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EDITORIAL  Viewing Gays Without Prejudice BY AMARA DASA EDITORIAL, Jul 28 (VNN) — In a recent article, Ananda-svarupa dasa makes a sad mistake that I see quite often-he confuses accepting homosexual people with accepting homosexual behavior. He erroneously states in his article that I wish to establish homosexuality as a bona fide practice when in fact nothing could be further from the truth. Trying to get devotees to better understand and accept gay and lesbian people as human beings and Vaishnavas has nothing to do with condoning any type of illicit or irreligious behavior. Just as heterosexual people may be celibate, committed to a single partner, or promiscuous, so also gay and lesbian people may be celibate, committed to a single partner, or promiscuous-depending upon their own individual level of spiritual advancement and renunciation. Accepting homosexual people is not about their behavior-that will vary from individual to individual-it is about judging people on their own personal merit, without prejudice. In the GALVA organization, we always encourage our members to follow celibacy. If they cannot, however, then we encourage them to establish committed same-sex relationships since this will be more helpful for them in their spiritual lives than unbridled promiscuity. In any case, our ultimate goal, just as with our heterosexual peers, is to refrain from all material sex life and desires as far as possible in order to increase our attachment for Krsna. By continuously comparing homosexuality with bestiality and pedophilia, Ananda-svarupa and others makes clear their ignorance of the issue as well as their plain dislike and contempt for people born with homosexual orientation. Deviant sexual behavior such as bestiality or pedophilia-the abuse of innocent creatures-has nothing to do with ordinary heterosexual or homosexual adult behavior. Nowhere in the shastra are these practices categorized as a third gender or nature, tritiya-prakriti, as homosexuality is. Ananda-svarupa's attempt to paint a dark portrait of gays, comparing them with demons, reveals his fear and homophobia toward such people. If we read the entire story narrated in Srimad Bhagavatam 3.20, which he cites, then we see that these demons later on also chase after the beautiful form of a woman and cannot, therefore, be homosexuals. It is important to take everything in proper context. Since the demons are later revealed as heterosexual-attracted to the opposite sex-we can just as easily say that the heterosexual appetite of a man for a woman is demoniac and that heterosexuals are demons. In the materialistic sense of lust this is certainly true. As Srila Prabhupada states: The more one is free from the desires for sex, the more he is promoted to the level of the demigods; the more one is inclined to enjoy sex, the more he is degraded to the level of demonic life. (SB 3.20.23 purport) This rule applies equally to everyone whether they are heterosexual or homosexual, and thus each person should be judged individually according to his or her own personal advancement in sense control. We cannot make blanket statements against certain body-types such as gays are demons, blacks are thieves, women are witches, etc., because this is not a fair or realistic manner of assessing any human being. Srila Prabhupada carefully instructed us to learn how to become like the honeybees and not like the flies. Honeybee-like devotees are constantly looking for the positive and good qualities of others while disregarding the negative ones. To apply this toward gay people and devotees, we should be able to see their good qualities and encourage them to develop and engage these in Krsna's service. Condemning and dwelling upon the negative aspects of other types of people means that one is situated in the lowest kanistha stage. Such a dark-hearted person is like the smarta-brahmana of old-he overlooks the humanity of others and dwells instead upon their shortcomings and faults. There are so many wonderful examples set by Srila Prabhupada in regard to his positive dealings with homosexual people and disciples, as well as his inclusive comments about the predominantly homosexual and transgender eunuch class of India. We should concentrate on these positive examples and not resort to the negative, condemning attitudes expressed in Ananda-svarupa's article. In conclusion, true Vaishnavas are positive-oriented and compassionate people. They are liberal, open-minded, and kind to everyone. They are not like the rigid and cold-hearted smarta-brahmanas who are enemies of Lord Caitanya's sankirtana movement. In a similar way, Vedic culture was very accommodating and inclusive to all classes of people while at the same time encouraging and guiding them toward complete renunciation and engagement in Krsna's service. Historical evidence indicates that India's ancient civilization was indeed such an advanced culture, and my previous article entitled India's Slow Descent Into Homophobia pointed this out in regard to homosexuality. By demonstrating that Vedic culture was accommodating and tolerant of gay and third-gender people, as mentioned by Srila Prabhupada in his own conversations with Hayagriva dasa, my only intent was to provoke positive reflection on this issue. On one hand we see an ancient civilization that was tolerant and accommodating of all types of people, and on the other we see how some non-Vedic cultures have persecuted, tortured and even killed their homosexual citizens. It should be clear to anyone which of these two types truly represents the age of Kali. Contact VNN about this story  Send this story to a friend
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