Are you religious?

[SkyDiver]

I'm Christian, and in no way does the typical hatred shown towards the LGBT community by many Christians deter me from the faith in any way. I believe that those who advocate intolerance, oppression and shame have got it all wrong.

[Eric]

I'm not the least bit religious.

[Jonathan]

I was raised Catholic but consider myself an atheist

[prism]

Raised Irish Catholic. It's more my culture than it is my religion, as I do not support the corruption within the church, the role it places on women, or the role of the Pope.

I am Catholic. However, I have my own non-literal interpretation of the Bible and take from it teachings that have made me a spiritually well-rounded person.

[Pseudojim]

Was christian, realised i thought it was rubbish and came to be agnostic in my early teens, nowadays ignostic.

[timo]

I love how these threads keep coming back every once in a while

Anyway, I'm not religious, never been and never will be.

[MusicIsLife]

I was raised Irish Catholic, but when I started coming out I felt that the religion was too closed minded and stuff. So after a few years of searching, I converted to Paganism. I feel very happy and self-empowered by my belief system, and my mom even converted after she got her hands on one of the books on it I had been reading.

[Pain]

I am Christian. I've gotten to the point where I have developed some of my own thoughts to supplement my beliefs and reasons for what I believe. And actually, this makes a good time to rant about something I've felt lately -- I've lately felt so upset at so-called "Christian" groups like One Million Moms, the Westboro Baptist Church, et cetera. They shame their God, and the God they believe in is only an object on which to place their blames. WBC's belief is that American soldiers die because God is angry at America's gayness. -_- What is a soldier's job? To fight, and to give life, that is DIE, if necessary, for whatever they fight for! When even in the Bible, it is written "From love, sin cannot be born." Christianity, in truth, is supposed to be an immersion of the fruits of the spirit: Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control, when instead these fundamental zealots are drunken as Maenads to spread a message of hate! Makes me sick...

Sorry... hah...

[DanA]

Not raised with religion (but raised in a way that my parents would have supported me if I chose religion) and decided I never want anything to do with religion in terms of participating in it. What solidified that for me was 9/11 (lost a loved one). There was an initial repulsion. I didn’t see it as Muslim vs. Christians, I saw it as a group of people who believe in nonsense attacking people who have nothing to do, and want nothing to do, with that nonsense. A common theme in my fight against the encroachment of religion.

Another moment that turned me completely against religion was the Christians in my town rising against gays. Growing up I heard gays are subhuman, gays are wrong, gays are sin. Americans for the Truth About Homosexuality (now a known rabid hate group) was very active in my town, very prevelent in the entire religious community, and very near my high school where most of my crisis with my sexuality took place. Active to the point that I saw them nearly every day for a couple years. While their judgment wasn’t something I believed in, I did recognize that their ignorant religion affected me through all this discrimination I was learning about in school and on my own. I learned I couldn’t get married, I learned I wasn’t allowed to have children; I learned that gay people didn’t have the same rights. So, I started this period where I was thinking “I’m not gay, I can’t be. This is all in my head.” Then that turned into “WHY CAN’T I GET THIS OUT OF MY HEAD!!!” Then that turned into a plastic bag over my head with duct tape around my neck closing off any passage of air.

Later, I went to college. Every year, like clockwork, the “God Hates Fags” people would show up during Pride week. They’d blow air horns at people observing the Day of Silence, they’d carry hateful signs and shout painful things. Being in the closet, it affected me deeply to the point that I wouldn’t come out for another 2 years.

I do not like religion. No matter how benign you may think your religion is, I see it as a detriment to human progress. Even if you aren’t a bigot, you’re supporting a facet of existence that has caused exponentially more pain and suffering than it has eased and it’s all for nothing. Religion is nothing. Cold comfort for the inevitability of death. Hopeless purpose for those who truly feel there is no purpose. At best it is a tremendous waste of time, at worst it’s the complete and utter destruction of millions of lives.

[Zontar]

Originally Posted by DanA

Not raised with religion (but raised in a way that my parents would have supported me if I chose religion) and decided I never want anything to do with religion in terms of participating in it. What solidified that for me was 9/11 (lost a loved one). There was an initial repulsion. I didn’t see it as Muslim vs. Christians, I saw it as a group of people who believe in nonsense attacking people who have nothing to do, and want nothing to do, with that nonsense. A common theme in my fight against the encroachment of religion.

