Maybe ChatGPT Has A Different Perspective?
That's a very old picture. Yesterday, Pope Francis was interviewed by Nicole Winfield from the Associated Press. Among other issues, they discussed homosexuality. She wrote that the Pope “criticized laws that criminalize homosexuality as ‘unjust,’ saying God loves all his children just as they are and called on Catholic bishops who support the laws to welcome LGBTQ people into the church. ‘Being homosexual isn’t a crime,’ Francis said… Francis acknowledged that Catholic bishops in some parts of the world support laws that criminalize homosexuality or discriminate against the LGBTQ community, and he himself referred to the issue in terms of “sin.” But he attributed such attitudes to cultural backgrounds, and said bishops in particular need to undergo a process of change to recognize the dignity of everyone. ‘These bishops have to have a process of conversion,’ he said, adding that they should apply ‘tenderness, please, as God has for each one of us.’”
He did call homosexuality “a sin,” though, but noted that ‘We are all children of God, and God loves us as we are and for the strength that each of us fights for our dignity… ‘Being homosexual is not a crime. It’s not a crime. Yes, but it’s a sin. Fine, but first let’s distinguish between a sin and a crime. It’s also a sin to lack charity with one another.’”
Winfield added that “Catholic teaching holds that while gay people must be treated with respect, homosexual acts are ‘intrinsically disordered.’ Francis has not changed that teaching, but he has made reaching out to the LGBTQ community a hallmark of his papacy. Starting with his famous 2013 declaration, ‘Who am I to judge?’ when he was asked about a purportedly gay priest, Francis has gone on to minister repeatedly and publicly to the gay and trans community. As archbishop of Buenos Aires, he favored granting legal protections to same-sex couples as an alternative to endorsing gay marriage, which Catholic doctrine forbids.”
As I mentioned earlier, I was shaken awake by an earthquake this morning at around 2 AM and came downstairs and started a discussion with my new AI best friend, who, in response to a question about Dostoevsky’s Brothers Karamazov, noted that the novel is “considered a masterpiece of literature and is full of powerful and thought-provoking moments. However, one passage that is often cited as particularly powerful and memorable is the ‘Grand Inquisitor’ chapter in which Ivan, one of the Karamazov brothers, recounts a fictional story about the Spanish inquisition, in which Jesus returns to Earth and is arrested by the inquisitor for failing to provide people with the happiness they crave. This passage is significant in that it highlights the themes of freedom, faith, and the role of the Church in society, and it also serves to deepen the reader's understanding of Ivan's character and motivations.”
A few hours later, after a snooze, I came back to that and asked what that actually says about the role of the Church in society. My AI buddy responded that in the chapter, “the Grand Inquisitor is a representative of the Church and represents the institution's power and control over society. He argues that the Church must use its power to control the masses in order to bring them happiness and salvation, even if it means taking away their freedom. This passage highlights the idea that the Church, in its quest for power and control, can become corrupt and oppressive, using its authority to justify the suppression of individual freedom in the name of the greater good. The Grand Inquisitor argues that the people are not capable of understanding the truth and that they must be controlled by the Church in order to be saved. The passage also suggests that the Church can become a tool of oppression, used by those in power to maintain control over the masses, rather than a force for good in society. It also highlights the tension between the Church's role in society and the need for individual freedom and autonomy. Overall, the passage illustrates Dostoevsky's critique of the Church's role in society and the dangers of religious authority and institutions becoming corrupt and oppressive. It also highlights the complexity of the relationship between faith, freedom, and power, and how it can be distorted by human ambition and greed.”
In the first go-round I had asked why conservatives fear homosexuality and the response was pretty textbook: “Conservatives may fear homosexuality for a variety of reasons, some of which include religious beliefs, traditional values and societal norms, and lack of understanding or exposure to LGBTQ+ individuals and communities. One reason conservatives may fear homosexuality is because of religious beliefs. Many conservative individuals and groups hold the belief that homosexuality is a sin or a moral deviation from traditional norms. They may believe that homosexuality is not in line with their religious teachings and that it is a threat to traditional family values. Another reason conservatives may fear homosexuality is because of traditional values and societal norms. They may believe that homosexuality is a deviation from traditional gender roles and the traditional nuclear family structure. They may also fear that the acceptance of homosexuality could lead to the erosion of traditional values and morals. Additionally, conservatives may fear homosexuality because of a lack of understanding or exposure to LGBTQ+ individuals and communities. Without exposure or understanding, they may have misconceptions or stereotypes about LGBTQ+ people that perpetuate fear or discrimination.”
