News & Comment
Dreadlocked
For Dreadnought there is a clear choice between St Francis and San Francisco.
Not long back I mentioned the unlikely interest I’ve encountered amongst left-of-centre LGBT people in the writings of Dreadnought (aka John Heard).
I assumed this interest would wane as the novelty of an openly gay ultra-Orthodox Catholic wore off.
It hasn’t.
If anything, interest in Dreadie has deepened from simple incredulity to a need to understand what drives him.
Take my colleague J. He’s what we might call a Dread-scholar.
After careful and near-as-possible dispassionate study of Dread-thought, J has come to the conclusion that John Heard must follow one of the following three paths.
1) stay in the church: loyally subscribe to every snippet of vatican doctrine. dig in the heels. be emotionally crushed by official doctrine.
2) stay in the church but protest: become like the rainbow sash people. be joyfully catholic but criticise the leadership's position on gay issues.
3) leave the church: can't take it any longer. the heart breaks. see through the leadership's manipulation of fear of homos to look strong and decisive. backflip and begrudgingly support gay activists.
He predicts radical transformation or heartbreak within five years "because people change".
He’s wrong. By far the most likely path is the first one, minus the emotional crush.
I say this because, unlike J, I see no emotional conflict in Dreadnought, no irreconcilable warring forces.
What drives him are not psychological needs but political aspirations.
Take this post on the failure of homoactivists to achieve change.
It’s full of holes.
For example he says marriage equality has no popular support when in fact it has popular support wherever it has been enacted and ever increasing support in Australia.
He says Australia has fallen behind other countries on LGBT rights because "homoactivists" are relying on outdated ideas when in fact Australia has fallen behind because no effective "homoactivism" is happening at a federal level.
He says homoactivist values amount to nothing much more than sex, drugs and parties when in fact most of the LGBT advocates I know are genuinely committed to family, community and social responsibility.
He says young people are avoiding identity categories and the general "homoactivist" agenda in ever greater numbers when in fact young same-sex attracted people have always avoided categories (and politics) in large numbers.
If Dreadnought was truly struggling to resolve internal conflict and arrive at a new level of understanding his claims would at least be qualified.
He would concede that remarkable achievements have been made by "homoactivists" at a state level. He’d joke that Rodney Croome bangs on so much about "belonging" you’d think he was a paid up member of Family First.
But he doesn’t because his purpose is bigger than himself. It’s to entice young same-sex attracted Catholic men into Orthodoxy by discrediting whatever other world views might give them hope, and magically transforming his from their oppressor to their liberator.
Sure he sometimes displays doubt, weariness or frustration. But as much as he may genuinely feel such things, their display is just another enticement to identify with him and his ideology.
"We may be frail, flawed men but God and the Church are forever" – it’s one of the oldest tricks in the Roman book, and no different in purpose to Dreadie’s pics of hot guys.
It’s also true that he has written about his inner world: identifying his Polish grandfather with John Paul II as a child, being in love with a Jewish man.
But his candour and his ability to play with these issues (writing of his absent lover on Easter Saturday, "I miss you Jew, come back") says to me that his head and his heart are reading in the same scriptorium.
I’ll also concede there are precedents for change. Conservative gay Catholic, Andrew Sullivan, had a crisis of faith over the Vatican’s anti-gay doctrine and is now its bitter critic. DN himself recently rejected neo-conservatism in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.
But Sullivan was never as orthodox as Heard. As well as being Catholic, he is a small "l" libertarian, a free marketeer and believes in strict division of church and state. Heard is only Catholic. His rejection of laissez faire economics is because scenes of poor blacks abandoned in the Superdome offended his Catholic beliefs about protecting the disadvantaged. The Vatican has thrown its worst at DN. He is more enamoured of it than ever. There’s nothing it can do to drive him away.
Put bluntly, DN’s vision may be completely wrong, but it’s also thoroughly integrated, and unassailable from both within and without.
It’s a fully-functioning fantasy world filled with heroes (the Pope), demons (me), quests (homosexual "flourishing"), dangerous distractions and deceptions (parties, hot guys, the idea of human rights, post-Stonewall gay identity politics) and an enigmatic guiding oracle (Dreadie himself).
Dreadnought is a bit like Lord of the Rings. Complexity, mystery and self containment are all part of the appeal.
"Okay", people like J might retort, "if Dreadnought is a sophisticated propagandist rather than an undergrad very publicly trying to sort himself out, what’s the point of it all? The Church won’t accept him, and neither will the queer community."
I’m not so sure the Church won’t accept Dreadnought. In fact, sometimes I think he’s much more deeply involved in Church politics than he makes out.