Another moment that turned me completely against religion was the Christians in my town rising against gays. Growing up I heard gays are subhuman, gays are wrong, gays are sin. Americans for the Truth About Homosexuality (now a known rabid hate group) was very active in my town, very prevelent in the entire religious community, and very near my high school where most of my crisis with my sexuality took place. Active to the point that I saw them nearly every day for a couple years. While their judgment wasn’t something I believed in, I did recognize that their ignorant religion affected me through all this discrimination I was learning about in school and on my own. I learned I couldn’t get married, I learned I wasn’t allowed to have children; I learned that gay people didn’t have the same rights. So, I started this period where I was thinking “I’m not gay, I can’t be. This is all in my head.” Then that turned into “WHY CAN’T I GET THIS OUT OF MY HEAD!!!” Then that turned into a plastic bag over my head with duct tape around my neck closing off any passage of air.

Later, I went to college. Every year, like clockwork, the “God Hates Fags” people would show up during Pride week. They’d blow air horns at people observing the Day of Silence, they’d carry hateful signs and shout painful things. Being in the closet, it affected me deeply to the point that I wouldn’t come out for another 2 years.

I do not like religion. No matter how benign you may think your religion is, I see it as a detriment to human progress. Even if you aren’t a bigot, you’re supporting a facet of existence that has caused exponentially more pain and suffering than it has eased and it’s all for nothing. Religion is nothing. Cold comfort for the inevitability of death. Hopeless purpose for those who truly feel there is no purpose. At best it is a tremendous waste of time, at worst it’s the complete and utter destruction of millions of lives.

Quite honestly, you do have to hand it to the gay Christians. Their version of the religion is even more contradictory, but as far as stemming the tide of hate goes, goddammit they're trying.

In the end, people see what they want to see out of their holy book; after all, neither religion A nor religion B can ever be said to be "true". The majority of American Christians want to see hate and intolerance toward gays. That's got a hell of a lot more to do with the kind of people they are than the kind of ideology they subscribe to. I guarantee you they would be just as obnoxious without any religion telling them what to be obnoxious toward.

[DanA]

Originally Posted by Zontar

I guarantee you they would be just as obnoxious without any religion telling them what to be obnoxious toward.

I don't know about that. I get what you're saying, but I disagree. I think with no religion, there is no hate for gay people. Why would there be? What would be so wrong? Almost every straight person in America has met or known a gay person whether they know it or not. Being gay is covert, that’s just part of the nature of any sexuality. You can't point to a random crowd and say "that gentleman is gay" or "that woman is gay.” There is nothing out front there to hate without religion telling them that these people are lesser than you because they are committing a sin. Religion teaches that the “sinners” need either scorn or help but never understanding. Never respect. Never equality. The sinner is an incomplete person who needs to alleviate the sin to allow for the presence of God, that is all they are. Love the sinner, hate the sin.

Well, the “sin” is my entire life and identity.

It’s easy to get bad people to do evil. If they’re already bigots, it’s not hard to get them to hate something else, religion or no religion. But for good people to do evil, there always has to be religion in the mix.

[SkyDiver]

Originally Posted by DanA

Well, the “sin” is my entire life and identity.

Which is exactly why homosexuality isn't sinful in the first place.

[DanA]

Originally Posted by SkyDiver

Which is exactly why homosexuality isn't sinful in the first place.

Well of course. The truth is there is no sin, it's an illusion. But, now go say that homosexuality isn't sinful to the Pope or a high Muslim cleric and see what they say. Those are the people who control religious thought. The real leaders of the world.

[SkyDiver]

Originally Posted by DanA

Well of course. The truth is there is no sin, it's an illusion. But, now go tell that homosexuality isn't sinful to the Pope or a high Muslim cleric and see what they say.

I definately don't believe that But yeah, no kidding... I still think things are changing slowly but surely even in the different religions. More people are coming out, which makes more people accepting, which makes more people stand for LGBT equality, which makes it safer to come out... etc.