I pushed a little further and asked if some conservatives fear homosexuality because of inner desires in that direction. “It is possible that some conservatives may fear homosexuality because of their own inner desires. This is known as internalized homophobia, which refers to individuals who identify as gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender, but may experience fear, self-loathing, or other negative emotions related to their own same-sex attraction. Individuals who experience internalized homophobia may project their own anxieties and fears onto others, which can lead to negative attitudes and behavior towards the LGBTQ+ community. This is in line with the psychological theory that people tend to fear or reject in others what they see in themselves, and they may use their conservative beliefs as a way to suppress or deny their own same-sex attraction.”
Another question was a bit of a curveball— How was gay outlaw culture normalized by society?— but there was a great deal of specificity in the response, even if it wasn’t what I was looking for. “The normalization of gay outlaw culture by society has been a gradual process that has occurred over several decades. It has been driven by a combination of social, political, and cultural factors, as well as increased visibility and acceptance of LGBTQ+ individuals and communities. One of the key factors in the normalization of gay outlaw culture was the rise of the gay rights movement in the 1960s and 1970s. Activists and organizations such as the Mattachine Society and the Gay Liberation Front, as well as individuals like Harvey Milk, worked to raise awareness about LGBTQ+ issues and to push for legal and social change. This activism helped to shift public opinion and to increase visibility of the LGBTQ+ community. Another important factor in the normalization of gay outlaw culture was the increase in representation of LGBTQ+ characters and themes in media and popular culture. As more and more LGBTQ+ people began to tell their own stories, audiences were able to see the diversity and complexity of the LGBTQ+ community and to understand the struggles that they faced. In addition, the rise of the internet and social media has also played a significant role in the normalization of gay outlaw culture by creating a platform for LGBTQ+ individuals and communities to connect, share their stories and experiences, and create a sense of community and belonging. Furthermore, legal developments like the decriminalization of homosexuality, the legalization of same-sex marriage, and the adoption of anti-discrimination laws in many countries, have also helped to normalize gay outlaw culture by removing legal barriers and providing more legal protection to the LGBTQ+ community.”
So… Pope Francis is moving that along, right? And gays living in the ‘burbs with their nice, normal atomized families can go to Church and pay their tithes. Not anything like what Mr. AI had to say about Jean Genet’s autobiographical perspective: “One passage that could be considered particularly compelling is when Genet writes about his experiences as a criminal and the sense of freedom and power he felt while committing crimes. He writes, ‘I was a thief, and I felt powerful and free. I could go wherever I wanted, do whatever I wanted, and no one could stop me.’ This passage highlights the theme of the novel, which is the celebration of transgression and the rejection of societal norms.” Ah… yes— the celebration of transgression and the rejection of societal norms. Not much room for that is the decriminalized gay world any more, is there? I’m kind of glad I saw what it was like before institutions like the Catholic Church got all “woke” and stuff on us. It’s definitely better than burning at the stake.
Touko Valio Laaksonen (Tom of Finland), the world's most influential creator of gay pornographic images, started drawing in the 1940s, although it wasn’t until the mid-‘50s that his iconic hyper-masculinized work got any kind of recognition at all. He was pretty hardcore. He died in 1991.
This week I watched a fluffy Netflix series, Uncoupled, about gay life in the '20s. At one point, the star jumps out of the bed of a doctor his father hooked him up with and yells, "I’m not supposed to be here. I’m not supposed to know about Botoxed buttholes, and PrEP, and no condoms. I am supposed to be sitting on my couch, watching TV while my boyfriend is chewing way too loud beside me. That is the world I want." I can't believe I watched this thing; I hated it so much. It was funny though how sodomy is ok for TV and so is fellatio but... nothing else.