Torch, Fall/Winter 2007

by William Brown, Ph.D. H omosexuality has become a watershed issue of American culture. Sex as God intended it has been lowered from the sacred intimacy of a one-man, one-woman covenant relationship to a complex web of social, cultural, and personal issues complicated by confusing scientific and psychological studies. Studying the topic of homosexuality from a worldview perspective provides a unique opportunity to understand the broader issues at the heart of the discussion. The three major worldviews — transcendentalism, naturalism, and theism — approach sexual behavior differently, though almost always as a product of personal morality. 4 TORCH A View of Morality Transcendental Hesitations: Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell The transcendental worldview assumes there is no God “out there” but that the divine reality is present in all things. Morality is determined by that which promotes unity with others and the cosmic oneness of all things. In traditional transcendental religions, there are disagreements about how homosexuality is integrated into basic beliefs and society. In most transcendental cultures, homosexuality is discouraged for both religious and cultural reasons. For example, Tibetan Buddhism bans homosexual activity but does not condemn homosexuals for their sexual orientation.