Homophobia

[Zaccid 0]

Hello everyone.

 

Well me and a few friedns were last last night about Homophobia in todays society. And we all had a difference of opinon on it.

 

I surpose that the best place to start is:

 

What is Homophobia?

It is a fear and hatred of people that are Gay, Lesbina, Bi-Sexual or Transgender. Homophobia does includes such things as predjuice, discrimination, violence and verbal abuse, plus there is more I just cant think of them off the top of my head at 5.20am.

 

What are you opinons on Homophobia? Do you believe that it happens? Do you know anyone that is Homophobic, do you agree with their views if you do.

 

I am not saying that everyone should tolerate the GLBT Community, but we are human also and deserve the same treatment and respect that straight people recieve. There is no difference between you and me just because I am gay. The only difference is that I am attracted to people of the same sex.

 

I am doing a survey on Homophobia and with Moderators permission I will add the survery link at a later time once I have recieved approval or not.

 

Thank you for your views on this topic.

[biscuitrat 0]

I detest people who can't accept gender differences because of religion, social, or political aspects. I'm all against homophobia for those reasons. There's nothing immoral about being homosexual - they're the same people that they were before they chose to change their life around. I feel so sorry for a few of my friends because of the prejudice they go through at school because of society's harsh laws.

[SarCasM 0]

I really do not care if someone is gay or not, its they're life, they can do whatever they want and "love" whoever they want. Plus, a couple of my friends are Bisexual, which is no worse really, and I have no problem with them..ok, I mean no problem with their sexuality, we disagree on other things of course.If you don't want to hang out with gay/bisexual people, its stupid, but go ahead. If you make fun of/insult someone because of it, get a hobby. If you are actually "scared" of those types of people, seek mental help, now.

[Revolutionary. 0]

I've heard the excuse "my parents brought me up that way" and "it was Adam and Eve, not Adam and Adam" a million times and everytime I hear it now it shows the plain ignorance of the person. I'm an agnostic so the second quote means nothing to me, but still, if you don't want to accept other people's differences then you should consider not voicing your opinion on homosexuality unless you're going to give a real reason why you think its wrong. All of the homophobes I've met are ignorant and refer to Christianity when I ask for a reason. The problem is, there is a seperation between church and state, if Christianity says its wrong, it doesn't mean that they're passing a law saying its wrong, its only one perspective of the argument.

 

Of course, if someone can come up with a valid reason why its OK to hate homosexuals, I'm all for listening.

[Joshua 0]

I've heard the excuse "my parents brought me up that way" and "it was Adam and Eve, not Adam and Adam" a million times and everytime I hear it now it shows the plain ignorance of the person.  I'm an agnostic so the second quote means nothing to me, but still, if you don't want to accept other people's differences then you should consider not voicing your opinion on homosexuality unless you're going to give a real reason why you think its wrong.  All of the homophobes I've met are ignorant and refer to Christianity when I ask for a reason.  The problem is, there is a seperation between church and state, if Christianity says its wrong, it doesn't mean that they're passing a law saying its wrong, its only one perspective of the argument.

 

Of course, if someone can come up with a valid reason why its OK to hate homosexuals, I'm all for listening.

176381[/snapback]

I have no problem accepting the people or treating them like anyone else. I'm not going to waver on the Bible calling it wrong, but the Bible calls other things wrong too, like hating others and lusting after those you're not married to. A large portion of the population is adulterous and I consider it very wrong to single out one group of that population for what most of the population is guilty for. The Pharisees wanted to single out an adulteress when they themselves were guilty as well.

 

So I must hold 2 points up here. 1, we are all guilty, the difference is not in who's better but in who's found mercy; and 2, homosexuality is wrong but doesn't send us to the Lake of Fire anymore then any other sin, all sin sends us there. As a Christian we're called to depart from all sins to follow God, and there is no excuse to do otherwise.

 

http://www.thebible.net/cnlglfg/

 

The first amendment was intended to protect Christianity so that the Roman Catholic Church couldn't again start up killing Christians who worshipped God differently. Indeed, the nation was so predominantly Christian that it was at first seen as overkill to put in that amendment, but someone (I forget who) wanted it put in anyway. It seems plain that the amendment was attempting to prevent a church/government merge such as so many Catholic countries have, and as England has, from which they'd fled.

 

This article seems to put it pretty well.

