I’ve been praying for Rick Warren lately. I’m concerned about him ever since he publicly disclosed that he’s a sex addict. What? You mean you haven’t heard about Rick’s “little problem”? He disclosed his addiction in an interview with NBC’s Ann Curry when he said:
”I’m naturally inclined to have sex with every beautiful woman I see. But, that doesn’t mean it’s the right thing to do. And why should I rein in my natural impulses?”
I suppose I could be accused of taking Warren’s words out of context, but given the spuriousness of the argument he’s making in this interview I can only concluded that he’s a sex addict.
In the first part of the interview, Curry asks him if homosexuality is…
found to be totally biological and not a choice, would he then accept gay people. He says, “No,” explaining that we all have “biological predispositions” that we struggle with.
”I’ve had many gay friends tell me well, ‘Rick why shouldn’t I have multiple sexual partners. It’s the natural thing to do.’ Well, just because it seems natural doesn’t mean it’s best for you or society.”
From this precedent he argues that it’s natural for him to want to sleep with all the pretty women he sees. (Sorry, it’s not natural to want to sleep with ugly women and all who do are apparently “unnatural” in Warren’s world.)
There are many problems with this argument but the main problem stems from the fallacy on which it’s based. Who has determined that it’s “natural” to be promiscuous? If it is, then count me among the unnatural. I haven’t the slightest desire to sleep with multiple sexual partners be they pretty or ugly. I am not “naturally inclined” to do that.
What I desire, and what I believe the majority of people in this world desire, gay or straight, is a long term, loving, committed relationship with another person. I want someone I can love, someone to be my best friend, someone who will dream with me and build a life together. I want someone that I love so much that even if we were unable to have sex for some reason, I would still remain with them in that loving, committed relationship simply because our love goes deeper than the physical act of sex.
Certainly there are promiscuous homosexuals—but, given the simple statistics of the matter, there are far more promiscuous heterosexuals, since they outnumber us. But, unlike Warren, I believe that promiscuity is an unnatural human state and the product of some psychological damage that prevents people from forming satisfying, long-lasting relationships. Everyone struggling with this form of sex addiction needs help, be they gay or straight.
But, if Warren truly believes that gays and lesbians are “naturally” promiscuous, how can he explain the push within the community for marriage equality? If it were natural to be promiscuous, no one would need marriage. Why would anyone force themselves into such an unnatural state as to be with one person for the rest of their lives?
In the end, Warren is simply playing the gay baiting card—conflating promiscuity and homosexuality. If we’re seen as simply sex-seeking animals who aren’t “mature” enough to control our sexual “impulses” then we’re easy to dehumanize and demonize.
I can’t imagine Warren really believes that it’s “natural” to want to be promiscuous. So either his confession is a calculated self-righteous lie to prop up his spurious argument, or he has a serious sexual addiction that needs to be professionally treated. Either way what he’s doing is immoral, and I pray he repents soon.