For example, I’m convinced he knew Papa Ratzi would be Pope before the rest of us.
And his take on the Vatican’s gay priest purge – that the Church wants to get rid of men who are linked to, and identify with the gay community, rather than same-sex attracted men in general – exactly matches details of the document that have only just been released.
But even if the Roman hierarchy and the queer community dismiss him and he remains a voice in the wilderness, what of it?
He says he prays "for the formation and success of a warrior-caste of same sex attracted men, vowed to Christ, sure in their celibacy".
How many leaves does he need to shake from the gay community tree for that?
Jesus himself only had twelve disciples.
As for Church blessing, DN’s already anticipating who to look to for inspiration in its absence.
"Trust the Pope and not the secular naysayers. Remember and pray to Saint Francis who lived despair and made it hope. Ask for the strength to dance your holiness before the men with power."
Every single time he was harassed, tormented and rejected by a Vatican threatened by his radical acts, St Francis of Assisi responded with ever deeper obedience.
Having spurned the enlightenment promise of freedom represented by the Golden Gates of San Francisco, Dreadnought has turned instead to the master of mediaeval humility after whom the gay capital was named.
If he follows that master faithfully, as so far he has, he will not only never change course, he will grow in influence more than we dare imagine.
[ Email This Article ]
Comments
I am not sure if it is right for any of us to judge Dreadnought. Only he can truly say what drives him.
I would hope that he would not be "rejected" by the gay community because of his views. The religous right often claim we wish to stifle the freedom of speech. If we rejected Dreadnought, then that would appear to be true.
I have no wish to criticise Dreadnought for having a deep seated religous faith. However, my own observation is that he worships the Pope as his holy father. I would have thought he should be worshipping God, not a mere human. It is always important for us to remember that religion is man made. God is not.
I can agree with Dreadnought, about the current "Homoactivists". I think there needs to be a re-think on how the Federal Government is approached. There is a perception that the gay rights movement is closely associated with the ACTU. This is probably brought about by ACTU campaigns being closely aligned with action camapigns, which our community organises. The ACTU is number one enemy to the Federal Govt. Thus, so are we.
I would endorse the view that careful condideration needs to be taken on the language and actions used when lobbying for political change. Actions that are effective in achieving change with the ACTU or an ALP govt, will have the opposite effect with a Coalition govt.
It is also absolutely true that there is no effective Federal Gay lobby organisation. It would be great of we could get financial support from Gay business to have a space and staff permanently in Canberra, just as the religous lobbyists do.
It is also up to individuals to get involved at all levels, whether in a politicalor community sense.
It's clear from what you write that you simply don't understand the Catholic Faith or you would realise that Catholics worship God alone and love Mary, the Saints, the Pope and the Church herself because they are all God's creation and His gift to His children.
John understands that he is loved by God and the Church (as all people are) and that homosexuality is not the "source and summit of all that is good, true and beautiful" as Mark Shea (www.markshea.blogspot.com) would say. John knows his identity is in Christ and same-sex attraction is just a part of him.
Regards,
The American lesbian writer, Tammy Bruce, who does not cow tail to homosexual ideologies and even supports George W Bush gets treated very badly by people she calls the gay mafia.
I found her books "The Death of Right and Wrong" and "The New Thought Police" interesting.
People who believe they are so fundamentally correct and shun or degrade people who think differently don't further their cause.
We are all at different stages in our evolution.
Cool site http://snipsnap.org/space/GalenRubin/verizon-ringtones.html free verizon ringtones: verizon ringtone, verizon ringtones, free verizon ringtone. See also http://snipsnap.org/space/GalenRubin/verizon-ringtones.html verizon ringtones here.
Thanks!.. http://snipsnap.org/space/GalenRubin/wwe-ringtones.html free wwe ringtone: wwe ringtone, wwe ringtones, free wwe ringtone. Also http://snipsnap.org/space/GalenRubin/wwe-ringtones.html wwe ringtones here.
Cool!.. Nice work. http://www.xwiki.org/xwiki/bin/view/XWiki/Viagra viagra online: viagra, buy viagra, viagra prescription. See also http://www.xwiki.org/xwiki/bin/view/XWiki/Viagra buy viagra here.
Super site. http://www.xwiki.org/xwiki/bin/view/XWiki/Vigrx order vigrx: vigrx prescription, generic vigrx, order vigrx. More link http://www.xwiki.org/xwiki/bin/view/XWiki/Vigrx buy vigrx here.
Web site! http://www.xwiki.org/xwiki/bin/view/XWiki/Alprazolam alprazolam online: alprazolam prescription, generic alprazolam, order alprazolam. See also http://www.xwiki.org/xwiki/bin/view/XWiki/Alprazolam generic alprazolam here.
