Is Dumbledore Gay? Depends on Definitions of ?Is? and ?Gay?

[Annemehr]

> Tonks:
> There is the idea that to reach a higher state of spiritual 
> development, or in DD’s case, a higher state of Magical 
development, 
> one must turn from the things of the flesh. This is not my idea; I 
> am simply passing on the teaching of the mystical component of most 
> world religions. Christian monks and nuns are celibate. Buddhist 
> monks are celibate, etc. There is a reason for this and it does 
have 
> to do with increasing the degree of ‘spiritual perfection’ by 
> turning the mind from the things of the world.  

Annemehr:
Well, yes...and then there is such a thing as tantric sex -- so you 
can choose your own way!  Personally, I don't see the way of 
asceticism as being inherently "higher" or "more spiritual" than any 
other sort of life.  It just depends on the individual.

As for Dumbledore, my view of him was never asexual.  When I thought 
about it at all, I guessed that he may have been a widower, so JKR's 
revelation didn't really change anything for me.


Tonks:
> The author of the 
> article I was referring to said the same thing in reference to all 
> great Wizards. The same can be said about 99% of the worlds 
greatest 
> spiritual leaders and Saints. I didn’t make this idea up. It is a 
> classic teaching of many religions. There must be some reason that 
> this idea is so worldwide. And I don't think it is all about 
putting 
> women down as "daughters of Eve", althought in the early Christian 
> Monastic tradition there was a componant of that.


Annemehr:
Well, putting women down is much more worldwide than ascetic ideals, 
so I certainly have my suspicions.