Did Hollywood Create Support for Same Sex Marriage


It always amusing to read a Christian pundit's version of why people leave the faith or stay in the faith but accept new ideas as not sinful. It's a process that has been going on I suppose since the beginning of "sin."

The cause-and-effect of social change is something studied carefully in academic settings. Those studying this subject, however, often run into a brick wall when they present to the public what they have found. The average person thinks he/she also is an expert. Conventional wisdom is strong competition to academic scholarship.

The link is an example of conventional wisdom hiding in religious punditry. The writer explains the "causes" of same-sex marriage acceptance. The "problem" began, he writes with an increase in divorces. This "damaged" respect for marriage. Lack of respect for marriage later helped bring on approval of same-sex marriage. What nonsense. 

The increase in the divorce rate came when people found they need not remain in an unhappy marriage. When one cheated the other filed for divorce instead of continuing to live with a cheating spouse. We all know many divorced couples and know why divorces happen. They have nothing to do with "reduced respect for marriage." They happen because people want to get divorced. 

The writer then moves on to every Christian pundit's favorite enemy, "Hollywood." Gay people and gay marriage, he writes, moved the needle of acceptance. Here we have to note "Hollywood" is a business, many businesses. These businesses have one purpose, to make money. They make money by properly gauging what the public wants to see on screens. That gay characters and gay marriage appeared on screens happened because the public enjoyed seeing this topic portrayed, not because "Hollywood" had some agenda other than making money. 

The author then brings up another ridiculous notion, that laws permitting same sex marriage increased support. Yes, there may be a sliver of change when laws change but the reason same sex laws changed was the same reason Hollywood changed. The public changed and Hollywood and elected officials came along later. 

Reading Christian pundits is entertaining. It is not enlightening. 


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Maybe the "Original Sin" Should be Reassigned

Image
We can all agree most Catholic priests are fine people and not guilty of sexual abuse. What Catholics must face, however, it that their church harbors executives who are dishonest . There is an incredible story about the Argentine Bishop Zanchetta. The Pope worked with him in Argentina and they are considered friends. Around 2015 Zanchetta sent nude pictures of himself and they began circulating world wide. He also was too friendly with young seminarians and some left because of him.  Three different officials say they made formal complaints to the Vatican about Zanchetta between 2015 and 2017. Yet, in 2018, the Vatican claimed it was unaware of any complaints about Zanchetta. This might be a good time to repeat the Catholic hierarchy claims to have the sole authority handed down from Jesus to what the faith stands for. It condemns as sinners those who practice birth control, have abortions and gay sexual relationships. Handing the hierarchy this responsibility would make som
Read more

The Religious Capitol Invaders May Yet Win

Image
So much about U.S. society and religion can be learned from the Civil War and what happened afterwards. After its defeat, the South started a myth about the unethical soldiers from the North. The South fought for principles of God and states rights. The North did not. It was the South, this propaganda told the country, that had the high moral ground.  The Capitol invaders, encouraged by Trump, swallowed the myth that Biden's election was stolen. Thus, they think they held and still hold the high moral ground. This was reinforced by the cross and prayers during the invasion. Even with Trump is gone, we will see political opportunists like Senators Ted Cruz and Josh Hawley stroking crowds and feeding the same lies as Trump. Like "the South will rise again" these gullible followers will talk of victory over the unclean. After the Civil War the South rallied around the phrase, Lost Cause. For decades, and maybe to this day, there are ceremonies remembering fallen martyrs, Re
Read more

Father Frank Pavone, the Ultimate Crook

Image
Recently, the Vatican defrocked Frank Pavone. His diehard fans are outraged. This is because he cleverly manipulated his fans and the press all the while living well from donations and, apparently, abusing some women. By making abortion the "sin" of the century, and himself the main opposition to this one sin, he himself could get away with any sin he pleased.  As the link points out, Pavone was the perfect priest for the Trump era. Trump is so self-important laws have no role in his life. He felt accountable to no one. Women were there to be had. Pavone and Trump are interchangeable.  Pavone was very successful raising money. In his mind, abortion was so important in Catholic beliefs and he was so important in anti-abortion the money he raised opposing it was his to do with what he liked. The Catholic Church, the brand name he used to raise this money, thought the money belonged to it. When he gave the Vatican the bird, it gave him walking papers. With polls showing the majo
Read more