 

http://www.leaderu.com/ftissues/ft9202/articles/neuhaus.html

 

Why, we might ask, does the majority continue to impose such a limitation upon itself? A number of answers suggest themselves. One reason is that most Americans recognize, however inarticulately, a sovereignty higher than the sovereignty of "we the people." They believe there is absolute truth but they are not sure that they understand it absolutely; they are, therefore, disinclined to force it upon those who disagree. It is not chiefly a secular but a religious restraint that prevents biblical believers from coercing others in matters of conscience. For example, we do not kill one another over our disagreements about the will of God because we believe that it is the will of God that we should not kill one another over our disagreements about the will of God. Christians and Jews did not always believe that, but, with very few exceptions, we in this country have come to believe it. It is among the truths that we hold.

If you don't want to hang out with gay/bisexual people, its stupid, but go ahead. If you make fun of/insult someone because of it, get a hobby. If you are actually "scared" of those types of people, seek mental help, now.

Christ hung out with the prostitutes, however, when He forgave the adulteress He also told her to "go and sin no more." It's a tolerance of the person while not condoning their sin as alright, something Christ incorporated perfectly into His life. He pointed out that things like lusting after others and hating others are sins, but also said His job wasn't to condemn the world but to save it. Whoever repents of their sins (and repentance involves admitting they're wrong) and trusts in Him alone for their justification will be saved.

[biscuitrat 0]

But that wouldn't apply if you're not Christian. Also, even though it's a homosexual relationship, nothing says that it isn't based on lust. What ever happened to companionship only relationships?I think that a lot of "sins" are overrated, at any rate. The sins claim of actions that may have been offensive a long time ago (although the Greeks and Romans were exceptions to everything) but you've gotta be openminded. They are people too.

[Joshua 0]

But that wouldn't apply if you're not Christian. Also, even though it's a homosexual relationship, nothing says that it isn't based on lust. What ever happened to companionship only relationships?

 

I think that a lot of "sins" are overrated, at any rate. The sins claim of actions that may have been offensive a long time ago (although the Greeks and Romans were exceptions to everything) but you've gotta be openminded. They are people too.

176404[/snapback]

Well, ultimately the Bible judges sins as what's offensive to God, regardless of whether or not it is to man. For example, keeping the Sabbath holy might not seem wrong to most people but God places emphasis on it.

 

You're right, they're people, we're people, and we're all naturally evil. I mean, it's our human nature to want what other people have, to jump at the chance to take what we can get away with, etc... When we meet someone who isn't like that it's so rare that they tend to gain a following, be utterly persecuted, or all of the above.

 

There's an interesting cartoon for Prickly City where the girl says she's perfect and that she's going to show the world how good she is and everything. Then the coyote points out that she has a booger hanging out of her nose. The last frame shows her sulking and saying "figures, you talk about perfection and they start looking for boogers."

 

My point is that precisely because we all do wrong things we can't put others down, as Christ said, we can only judge (in the sense of persecuting, sentencing, punishing, not simply disagreeing or saying there's an ultimate truth) if we ourselves are perfect. Unless we ourselves are sinless we can't cast the first stone at others. (John 8:7) And Christ said there is none good but one, and that is God. (Mark 10:18)

 

That's why when pointing out what is wrong it is also essential to point out that we ourselves fall short as well of the ultimate standard and that we're all in one boat so to speak, and that filled with the guilty.

[astraesboi 0]

well, i wan u guys to noe tat some countries actually legalise gay marriages.yes, its true.though most ppl cant accept it, esp. Asians like mi.btw, i respect everybody's sexual orientation, but jus tat i wun wan to get too close to someone who is a gay.am i bad to think like tat???

[biscuitrat 0]

It's not like they're disease ridden and leprous, Astra. They're people too. And I happen to be Asian as well. It makes me good inside to feel liberal.Also, your spelling has me running around in circles trying to figure out what you're saying. It's not to difficult to spout out proper grammar and spelling is it? (I'm not trying to be mean, I just find it difficult to read and that aggravates me. Spelling on the internet has taken a turn for the worse in the last few years)

[rejected 0]

No offence to anyone here, but I am a little homophobic. I try to avoid gay people, but I don't know why truthfully. I get this horrible gagging feeling whenever I see gay people, it just makes me want to throw up. I frown upon gays and lesbians, I just don't think it's right at all for two people of the same sex to have sexual feelings for eachother. Yeah, it goes against my religion, but that's not even 1% of the problem. The problem is that I can't help disliking or liking them, it's just pretty much a natural thing.

