We have all at some point or another heard someone say that God made Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve. This saying is an excellent example of how a large number of Christian fundamentalist feel about the homosexual community. Studies have shown that there are more Christian homophobes than there is homophobia in any other group or religion in the United States (Wolff, J. R., Himes, H. L., Kwon, E., & Bollinger, R. A., 2012). Homophobia is the irrational fear of, aversion to, or discrimination against homosexuality or homosexuals. In Christianity, homophobia represents misunderstanding and fear of the unknown.
It is more difficult to understand something that one has not been exposed to or has not experienced. An example would be younger siblings, from the ages of two and four, that are jealous of the older child(ren) who have the ability to go to school. It can be explained to this child time and time again that school is not exactly fun and games, but he or she will only assume that (s)he is being lied to only to prevent them from throwing a tantrum. Children do not fully understand the complexity that school can offer until they have experienced it for themselves. Like the child that has not yet been exposed to school, many highly religious homophobes have not experienced any of their loved ones turning out to be gay. People with homosexual friends or family members (brothers, sisters, cousins, etc.) are less likely to judge someone on their sexual preferences(Wolff, J. R., Himes, H.L., Kwon, E., & Bollinger, R. A., 2012).
People who are raised in better accepting environments are also a lot less likely to be anti-gay than those who are not.(Chonody, J., Woodford, M. R., Smith, S., & Silverschanz, P., 2013). A good ...
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Mustanski, B. (2013, June 12). Are violent hate crimes against lgbt people on the rise?. Retrieved from http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-sexual-continuum/201306/are-violent-hate-crimes-against-lgbt-people-the-rise
Rader, D. (2012, January 4). What daniel radcliffe worries about . Retrieved from http://parade.condenast.com/101372/dotsonrader/daniel-radcliffe-outtakes/
Tarico, V. (2012, October 23). Will the christian right hang itself with its own homophobia?. Retrieved from http://www.alternet.org/will-christian-right-hang-itself-its-own-homophobia?paging=off
Wolff, J. R., Himes, H. L., Kwon, E., & Bollinger, R. A. (2012). Evangelical Christian College Students and Attitudes Toward Gay Rights: A California University Sample. Journal Of LGBT Youth, 9(3), 200-224.
Eisner, D. (1999). Homophobia and the Demise of Multicultural Community: Strategies for Change in the Community College. Retrieved January 2014, from 1998 MLA convention in San Francisco, California: http://www.adfl.org/bulletin/V31N1/311054.htm
In today’s society, there is a divide among Christians and homosexuals. Christians are being criticized for stating their beliefs about homosexuality. Society is accepting homosexuality as the new norm and expecting Christians to do the same. In Larry Alex Taunton’s article “The Genuine Conflict Being Ignored in the Duck Dynasty Debate,” Taunton begins the first paragraph stating “An evangelical Christian points out that there is, in fact, a tension between orthodox Christianity and homosexuality.”
Herek, Gregory M. “Facts About Homosexuality and Child Molestation.” 2002. Sexual Orientation: Science, Education, and Policy. Nov. 29, 2002.
Fag. Poof. Fairy. Homo. Dyke. Those are all words that are used on a daily basis to put down those who do not fit into the Bible’s supposed cookie-cutter, straight sexual orientation label. Homophobia has been around since the eleven hundreds, but before then homosexuality was viewed as healthy, normal, and at times it was even worshipped. However, society’s view of homosexuality has somehow been warped into a violently negative opinion. How did this happen? The main perpetrators of homophobia are the Bible and those who preach its word, or at least their version of its word. Which brings up the translation issues scattered throughout the Bible. The New Testament was written in Greek and there are not always direct translations of each word in English. The messages in the Bible that are said to condemn homosexuality can be interpreted in a more accepting way than they are usually preached.
In Daniel Karslake’s documentary, For the Bible Tells Me So, he examines the intersection between Christianity and homosexuality. Karslake uses parallelism, appeal to emotion, and appeal to logic to highlight how the religious right has used its interpretation of the bible to stigmatize the gay community. With the use of these rhetorical devices, he is able to auspiciously convey his argument that there can be a healthy relationship amongst the opposing side of this belief. He attempts to enlighten the viewer with the thought that Christianity's homophobia represents a misreading of scripture, a denial of science, and an embrace of fake psychology. The families call for love.
Wilcox, C., & Iida, R. (2011). Evangelicals, the Christian Right, and Gay and Lesbian Rights in the United States: Simple and Complex Stories. In D. Rayside & C. Wilcox (Eds.), Faith, Politics, and Sexual Diversity in Canada and the United States. Vancouver, BC: University of British Columbia Press
Religion has been a big issue with judging homosexual. Some Christians believe that the Bible speaks with one clear voice in condemning homosexuality. In many Anti-gay Christians groups see homosexuality as sinful. Using the Bible to justify their hate against anything they do not understand.
“Equal rights for lesbians and gay men may be the greatest civil rights battle of the 21st century” (Avery 2007, p. 71). Homosexual couples have been fighting a losing battle for years, and their struggle has recently taken the spotlight once again as a burning topic. Over the years, many people have come to support equal love. However, many Americans still advocate the one man-one woman institution of marriage. The fight for equal rights in general has always been a complex issue. African Americans, women, and many other minorities have had to fight for the rights that they hold today. There are many factors involved in gay activism such as support, attitudes, roles, and the implications of the movement. Social psychology takes a particular interest in gay rights and these factors in particular, as it is a current, controversial topic within American society.
The LGBTQIA community has faced strong opposition from groups falling outside this minority for years, primarily conservative and religious groups. This phenomenon is not particular to the United States, but spans hundreds of countries across the world. Religious leaders in varying religions not only oppose the act of marriage, but often times oppose the actual act of homosexual behavior. Often religious oppositionist will cite religious text, like the Bible as a means of opposing the LGBTQIA lifestyle. One of the most blatant oppositions to homosexual b...
The gay rights movement has made great progress in the United States, compared to generations ago, with the legalization of marriage in some states, and also the gaining of certain equal rights. Many people today accept homosexuals within society, and society in general is more...
"[I]t seems appropriate to understand sexual orientation (heterosexual or homosexual) as a deep-seated dimension of one's personality and to recognize its relative stability in a person. Generally, homosexual orientation is experienced as a given, not as something freely chosen. By itself, therefore, a homosexual orientation cannot be considered sinful, for morality presumes the freedom to choose. The teachings of the Church make it clear that the fundamental human rights of homosexual persons must be defended and that all of us must strive to eliminate any forms of injustice, oppression, or violence against them"(Pastoral).
“What’s the big whoop?” asks a cute, blonde, elementary school aged boy when his teacher discusses homosexuality. He didn’t understand why people cared who other people loved. Little kids are perfect examples of how society’s negativity towards homosexuality creates homophobia. Children don’t understand why it matters who you love because they don’t see it as a problem and their opinions aren’t clouded by stereotypes. If LGBT issues were taught to these innocent, uninvolved children in elementary school, it would be more likely they would be accepting as they grew up. It is important to present LGBT in a positive light before parents, classmates, and media influence their perceptions.
In this essay, I will explain how religion is sometimes used to mobilize against LGBT people, how some people’s religious and personal doctrines conflict regarding LGBT issues, and how religious belief and community can be a positive force for the LGBT community.
Redlingshafer, JoEllen. "The LGBT Movement Must Look Past Gay Marriage." Policymic. Policymic, 2013. Web. 23 Sept. 2013.
Those who believe that homosexuality is wrong do so by quoting certain phrases from the Bible. For example: