Anyone else grow up in a Hindu and Indian descent household? I grew up with a very strong foundation in my culture and religion, even though I was born and raised in the US. I was raised on the concept of reason-based religion, and the concept that knowledge is very important. I really like the aspect of our scriptures that says to see the God that resides in the heart of all living things, and to treat those things as if they were God. But the although this belief is stressed a lot in my community of friends and family, I don't feel like it applies to the topic of LGB people at all. Everyone is still super conservative. I don't know anyone else in the community who is openly gay, and there's a lot of pressure after one becomes a certain age in the community to get married. Any advice to cope with the community that I grew up in, and the fact that I'll probably never be accepted by them if I have a girlfriend? I know I said i'd cross this bridge when I get there, but i just got back from spending time with this community, and its really bugging me. =/
Regardless of what religion I believe most people in the lgbt community who have religion at all struggle with this. I don't know much about Hindu but may I ask, do you have a type of priest or elder or something of the like to talk about your concerns? If so have a private chat with them. I hope everything works out. I'd love to talk further if you want later on.
I grew up in a Catholic and Indian family in the US. However, I feel that for Hindus, there is much less religious-based homophobia as there is just cultural homophobia (it didn't help that the British colonial system pushed its extremely homophobic views). I do understand the pressure to get married, but luckily my parents aren't putting much pressure on me. I think the main thing to realize is that you're not in India and you don't have to follow cultural customs of when or who to get married. But, remember not everyone will be homophobic. I'm always happy when I see some of my cousins being pro gay rights, and they are often the ones who are those my family looks down upon as being "too Americanized".
I am not Hindu (muslim), but I have had a lot of friends and family friends who are Hindus, as resu said I think for them its more of cultural based. Although in my hunt for a 'new' religion...I did see videos of hindu gurus saying its ok, and some saying its not, kinda like Buddhism. How to cope...let me know when you find out!...you'll probably have to keep it a secret, or come out and don't talk about it or your partner frequently. But that was my experience, maybe yours will be less suffocating. Oh as for the knowledge part, I know what you mean, this perception that life is 1+1=2...but things don't always look so obvious, and religious people don't like that idea of ambiguity most of the time. Being gay doesn't add up to most people religious or not.