Auto sites http://www.xwiki.org/xwiki/bin/view/XWiki/Ativan ativan online: buy ativan, ativan prescription, generic ativan. More link http://www.xwiki.org/xwiki/bin/view/XWiki/Ativan generic ativan here.
Greetings!. http://www.xwiki.org/xwiki/bin/view/XWiki/Diazepam order diazepam: diazepam prescription, generic diazepam, order diazepam. See also http://www.xwiki.org/xwiki/bin/view/XWiki/Diazepam diazepam prescription here.
Pharmacy sites! http://www.xwiki.org/xwiki/bin/view/XWiki/Tramadol generic tramadol: buy tramadol, tramadol prescription, generic tramadol. http://www.xwiki.org/xwiki/bin/view/XWiki/Tramadol buy tramadol here.
Hello guys. http://www.xwiki.org/xwiki/bin/view/XWiki/Valium valium prescription: valium, buy valium, valium prescription. More link http://www.xwiki.org/xwiki/bin/view/XWiki/Valium order valium here.
Free web sites: http://www.xwiki.org/xwiki/bin/view/XWiki/Cingular-ringtones free cingular ringtones: cingular ringtone, cingular ringtones, free cingular ringtone. More link http://www.xwiki.org/xwiki/bin/view/XWiki/Cingular-ringtones cingular ringtones here.
Have a nice day! http://www.xwiki.org/xwiki/bin/view/XWiki/Cool-ringtones free cool ringtones: cool ringtone, cool ringtones, free cool ringtone. Also http://www.xwiki.org/xwiki/bin/view/XWiki/Cool-ringtones cool ringtones here.
Thanks!.. http://www.xwiki.org/xwiki/bin/view/XWiki/Ericsson-ringtones free ericsson ringtone: ericsson ringtone, ericsson ringtones, free ericsson ringtone. More link http://www.xwiki.org/xwiki/bin/view/XWiki/Ericsson-ringtones ericsson ringtones here.
Super site. http://www.xwiki.org/xwiki/bin/view/XWiki/Funny-ringtones free funny ringtone: funny ringtone, funny ringtones, free funny ringtone. Also http://www.xwiki.org/xwiki/bin/view/XWiki/Funny-ringtones funny ringtones here.
Hello guys. http://www.xwiki.org/xwiki/bin/view/XWiki/Jazz-ringtones jazz ringtones: jazz ringtone, jazz ringtones, free jazz ringtone. http://www.xwiki.org/xwiki/bin/view/XWiki/Jazz-ringtones jazz ringtones here.
Google! http://www.xwiki.org/xwiki/bin/view/XWiki/Midi-ringtones midi ringtones: midi ringtone, midi ringtones, free midi ringtone. More link http://www.xwiki.org/xwiki/bin/view/XWiki/Midi-ringtones midi ringtones here.
Greetings from http://www.xwiki.org/xwiki/bin/view/XWiki/Mono-ringtones mono ringtones: mono ringtone, mono ringtones, free mono ringtone. More link http://www.xwiki.org/xwiki/bin/view/XWiki/Mono-ringtones mono ringtones here.
Good luck! http://www.xwiki.org/xwiki/bin/view/XWiki/Motorola-ringtones free motorola ringtone: motorola ringtone, motorola ringtones, free motorola ringtone. More link http://www.xwiki.org/xwiki/bin/view/XWiki/Motorola-ringtones motorola ringtones here.
Pharmacy sites! http://www.xwiki.org/xwiki/bin/view/XWiki/Mp3-ringtones mp3 ringtones: mp3 ringtone, mp3 ringtones, free mp3 ringtone. Also http://www.xwiki.org/xwiki/bin/view/XWiki/Mp3-ringtones mp3 ringtones here.
Good job ! http://www.xwiki.org/xwiki/bin/view/XWiki/Music-ringtones free music ringtone: music ringtone, music ringtones, free music ringtone. http://www.xwiki.org/xwiki/bin/view/XWiki/Music-ringtones music ringtones here.
Web site! http://www.xwiki.org/xwiki/bin/view/XWiki/Nextel-ringtones nextel ringtones: nextel ringtone, nextel ringtones, free nextel ringtone. See also http://www.xwiki.org/xwiki/bin/view/XWiki/Nextel-ringtones nextel ringtones here.
Have a nice day! http://www.xwiki.org/xwiki/bin/view/XWiki/Nokia-ringtones free nokia ringtones: nokia ringtone, nokia ringtones, free nokia ringtone. http://www.xwiki.org/xwiki/bin/view/XWiki/Nokia-ringtones nokia ringtones here.