Edited August 21, 2005 by Dooga (see edit history)

[Milovoriel 0]

Oh god, how very depressing .... reading astra and rejected's posts has really made my heart sink .... I can't think of anything else to say .... what a sad world!

 

[brainless 0]

[brainless: spelling corrected. There might still be the one or other typo but I'd like to make clear what I've read in this post and give astra a chance to tell me where I'm wrong...]

well, i want you guys to know that some countries actually legalise gay marriages.

 

yes, it's true.

 

though most people can't accept it, esp. Asians like me.

 

btw, I respect everybody's sexual orientation, but just that I won't want to get too close to someone who is a gay.

 

am I bad to think like that???

176535[/snapback]

That our current government decided to legalise gay marriages was, IMHO, one of the few (very few) good things what they've done since they received the power. To answer your question:

 

Would I be bad if I didn't want to be near someone who is an Asian? well, I respect everyone's origin but couldn't you just all stay where you've come from?

 

[...] I frown upon gays and lesbians, I just don't think it's right at all for two people of the same sex to have sexual feelings for each other. [...]

176655[/snapback]

don't worry, in ancient Greece, homosexual relationships were widely accepted (at least among males, I don't know about any documented lesbian relationship in those times) ... can't have been too wrong since the Greek didn't cease to exist due to lack of children but for some lost wars - but even though their empire has been smashed, they're still commonly known as one of the founding people of today's "western" culture...

 

-----

 

btw, I did not vote yet because I didn't understand the question's meaning -- in which kind of way I'm supposed to [or not to] "believe in homophobia", does "yes" mean I believe it exists, does it mean I am homophob, ...?

 

anyways, I consider myself to be quite liberal and since I'm part of some groups which are considered "strange" by an overwhelming part of society, it would be kind of suicide to close my mind for other people who are not "normal". Unfortunately, I have noticed that asexuality is considered dangerous by many gays and lesbians as well :/

[JasperIk 0]

to be honest, i dont really care if someone is homophobic.I personally am biphobic, yeah i dislike bisexuals, and i am g^y. I just dont like most of their personalities, they all (everyone single one i have met) are too selfish and greedy for their own good. I seriously feel sick when i meet a bisexual, especially one under the age of 20. I try my best to avoid them as much as possible. Especially the female ones, i wont date a bisexual guy , and i wont be friends with a bisexual girl. Ill be friends with a bi guy though. Its just how i feel. At times i can be lesbophobic as well. Not as much as i am biphobic but i just dislike a lot of lesbians behaviors (their attitude especially...SMILE it wont kill you!) You may say that it makes no sence for me to phobic of them, but I am...we aren't the same anyway. But in all reality i just don't like people in general, their gender preference doesnt really have much to do with it ...its really if they have a good or bad attitude, and most bisexuals i have met, their attitudes clash with mine, same with lesbians. I dont normally stop being friends (though it has happened) with people just because they say they are bi, mostly it just leads up...97% of the time i was fed up being their friend anyway because they just didnt work as being my friend...just more of coincidences then being a *BLEEP* and saying good bye cuz they are bi. I dont really have a problem if people dont like me because im *happy*, i just dont like to be told i should die, or that i am going to hell. I also hate the people (mostly guys) who are so quick to hate *happy* guys but so quick to love lesbians...i dont really believe thats fair- women do it a lot too. Someone will probably bring up the point of how is it fair for you not to like bisexuals, but its not okay for me to like lesbians and not *happy* guys...well my reasoning is because i dislike their personalities, not the fact that they are "into" both genders...or more importantly not the fact that they don't turn me on. (meaning yes its obviously true that guys like lesbians because they think they are hot, and hate *happy* guys because it is not "sexy" to them...) So do i think homophobia is wrong? If you beat the hell out of someone for it, or tell them to go to hell, or that they should die...then yes. But if we litterly make you sick...well its your problem but atleast you have an uncontrolled reason. I mean you cant say i am a bad person because whales litterly make me sick. I mean if you have a real phobia your going to try to avoid us...so why get into our business or try to harm us? Hating someone, is different from being afraid of them, or uncontrollably sickened by them.