The creator of the rainbow flag, best known as a symbol of LGBT rights, died on 31st March 2017. It is either by sheer coincidence or by opportunism, that Bruce Watson of Kentucky NSW (Same-sex Marriage, 26 April 2017) chose his recent timing to claim that “gender activists… have appropriated this symbol of God’s covenant for their own activities”.
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In his letter, Watson presents three of his beliefs as fact. Firstly, that the Christian God (not to be confused with the thousands of other Gods people have worshipped through human history) exists.
Secondly, that the bible is a historically accurate document, including (but not limited to) unbelievable stories such as Noah’s Ark.
And finally, that Christians have some moral right for the exclusive use of the rainbow, which is somehow degraded by the LGBT community embracing and using this symbol.
As a gay atheist, I respect Watson’s right to hold his views but strongly disagree with them.
Belief in the supernatural predates Christianity by millennia. Accounting for what couldn’t otherwise be explained, people have turned to spirituality to rationalise creation, offer answers to existential questions and alleviate the fear of unknowns such as what happens when we die.
Following the same logic and arguments that a Christian like Watson may dismiss conflicting views and alternate Gods, we may similarly reject the Christian God.
Watson’s arguments for the theft of the rainbow by “gender activists”, presented the story of Noah’s Ark as fact. I thought his position was equal parts ‘cute’ and ‘hilarious’.
While science, history, archaeology and other human expeditions for truth evidently haven’t shifted his position based on faith, perhaps a few questions might give other ‘believers’ some food for thought:
- Flooding the earth would require a lot of water. Where does it come from, where does it go, and is forty days of heavy rain really enough to cover mountains?
- How does one manage to get the millions of species in existence onto a boat smaller than a cruise ship, with enough food to last 40 days?
- Why do other civilisations that existed at the time of the alleged flood mention nothing about being wiped out by said flood, despite keeping detailed records?
As assumed by Watson, Christianity details the true reason and creation of the rainbow. However, it must be understood that despite a sound scientific explanation for the phenomena, other cultures have also used the rainbow as part of their mythology, including Greco-Roman, Chinese, Armenian and Norse mythology, as well as the Hindu religion.
While Watson uses his letter to disparage the LGBT community, one can only wonder whether he is equally offended by the commercial use of the rainbow. From children’s toys like care bears to the rainbow paddle pop... I mean, where does the madness end?
Keegan Hayden
Tamworth
