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Don't Criticize Religious Views

DISSENT:

By Gordon Lederman

Just as the staff believes that judging the Reverend Gomes' qualifications to lead Memorial Church is beyond the domain of President Neil L. Rudenstine, the staff has no place judging the merits of individuals' religious beliefs. We are not theologians ourselves. Those who hold the doctrine of biblical literalism should not be the focus of our criticism.

By implying that CCH members only wish to attack Gomes because he is gay, the staff ignores the legitimate convictions that certain members of Memorial Church may have.

The Bible does speak against homosexuality, and whether one agrees with that view or not, it is understandable that some who hold these views would rather not have Gomes as the minister of their church.

While CCH may be using theological argumentation as a smoke-screen for spouting anti-gay sentiment, other members of Memorial Church may have legitimate the-ological concerns with Gomes' position.

In any case, the true problem here is the remnants of institutionalized Christianity at Harvard. Just as Harvard should not sponsor one religion over another, so Harvard should not sponsor one sect of Christianity over another. It's about time to end this puritanical throwback to Plymouth Rock.

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