I need some opinions on gay rights.?

Question

I am not gay but I want to know why people are so against it. It doesn't make sense and I am just wondering because a few of my friends are gay and they are really great people. Just because they are different from what society says we should be, people tease them. What's wrong with people being gay?

Does it actually state in the Bible that you cannot be gay? If so, please give the chapter and verse. I'd greatly appreciate it.

Answer 1

You've written a question for the ages. It seems to me that there are several specific reasons why people are homophobic, rather than one single reason. However, there is often an overlap of sympathies that draw people with differing objections together. I'm gay, by the way, but have always wanted to understand as well as I can why so many people - and cultures - find homosexuality so threatening.

Here are a few possibilities, none of which are mutually exclusive (i.e., a person might believe one or more of them, or over time one way of thinking might evolve into another):

1. People are nervous about what they don't understand. A relatively small percentage of any given society would be drawn to exclusively same-sex sexual activity.

2. The Bible says it's a really serious sin. Old Testament and New Testament. There's no getting around it. Why the scribes put it in the Bible is a matter of speculation. For whatever reason (or set of reasons), it wasn't acceptible to Jews in antiquity. Some people try to follow Biblical teachings; most people find this one pretty easy to follow without cramping their style. It's easy to condemn a sin you're not interested in committing, while ignoring scriptural encomiums against sins that you're only too happy to commit.

3. A lot of people want grandchildren. Parents get upset when they think their genes have hit a dead-end. They get emotional about it.

4. One reason people grow up homophobic, without any rationale whatsoever, is that they hear other people making anti-gay remarks. This is a meta-reason for homophobia: a prejudice based not on thought or experience, but rather on unadulterated prejudice. It's the source of a great deal of unhappiness among gay people, since it's infected the language most of us grew up learning.

5. People don't like the idea that others might be having more fun, with fewer responsibilities, than they're having. In short, some otherwise reasonable people are a little jealous. (If they only knew, I think they'd be rather more sympathetic.)

6. Too much is made of this, I'm sure, but SOME people are nervous about admitting their own attraction to others of the same sex. In the process of repressing their desires, they overcompensate and lash out at others.

7. Though not a reason in itself for homophobia, HIV and AIDS have provided a focus and, for some already prejudiced, a rationale for condemnation of homosexuals.

8. A society in constant flux, insecure of its own values, often finds moral leverage in denigrating the lives of minorities within the wider society.

9. In order to protect ourselves and form communities that we can live in comfortably, openly, and honestly, some gay people, sometimes, create ways of speaking and living that are an overt challenge to the perceived straight status quo. In other words, we sometimes alienate straight people quite intentionally. I doubt whether this causes any longterm homophobia, but it does lead to the occasional criticism of gay people being "too in-your-face" with sexuality. (Of course, this is rather absurd, since we're all constantly exposed to displays of overt heterosexuality. Even my best straight friends don't think that's odd or unreasonable.) Similarly, when a gay person fits a negative stereotype, the class of gays gets condemned out of hand on the basis of anecdotal evidence.

10. Conscious choice has as little to do with a gay person's attraction to members of the same sex as conscious choice has to do with whether a straight man falls in love with a blonde woman, a brunette, or a red-head; namely, none. One may have a marginal degree of choice about whether to come out or not; feelings and attractions occur well outside the range of decision-making. People often ascribe a superhuman ability to choose one's destiny to others, while being perfectly content to see their own situations as to some extent fated. If you have fallen in love, you know you had no choice in the matter. One needs to extend that sensation, empathetically, to one's understanding of others.

11. Quite unfairly, since there is a long a varied history of authorities characterizing homosexuality as deviant, perverted, symptomatic of mental illness, and/or illegal, gay people have gotten tarred with the same brush as others whom society has seen as a threat. Often, there is no correlation whatsoever. Because even consensual homosexual behavior is - or was until recently - a sex crime nearly every corner of the world, gay people have been unfairly lumped together in the public imagination as predatory criminals, on par with rapists and child molesters. The fact that gay people are probably statisticallly much less likely to commit aggressive sex crimes than heterosexual men are, for fairly obvious reasons.

There are probably dozens of more reasons, but these are what come to mind.

As I read through some of the other answers, I find other rationales that strike me as rather bizarre. No one but the most medieval believer thinks that there's anything wrong with sex between a man and a woman, one or both of whom is sterile. Women can't bear children after menopause, but no one is saying that they can't have sex. I'd suggest that people consider applying that standard to same-sex couples, who just don't happen to be able - biologically - to conceive on their own, as a couple.

Thanks for the question, and the understanding.

[In response to your follow-up question:

Two Biblical passages that condemn homosexual behavior:

Old Testament - Leviticus 18:22
New Testament - Romans 1:26-27

A lot of scholars who are generally apologists for the church but sympathetic to the plights of gay people have tried in various ways to explain these away. It's not easy. If one is to take the Bible as one's sole guide to behavior, it is difficult to justify homosexual activity. As I mentioned earlier, most people pick and choose to obey the laws that suit them. Whether common hypocrisy is an argument against taking the Bible seriously, I don't know. Whether the Bible's internal contradictions make it less-than-ideal as an ethical guide is for religious people to decide. I'm writing as a non-believer, so there are questions that only those with faith could be expected to answer. Be skeptical of the answers you get, though; look for prejudices that transcend the Bible verses.