[DanA]

Originally Posted by SkyDiver

I definately don't believe that But yeah, no kidding... I still think things are changing slowly but surely even in the different religions. More people are coming out, which makes more people accepting, which makes more people stand for LGBT equality, which makes it safer to come out... etc.

Well, you know what I think is making it safer to come out is A). a younger generation that is comfortable with the idea of homosexuality and what it is and how it happens and B). a younger generation that aren't religious. They are questioning organized religion in greater numbers. Some, like me, are questioning the whole concept of religious thought. The whole response from the leaders of organized religion is "pay no attention to the man behind the curtain" but the fact of the matter is that Toto has already tugged that curtain away and the new generation coming up now is getting glances at the truth. That will make our society stronger, I believe.

Ironically, in my rallying against religion, I'll say that I have faith in the next generation to set aside religious tendencies and focus on reality based issues with rational reality based solutions.

[Zontar]

Originally Posted by DanA

I don't know about that. I get what you're saying, but I disagree. I think with no religion, there is no hate for gay people. Why would there be? What would be so wrong? Almost every straight person in America has met or known a gay person whether they know it or not. Being gay is covert, that’s just part of the nature of any sexuality. You can't point to a random crowd and say "that gentleman is gay" or "that woman is gay.” There is nothing out front there to hate without religion telling them that these people are lesser than you because they are committing a sin. Religion teaches that the “sinners” need either scorn or help but never understanding. Never respect. Never equality. The sinner is an incomplete person who needs to alleviate the sin to allow for the presence of God, that is all they are. Love the sinner, hate the sin.

Well, the “sin” is my entire life and identity.

It’s easy to get bad people to do evil. If they’re already bigots, it’s not hard to get them to hate something else, religion or no religion. But for good people to do evil, there always has to be religion in the mix.

They're looking for something to bitch about. Religion gives 'em a premade category of things to bitch about. They'd throw bombs at people wearing purple shoes if that's what the Bible said to do. Without the Bible, they'd get their bitch list from somewhere else...sensational media stories, people demonized secularly, etc.

[DanA]

Originally Posted by Zontar

They're looking for something to bitch about.

I agree that some people are like that. They just need an “other” to juxtapose against themselves to make themselves seem more righteous, for lack of a better word.

And I’m sure people will read this and say “well, Dan, aren’t you being a hypocrite in attacking religion and making religious people out to be these weak minded people. Aren’t they your ‘other’?” I never said I’m not weak minded. I’m very weak minded, we all are. The person who says that they are strong and original and without want is an anomaly and probably lying. The vast majority of us are weak because we are constantly revaluating ourselves and trying to find meaning in what we do and trying to fit in and trying to live well in society and trying to find a path in life etc. etc. etc.. That is the burden of a conscious mind. What religion does is take all that natural doubt that builds in us over our whole life and assuages it when convenient for us through falsehood instead of letting the doubt drive us to new territory of reason and self discovery.

Good people are religious. Good people hate gays for religious reasons. I’d say a majority of the people that say they are against gays are good people. For anyone who was in the Boy Scouts, I think this makes sense. The only poison in their mind that brought them to that conclusion of not liking gays is religion.

What is the substitute for religion? I do not know. But I do know that organized religion as a mainstream and accepted idea is unsustainable and religious thought as a whole will eventually collapse. The question is, what is it going to bring down with it?

[Neutrality]

I'm gonna have to stop reading your post Dan, I'm getting an internet crush on you hehe. =P They always make me think about something in a different way. Personally I'm not sure about my religion..I was a southeren baptist up untill highschool and I just couldn't reconcile my religion with my attraction to men, which lead to me droping out of school and becoming suicidal. Every since then I've questioned wethier I can believe in something that causes that much pain for so many people.

[LisforLisa]

I'm a Lutheran and I'm religious. I do think homosexuality is a sin but so are million of other things. God forgives everyone because Jesus died for our sins.

[The Escapist]

Originally Posted by Naren

EDIT: Religiosity is supposed to be religion. I found it too epic to remove.

Wow, there sure are alot these threads. No offense, I shall answer again.

I am non-religious. I believe in things, or am open-minded. I used to be Christian.
I didn't know that I was bi when I was a Christian, so it didn't affect me. I probably would have been okay with it, as I always had my own beliefs. But who knows.