Thursday 8 July 2010

Intolerant tolerance

I had to make a presentation as part of a training course at one of my clients today. Another presenter was the client's Equality and Diversity Officer. He is a homosexual, and as part of his talk on tolerance of difference cited his experience when a social worker realised that he and his lover were a homosexual couple seeking to adopt a young boy. He said that the additional scrutiny to which they were subjected was a clear example of homophobia, as was the social worker's questioning whether two homosexual men were the best possible potential adoptive parents for the child.

I disagreed - but said nothing, in the knowledge that to say anything (even to raise the question about whether there was any evidence that children thrive in such settings, or that they don't do better with one male and one female parent to act as role models) would mean that I would not work for that organisation again - and possibly be blacklisted beyond it.

I did however mention my reservations in private to a senior manager, who agreed with them -but also agreed that if either of us voiced our doubts, we would be labeled homophobic: she would be sacked and I would have my contract terminated.

Given all this was a result of a talk on tolerance... well draw your own conclusions.

1 comment:

George Carmody said...

The notion of equality is now old hat and exposed as the nonsense it always was. The simple fact of the matter is that homosexuals as a group are legally privileged in Britain as no other. Can you think of any other group that is legally protected from anyone at all questioning any facet of their beliefs, ideology or lifestyle? Ethnic minorities, although privileged in some respects, do not have that level of immunity. And, as your example highlights, it's not a question of mere social conformity, of comments on the subject being considered insensitive in polite company. There are legal penalties and professional penalties for refusing to approve of the homosexual "lifestyle".

Incidentally, there is an error at large amongst some bishops and priests (well, rather more than one, but I digress) that considers only homosexual acts sinful. Not so. Wilful thoughts and indecent talk to arouse temptations are also sinful. I read a comment on a blog the other day that claimed that the homosexual condition is "morally neutral". Again, not so - it is "objectively disordered". It can, and frequently does, lead to grave sin and therefore cannot be regarded as "neutral", any more than being attracted to any other sin can be described as neutral. Temptation in itself is not sinful, but such temptation has a moral character.