One huge difficulty that arises from the language of the Bible is that there was, at the time it was written, no concept of a homosexual subculture or even a gay identity. What the passages in the Bible condemn are acts, rather than a way of being. A modern demonstration of this is the Roman Catholic Church's attitude towards homosexuality; namely, that a gay identity is fine - gay people are welcomed into the Church - but homosexual practice is a sin that must be avoided. It's the "hate the sin, love the sinner" position. This has been compromised somewhat in recent years. For priests, it was a "don't-ask, don't-tell" policy until recently; whether a novitiate or a priest had a gay identity was irrelevant, so long as he stuck to his vows and didn't have sex, period.]

Answer 2

Because we live in a society where it's more common and accepted for men and women to love one another. It also says in the bible, and i'm not sure where that love is supposed to be shared between a man and woman. I agree with that. But at the same time. I am not against gay rights, and I will not oppose them. But at the same time I do not want to see gays and lesbians kissing out in public, I also don't want to see straights kissing out in public either. Those things should be done behind closed doors. There are too many things I need to worry about in my own life. That I don't have the time to worry about what others do. To each his/her own. Live and let live. People know right from wrong, and they are responsible for their own lives. As long as what people do doesn't affect other peoples lives, or cause danger to another person then let them live their own life the way they want. After it's their life. This is a free country. We have a lot worse going on than gays and lesbians. Murder, rape, armed robbery, war, crooked politicians stealing money, murderers getting out of prison by accident. We should all be happy having a roof over our head, food in our stomach, money in the bank, transportation, and a family. We can't save the world !

Answer 3

Gays are threatening because people are afraid of their own homosexual feelings which everyone has to some extent. A second reason is gay sex is unsanitary and spreads disease. The gay community has more health problems most other groups, unfortunately.

Another reason is religion. Long ago when the religious books were written, procreation was important because life was hard and many died at a young age. Gay sex does not create babies, so religions were strongly against it.

Answer 4

there is absolutely nothing wrong with being gay, i totally agree. unfortunately, however, queer sexuality is traditionally regarded as wrong in a lot of cultures, religions and ideologies, presumably because gay sex does not result in babies and procreation is of course biologically what sex is all about. what these people overlook imho is that the meaning of love, sex, committment and marriage has changed over the years, and that legislation should reflect that. i'm all for gay people having exactly the same rights as other people, a) as a matter of principle and b)because i've seen some ridiculous discrimination going on against people who pay their income tax like everyone else but happen to be gay. i'm heterosexual btw, so i'm not fighting a personal battle here...

Answer 5

There is nothing wrong with being gay. I am not gay myself but like you have friends that are. No one chooses to be gay in my opinion either you are are you aren't. Who in the hell would choose to be gay in this society of blind sighted people. People sometimes hate what is different than them that's why slavery existed, WWII, Christians vs no believers. Gay people should be aloud equal rights just as everyone else in this country, if some churches are against it then they shouldn't do it but allow those churches who to. All gay/lesbian people want is the rights that come with marriage, the right to make medical decisions concerning their loved one, ability to keeps their loved possessions in the event of death without it being contested by family. Conservatives complain about Morals being the issue. There are absolutely no morals in AMERICA!!!!!

Answer 6

no offense but some people think that being a gay is a kind of mental illness. teasing a gay is a no but as friends should try to understand why they prefer to be gay and hopefully like gals one of the days

Answer 7

because peoples religion tells them being gay is wrong,they abandon all rational thinking and conform to what their religion wants them to be,its pretty sad and makes no sense,people are equal no matter what,but people would rather base their lives on an imaginary being in the sky and a fictional book,rather than have compassion for other people,and use their own minds and common sense,sad,sad,sad

Answer 8

People are people and we allow freedom of opinion.

Your friends have the same "rights" as everyone else. If they are being teased they can tease back...

As for society, it is a bunch of people. See the first line...

Answer 9

My moms gay and I have a hard time dealing with her and her partner. I try not to care and just be like what ever about it but it bothers me not seeing my mom with my dad like I used to as a kid. As far as everyone else I not here to hurt/hinder you but I'm going out of my way to help. They have thier world and I have mine and we are completely different people.

Some folks will disagree and say I'm close minded. But hey I'm young successfull man that has earned repect and his own way through life, being a lil closed minded has not hindered me at all. I just try my best to ignore it, what I don't have to see doens't hurt me. Just my openny.

Answer 10

Yes, there are many kind and great people who have chosen the homosexual orientation as their sexual preference.

The problem is that this type of sex is not accepted by God. He loves the person but not their choice to distort His sex. Yes, I said His sex because God invented sex and endorses sex between 1 man and 1 woman in a marriage. Sex is not for games or only personal gratification. It is for intimacy, gratification, love, and to reproduce, between two people that He has joined together in marriage.

Answer 11

singaporeans are still convervative, cos we are being brought up this way--->something is wrong if u are in love or in relationship with a same sex partner.
taiwan variety show, gay couples are invited to the live recordings ( yup female & male couples) to talk abt their life and they kiss on each other lips, there is no cheering or woo/wow from the audiences. it seems very natural. come on people, they are also human