Madame, please leave my Archetypes alone.

Well, folks, it has finally happened.

J.K. Rowling has done something terrible to one of my favorite characters.

Admittedly, Albus Dumbledore is her creation, but as we say in literary theory, she is using language and ideas important to all of us- and for people like me, she has just dealt an unforgivable blow.

Let me explain.

I'm of a certain persuasion, and from what I've seen in my friends who are gay, experienced myself, and understand, homosexuality will lead to unhappiness in those who embrace the lifestyle. I emphasize that because I don't want to be misunderstood- I have no problem with homosexuals- especially not with people who merely exhibit what some see as characteristics of homosexuality (feminine traits in guys, for example). These things, and even homosexual leanings, are not problematic. What is problematic is when people embrace that and go for it- living homosexual lifestyles and engaging in gay and/or lesbian sex. I have a problem with that- as much a problem as I have with anyone who engages in self-destructive behavior.

Now, more explanation is in order on this. Homosexuality is not only self-destructive because it doesn't conceive children- that concern is secondary. It destroys people- mentally first, and then spiritually. Remember, I don't mean leanings in that direction- I don't care what sex people are attracted to- I mean embracing that lifestyle and going forward with it. I've seen it destroy friends anecdotally, and I know that the end result, (here I go revealing part of my religious affiliation) and that in this life or in the next, embracing a homosexual lifestyle will result in utter ruin- unhappiness and suffering of the highest degree. Not because of hell or anything like that- it will be self-inflicted hell or should haves would haves could haves, of not being fulfilled. If any folks embracing homosexual life read this, you should simply understand this as a friendly warning- you're cheating yourselves of something much better than sex that you enjoy, now. I look on that with the sadness of one who watches a man gamble away his life-savings in one night of high-rolling in a Vegas casino. That fellow could have done so much more with that money, and he caused those around him so much suffering in the process.

Of course, this also merits further argument.

Some of you reading this will argue that if it is natural, then why not do it? "Natural" is such a stilted word these days. It has a universally good connotation, but you know, it is the natural thing for male lions to kill a lioness's cubs in order to have sex with her and get their own genes into the pool. Natural? Natural. Perfectly natural, but you won't find me doing it- it might be natural for a lion, but I say, if that's natural, I'd frankly rather be artificial. A lot of things are perfectly natural that you should not do- adolescent human males have the powerful urge to copulate with anything that has a vagina (or doesn't, as the case may be)- that doesn't mean they should. Unprotected sex and single parent homes are offering our society, on a collective (the taxpayers and aid givers) and individual (the broken mothers and fatherless children- in general, that is) level, the greatest challenges it has ever faced. Does anyone care that these statistics and characteristics of our country are probably the second greatest reason why any faithful Muslim could possibly hate us? They hate our morality- and as much as I hate radical Islam, on this account, I have to save that our enemies are seeing us clearer than we see ourselves. We are destroying our culture through our overindulgence and amorality- we simply have no morals as a collective anymore!

Well, I know another argument that often comes quietly forward when I talk with my gay friends, so I may as well address it here. "It's just who I am! I can't change who I am!" As much as I understand needing to be yourself- please understand that I am possibly the most sympathetic person on the planet to that argument! I level a counter argument, though- because I think that even though being yourself is very, very important, taking it too far is fatalistic. Can a murderer or a thief never in all time overcome the part of him that committed murder or robbery? I mean, isn't that evil, to say that you can't change yourself, and then expect every released prisoner to go out and do according to his nature again? That's Les Miserables type thinking, and I refuse to stand by it, even though I believe so strongly in being yourself and letting those who don't want to let you stick it somewhere unpleasant. Everyone can change- there is power enough in each and every person to change- how you change is important (not cooking or planting flowers or acting just because it doesn't match someone else's definition of 'manly' would be a bad change- not trying to have normal 'real,' child-conceiving sex with a woman you love (and are married to, I might add!) just because one part of yourself wants to go and share that part with the same sex would also be a bad change- and deciding not to get out of it would be a decision tailored to make you miserable!).

So basically, homosexual lifestyles are tailored to make people sad (if you're intent on ignoring my friendly warning, I can only wish you as much happiness as is possible for the longest possible time- I honestly wish every last person on this planet as much happiness as is possible!) and I don't support them. Finding out that my favorite character in one of my favorite book series was homosexual was a low blow. But I tell you what, according to literary theory today, with which Ms. Rowling is certainly quite familiar, having studied French, the author today is dead and the text stands alone.

And because of that, I tell you what- MY Dumbledore is not gay. MY Dumbledore did not love Grindelwald romantically- it was a platonic relationship. I know that my interpretation is possible because I had a friendship alike to Grindelwald's and Dumbledore's in every way- my best friend even wanted to take over the world, and for a short time, I helped him! Of course, our efforts were mostly pretend, but you'd be surprised how into that effort we got, and how much research we did- sometimes I almost believed we'd do it! Briefly, anyway. I was Dumbledore and he was Grindelwald, and we are still best friends, both happily married- he has one son, my wife and I are still trying to bring our first bundle of joy to the world.

Because I want every person to experience what I do with my beloved wife, and because I know that trying to get that from a homosexual relationship is only cheating those who struggle with homosexual feelings, I am saddened to my core by the announcement, and hope for a retraction or clarification. Since I deem that a futile hope, I only hope everyone will at least offer me as much respect as I offer them, and let me keep my own Dumbledore, the way I feel that he really is. I will whether or not anyone lets me, though. ;-) With that, this long second entry is over.

Long live Dumbledore- the real Dumbledore.

A Blog!

I've decided it is time to join my siblings on the net and break open my brain into the net- here you'll read about my thoughts and life, about my participation in the great discourse of humanity.