice.
I can office specific examples. (This is one.)
which means that you are judging what is a valid belief and what is not. ms davis’ belief are just as valid as are those of the black lives matter movement
Their beliefs may be just as valid, but
They. Do Not. Act Under. Color Of Law.
That’s the difference right there, truckie!
“Cause my Bible tells me so……” Generally an answer for almost any conduct.
*In other news…the British papers and government are cracking down on Marijuana Farms in England. “Their Scientists” say that Marijuana causes psychosis and severe paranoia! Maybe we should drug test Miss Kim Davis and check which copy of the King James Bible she is using. Heck, let’s do Donald Trump at the same time…what do you say?
*Just one more thing: What if Kim “Angel” Davis, was wearing a Burqa or Burkha to work and refused to issue marriage licenses to marry Christian couples based up her belief that: “Yes Jesus bugs me…my Koran tells me so!” Then……should she find a new job? Just saying! We are confused!
Well, what’s your own answer, ‘Ships?
“Public Servants”? Yeah, Dr. D., they are supposed to serve “the entire public based upon the law”. Sister Kim is not at fault here, her boss is. Elected or not, she serves at the will of the people and the County. The Board of Supervisors needed to come out and either support her or relieve her of her duties until a determination could be made. Once the Judge spoke, it was game over. She can of course appeal his ruling….which she seems to be doing about your incarceration for “contempt of court”, Our point is simply that if you don’t want to issue any county license to anyone for anything based upon your own religious views – just quit. Go find another job that doesn’t require you to deal with the Public.
http://www.cnn.com/2015/09/07/politics/kim-davis-same-sex-marriage-kentucky-governor/index.html?sr=fb090715kimdavis6pVODtopLink
Surprise! The Governor can commute criminal sentences, but he has no power to reduce punishments for civil wrongs. Davis is being held for civil contempt. The Governor can do nothing about it. It’s just between her and the courts.
You’d think that her lawyers might have told her about this….
*Mike Huckabee? Who let him into the American Legion Hall? He isn’t even a veteran! Ted Cruz…..seems to be on total restriction. Kim, won’t one of your supporters buy you some Christian Dior to wear for those press conferences?
Well, the Devil would make you wear Prada!
I’ll just park this here in the Open Thread for now, because the comment I left on the CunningBlog (after an extended and blissful absence I hope to repeat and extend) in response to a clumsy attempts at interrogation by Chumley and “Anaheim Insider” (not the better version of that persona we have here) is in moderation and parts of it may not quite make it into print. And I’m tired of giving people what is sometimes days to compose a response to my comments there so that the committee of anonymous thralls can come up with their best effort. So let’s bring the fights here; we’ve been much too forbearing for the last while as it is.
As noted there at the end, I did say that I’d answer one question that was posed, so here it is:
Neither, by the way, has James Vanderbilt. I forgot to add that to the comment.
More on this eventually.
What about an Open Thread like the SAUSD one to place comments regarding the two Pringle-connected PR blogs?
That may be a good idea. I’ve had enough of scurrilous charges being made by people who can’t be made to defend the crap they say. Our anonymous commenters are at least generally funny when they are scurrilous (and they aren’t that scurrilous to begin with.)
(2) someone who probably works (and we know the probable capacity) for Curt “Let’s Never Put Anything in Writing and If We Did Let’s Make Them Prove It” Pringle;
I see this is now a deletable offense under the heading “personal speculation.”
If Cunningham deleted all the garbage he and his anonymous personae write about Tom Tait there would be no comments on that squalid site at all.