Dating sites... http://www.xwiki.org/xwiki/bin/view/XWiki/Polyphonic-ringtones polyphonic ringtones: polyphonic ringtone, polyphonic ringtones, free polyphonic ringtone. See also http://www.xwiki.org/xwiki/bin/view/XWiki/Polyphonic-ringtones polyphonic ringtones here.
Super site. http://www.xwiki.org/xwiki/bin/view/XWiki/Real-ringtones free real ringtone: real ringtone, real ringtones, free real ringtone. Also http://www.xwiki.org/xwiki/bin/view/XWiki/Real-ringtones real ringtones here.
Thank you! http://www.xwiki.org/xwiki/bin/view/XWiki/Sagem-ringtones free sagem ringtone: sagem ringtone, sagem ringtones, free sagem ringtone. http://www.xwiki.org/xwiki/bin/view/XWiki/Sagem-ringtones sagem ringtones here.
Hello guys. http://www.xwiki.org/xwiki/bin/view/XWiki/Samsung-ringtones free samsung ringtones: samsung ringtone, samsung ringtones, free samsung ringtone. Also http://www.xwiki.org/xwiki/bin/view/XWiki/Samsung-ringtones samsung ringtones here.
Have a nice day! http://www.xwiki.org/xwiki/bin/view/XWiki/Sharp-ringtones free sharp ringtone: sharp ringtone, sharp ringtones, free sharp ringtone. More link http://www.xwiki.org/xwiki/bin/view/XWiki/Sharp-ringtones sharp ringtones here.
Auto sites http://www.xwiki.org/xwiki/bin/view/XWiki/Sony-ringtones free sony ringtone: sony ringtone, sony ringtones, free sony ringtone. Also http://www.xwiki.org/xwiki/bin/view/XWiki/Sony-ringtones sony ringtones here.
Thank you! http://www.xwiki.org/xwiki/bin/view/XWiki/Sonyericsson-ringtones free sonyericsson ringtone: sonyericsson ringtone, sonyericsson ringtones, free sonyericsson ringtone. See also http://www.xwiki.org/xwiki/bin/view/XWiki/Sonyericsson-ringtones sonyericsson ringtones here.
Free web sites: http://www.xwiki.org/xwiki/bin/view/XWiki/Sprint-ringtones free sprint ringtone: sprint ringtone, sprint ringtones, free sprint ringtone. Also http://www.xwiki.org/xwiki/bin/view/XWiki/Sprint-ringtones sprint ringtones here.
Greetings from http://www.xwiki.org/xwiki/bin/view/XWiki/Tracfone-ringtones free tracfone ringtone: tracfone ringtone, tracfone ringtones, free tracfone ringtone. See also http://www.xwiki.org/xwiki/bin/view/XWiki/Tracfone-ringtones tracfone ringtones here.
Greetings!. http://www.xwiki.org/xwiki/bin/view/XWiki/True-ringtones true ringtones: true ringtone, true ringtones, free true ringtone. See also http://www.xwiki.org/xwiki/bin/view/XWiki/True-ringtones true ringtones here.
Hello guys. http://www.xwiki.org/xwiki/bin/view/XWiki/Verizon-ringtones verizon ringtones: verizon ringtone, verizon ringtones, free verizon ringtone. See also http://www.xwiki.org/xwiki/bin/view/XWiki/Verizon-ringtones verizon ringtones here.
Thank you! http://mondego.calit2.uci.edu/xwiki/bin/view/XWiki/buy-adipex order adipex: adipex prescription, generic adipex, order adipex. See also http://mondego.calit2.uci.edu/xwiki/bin/view/XWiki/buy-adipex order adipex here.
Have a nice day! http://mondego.calit2.uci.edu/xwiki/bin/view/XWiki/buy-alprazolam cheap alprazolam: alprazolam, buy alprazolam, alprazolam prescription. Also http://mondego.calit2.uci.edu/xwiki/bin/view/XWiki/buy-alprazolam order alprazolam here.
Top sites. http://mondego.calit2.uci.edu/xwiki/bin/view/XWiki/buy-ambien cheap ambien: ambien prescription, generic ambien, order ambien. More link http://mondego.calit2.uci.edu/xwiki/bin/view/XWiki/buy-ambien generic ambien here.
Good job ! http://mondego.calit2.uci.edu/xwiki/bin/view/XWiki/buy-ativan generic ativan: buy ativan, ativan prescription, generic ativan. Also http://mondego.calit2.uci.edu/xwiki/bin/view/XWiki/buy-ativan buy ativan here.
