Homophobia and Religions

[Night Rain]

This has been on my mind for a while now. It seems to me that homophobia and religions have always been side by side, but religions are just the excuse the homophobic bunch uses to validate their homophobia. Is that true?

Have you met someone who is homophobic but NOT religious? Are there many of them out there?

Edit: Oops, I posted this in the wrong section. Can someone move it to the Chit Chat area? Thank you.

[Steve712]

It has more to do with trying to make the world conform to doctrinal preconceptions generally than religion specifically, although you're quite right in that homophobic religious doctrines are the most common perpetrators. Fascism frequently has similar effects because fascist states place a high regard on the traditional concept of family and feature an almost Catholic reverence for fertility. Stalinism, similar in concept to fascism, produced similar attitudes.

[castle walls]

Actually, I know multiple atheists that are homophobes but, from what I've observed, it is rare to be both an atheist and homophobic.

It is impossible for me to know the true thoughts, feelings, or motivations of others but some of the actions of certain religious followers make me wonder if they care about the religion they follow or if they just want to use religion to justify whatever they want, be it homophobia, racism, sexism, or anything else.

I am religious myself and I am not talking about everyone that adheres to any religion

[SkyDiver]

Come to think of it, I've never met anyone who's homophobic and not religious.

[xXPsychedelicXx]

I've never met anyone who is both atheist and homophobic. Not to say that these people don't exist, but I reckon it's a lot less common. Maybe atheists (or agnostics, or anyone who doesn't follow a definite religion, like myself) are more likely to be open-minded? Just a thought.

(Don't get me wrong, I'm definitely not saying that ALL religious people are closed-minded either.)

[Steve712]

Originally Posted by castle walls

Actually, I know multiple atheists that are homophobes but, from what I've observed, it is rare to be both an atheist and homophobic.

Some such people exist, yes, but their atheism is more or less irrelevant to their homophobia, with some smidgeon of relevance being in eliminating the potential source of the homophobia as religious doctrine. Atheism itself says nothing about what to do, whom to love, etc; it does not necessarily preclude an irrationality like homophobia. There were swathes of atheistic homophobes in Soviet Russia, for example, because homosexuality there was criminalised and they were taught that it was subhuman.

[Sayu]

Oh yes, I have some homophobic and not religious classmates...

[xramonx]

Hum... yes don't remember anyone Here being an atheist+Homophobe!
Well, here in Brazil it's hard to find someone without religion, and they are also too discriminated here!

[Night Rain]

Oh, I feel sorry for you.

I'm lucky that I have never met an homophobic person in my life (but I still feel really sad and mad when I read about one, perhaps too mad, I feel like the victim). It could be because the people here don't use their religion(s) to condemn LGBT people, or discriminate anyone. Maybe some are homophobic but not vocal about it. Who knows?

It still scares me to come out though. I'm hoping that someone being non-religious is a good sign to indicate that they are not homophobic.

[justinf]

I don't know any homophobes, I think... and there are very few truly religious people in this country, so.. I guess that could have something to do with it?

[Lovely]

I know quite a few homophobic atheists/agnostics/irreligious persons. It's no where near the percentage of religious homophobes, of course - but by no means does that quality wash away all homophobia.

I find it's more so one's exposure to the LGBT community rather than some random personal identification like religious or political views (oh yeah, should I mention it: I know just as many homophobic democrats as I do homophobic republicans) that most influences one's attitudes toward LGBT issues, rights, and people.

[ryanninjasheep]

I dont think theyre religious because theyre homophobes, theyre homophobes because of religion

[Night Rain]

Well I think some are because they're religious, but some are just because they are.

[TheEdend]

I think its less common simply because its a numbers game. Most people out there are religious so even finding atheists can be difficult in certain areas.

I have met atheists who are very homophobic, though. Instead of using their religion as an excuse, they simply use incorrect data or badly done studies to prove their point. They also have the worst logic in the world.

But yes, I do believe that religion is but one of the many tools that people use to defend their homophobia. The most common one, but there are many out there.

[sguyc]

This is because religions have always been conservative organizations that emphasize the past, they don't like change. Well guess what, one of the biggest changes that human society's go through is learning to except that "different" and "not part of the norm" isn't synonymus with "bad". Also religions survive and thrive by designing their messege around the qualities of the majority, and majorities have a long history of rejecting minorities.

The only people that I have had the displeasure of interacting with who are 'non religious' and homophobic, are those 'anti' everything Atheists who are borderline psychotic and full of hate. They hate gays, blacks, jews, asians, Christians, the police, kittens, everything.

[musikk021]

I completely agree that homophobia and religion are directly related. I just took a sexuality class last semester, and I learned that to many religious groups (mainly the Christian/Catholic ones) homosexuality, throughout history, was considered a "mortal sin" that is more unforgivable and more severe than things like adultery, pedophilia, rape, and incest. That's just so outrageous and ridiculous.

Many years ago, I somewhat believed in God and prayed all the time too, but ever since the whole Prop 8 thing came to play and after all the hate I saw in the media coming from religious people, I became agnostic and now atheist. I was forced to attend church for a while, and the preachers would always have negative things to say about homosexuals and how they are "leading a sinful and wrong lifestyle" and that they're "going down the wrong path" or all that other bullshit. I just couldn't take it and refused to go to church any longer. I just don't understand how people can still live by the bible...it's an ancient text and it has some of the most ridiculous things in it. I despise religion. Period.

People who aren't religious usually don't have much a reason to be so opposed to homosexuality.

[Steve712]

Originally Posted by musikk021

I completely agree that homophobia and religion are directly related.

Religions with homophobic doctrine, anyhow. Buddhism is far less overtly homophobic than other modern religions for the reason that it does not in general have doctrines forbidding or condemning homosexuality (although certain sects within it do and are).

[Sherri]

I think it's mostly just that people are silly and dislike those who are different. Humans group together for a reason. Many religions validate dislike of homosexuals, and I don't think it's a coincidence, but neither do I think it's a cause in a lot of cases. Still, it's quite annoying when you're trying to convince somebody that homosexuality is perfectly natural, even if it's not the norm, and when it comes right down to it, all the person has is, "But the Bible said it's a sin!" and absolutely won't budge past that. Are you so closed-minded that you have to let bits of ancient text dictate what you think right here and now?

On the topic of atheists, I don't know many, and the ones I do know are mostly gay or asexual or whatever themselves, and so they aren't homophobic. They are, however, annoying as hell. They take atheism and turn it evangelical. Every time you go to one's house, it's like, "Oh hey have you seen this new youtube video about atheism? Watch it and then let me know what you disagree with so we can argue for hours about why your thoughts and beliefs are wrong and mine are right!" IMO, that's no better than what Christians do to me. I'll pass.

[Pret Allez]

My hypothesis is that if we ran a study measuring attitudes toward queer people and religious belief, we would find that atheists would be substantially less likely than theists to have negative attitudes towards queer people.