http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R._N._Taber
Hi, Everyone,
A reader has emailed to say how much he has enjoyed reading poems in the archives and wants to know why I don't write more poems "... to which LGBT people, especially gay men, can directly relate." The short answer is that I simply ran out of ideas., although I do add the occasional new poem to the blog whenever inspiration strikes. Moreover, as feedback suggests to my delight, more LGBT readers are discovering that they can also relate to many poems on my general blog, written as they are for an all-inclusive mindset.
A new reader also asks how I reconcile the sense of spirituality to which I often refer in my poems with my not subscribing to any of the world religions. I have answered this question here before, so hope any regular readers will bear with my repeating myself.
Over the years, I have had conversations with many LGBT people who feel stigmatised by their sexuality; often they feel the need to hide their true sexual identity, not least because their religion forbids it. This is why I do not subscribe to any religion as such, but have felt a growing empathy with Pantheism in later years. Even as a child, I found it hard to relate to a personified God while, at the same time, I could not deny an innate sense of spirituality. As the years passed, I realised that being gay is not a choice but an aspect o the human condition to which most world religions refuse to acknowledge as being more natural than blasphemous. I also began to understand that my sense of spirituality came from my love for the natural world. How could any God feel any antipathy towards the likes of me for that? I refused to believe that my sexuality was a sin and, as a work colleague once put it, would go to Hell. By the time I finally came out to the world as a gay man, I had also discovered Pantheism; pantheists believed that God IS nature rather than simply its creator.
Now, I have every respect for any person's religious beliefs, although I confess I find religious agendas - of dogma, as they prefer to call it - fair bursting to the seams with a bigotry and hypocrisy that has never struck me as likely in any God. Whatever, each to their own, fair enough. As my poems often ask, whatever happened to agreeing to differ...?
No one should be made to feel guilty about their sexuality nor does (any) religion have a monopoly on spirituality. There will be many readers who disagree, are even offended by what I say, but no offence is intended; it is simply my view of the world as I have experienced it. In the course of my 75+ years, I have felt closer to nature, and closer to s sense of spirituality I cannot relate to religion, only nature; if an affinity with Pantheism makes me a 'sinner' so be it.
A sense of spirituality is an important element in the human condition, and it has always been of great concern to me that a significant number of LGBT folks are made to feel they have no right to it on account of their sexuality. I refuse to believe that any God would hold a person's sexuality against him or her, whatever any Holy Books might have to say on the subject. Years ago, when I was well enough to participate in Gay Pride marches, it was a delight to be amongst others who felt able to look the world in the eye for their sexual inclinations rather than feel they should hang their heads in shame, although it saddened me - and still does - that some people had been rejected by family and friends es on religious rather than, or as well as, any 'moral' grounds.
Whatever, the important thing is to be true to ourselves. Some families and friends get that, and the love they feel for a anyone is not diminished by their relating to the LGBT community; for others, religion takes preference over love, and they feel obliged to reject us. Sexuality is not a choice, but part of who we are, but we are all persons of many parts; it s the whole that counts. Perhaps, one day, more of our religious "betters" may grasp that, and cease to practice the kind of bigotry they see fit to impose on their congregations... although I have to say, I doubt it.
I once let slip to a friend of a friend, who happened to be a clergyman. that I am gay. Embarrassed, I apologised,. He laughed. "No need to apologise. Yours sexuality is between you and God. If he doesn't have a problem with it, why should I? And if He does,? Well, that's for Him to deal with, not a mere clergyman. Now, that, is what I call agreeing to differ...
Take care, folks, keep well and many thanks for dropping by,
Back soon(ish),
Hugs,
Roger x
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