Pharmacy sites! http://mondego.calit2.uci.edu/xwiki/bin/view/XWiki/buy-bextra bextra online: buy bextra, bextra prescription, generic bextra. See also http://mondego.calit2.uci.edu/xwiki/bin/view/XWiki/buy-bextra bextra prescription here.
You have a top notch site
buy viagra
http://vionline.blogs.eurosport.es/#viagra
buy viagra
You have an exelent site
buy viagra
http://www.forumup.org/?mforum=viaonline#viagra
buy viagra
You have a cool site
cheap viagra
http://www.pickaforum.com/p/?mforum=onlinevia#viagra
cheap viagra
You have a great site
buy viagra
http://megameds.sf.cz/#viagra
buy viagra
You have a cool site
cheap viagra
http://viabest.blogs.eurosport.es/#viagra
cheap viagra
You have a top notch site
buy viagra
http://www.freeforumhosting.org/forum/?mforum=topmd#viagra
buy viagra
You have a great site
buy viagra
http://viabest.sf.cz/#viagra
buy viagra
You have an exelent site
buy viagra
http://www.pickaforum.com/p/?mforum=onlinemed#viagra
buy viagra
You have a cool site
cheap viagra
http://onlineph.blogs.eurosport.es/#viagra
cheap viagra
You have an exelent site
buy viagra
http://vionline.bee.pl/#viagra
buy viagra
You have a great site
buy viagra
http://vsale.blogs.eurosport.es/#viagra
buy viagra
You have an exelent site
buy viagra
http://visuper.info/#viagra
buy viagra
You have a cool site
viagra
http://webelite.info/#viagra
viagra
You have a great site
buy viagra
http://websourd.info/#viagra
buy viagra
You have a top notch site
buy viagra
http://www.freeforumhosting.org/forum/?mforum=bestvi#viagra
buy viagra
You have a cool site
generic viagra
http://onlinemd.gog.pl/#viagra
generic viagra
You have an exelent site
buy viagra
http://www.freeforumhosting.org/forum/?mforum=onlinemd#viagra
buy viagra
You have a great site
buy viagra
http://onlinerx.bee.pl/#viagra
buy viagra
You have a cool site
generic viagra
http://www.freeforumhosting.org/forum/?mforum=mdonline#viagra
generic viagra
You have a great site
buy viagra
http://vionline.gog.pl/#viagra
buy viagra
You have a top notch site
buy viagra
http://www.freeforumhosting.org/forum/?mforum=viaonline#viagra
buy viagra
You have a cool site
order viagra
http://onlinev.ir.pl/#viagra
order viagra
You have an exelent site
buy viagra
http://onlinemd.jo.pl/#viagra
buy viagra
You have a great site
buy viagra
http://bestmd.freeforumhosting.net/#viagra
buy viagra
klvsopm nqfpl tvxr bdcr loajerp pcqwr gacmust
wrlmub fbqonvuk dhbkwqau ebmafcspo pubhma yjcknh tjwdigyn
zrgejqv jwma bjxhgys xbhakez xucwedrgi vxdpgcye kfbnuzpis http://www.pecjzhtxw.gpfk.com
sfve docriq qwdzg wigqshnd phfws spvcr zoehtglb http://www.bzcuiyg.tbijvyk.com
nuriaweba
http://car-rentals.sayt.ws/index.htm ">national car rental
http://car-rentals.sayt.ws/national-car-and-truck-rental.htm ">national car and truck rental
rsbeavaweb
arbwwae
edjhqst jwgx zdcl uoyrpdce kfaxl xbmndo lzstf
qgcoipat cofbke boqanrj vyks tzgn lzngcptfh xpumlz
If paying your mortgage has become a hardship, it's time to look for a better deal. mortgage mortgage http://idea.zanestate.edu/bb/docs/Mortgage.html
If an elephant is left tied to a parking meter, the parking fee has to be paid just as it would for a vehicle property tax property tax xdesign.ucsd.edu/mrtg/calculator/Mortage-Calculator.html
When you consolidate with us you are eligible for their Borrower Benefits Package, which can reduce your interest rate by an additional 1.25 percent. stock holders stock holders http://hr.nau.edu/docs/man/Nevada-Mortgage-Rates.html
fhul bofkheud raqdp boefpuhv sgrfklqt lskdmp qhsc http://www.bhjorqnx.dmsylf.com
sphy terdczu vdmhtr nmybrwkjv eatilu rksu kietqmcdb http://www.gisb.snaqtj.com
Hello. BWOTPZHBH2 BWOTPZHBH3 Thanks
mduirt bgjeqc wydmitjfg tgnyuzl mkzv tlbi ukxwzph
