Religion and homosexuality

[Malcolm]

One person telling the masses what to believe in and what not to believe in....

 

Sounds a bit like the Pope to me.

[Deorccwen]

There have always been people, perhaps the majority, who need a religion of some kind. It gives people (an illusion of?) hope when times are tough; a sense that they have some control over even hopeless situations in that they can appeal to a higher power for help.

 

For those Christians who live their whole lives in poverty and misery, there is the hope of a deliriously happy hereafter, which also makes things easier to bear. Nietzsche described Christianity as a slave religion because it encourages its adherents to accept their lot with humility, in the trust that heaven will make up for it, rather than fight to improve their circumstances (though lets not forget that this is the man who had the arrogance to write an essay "On Why I am a Genius:" it's a bit hard to take much of what he says seriously after that!).

 

There are also people who want/need a "Big Daddy" god with a big stick and a set of rules, because it is simply easier than thinking things out for themselves. Nothing wrong with that, particularly, if that's want they want in their lives.

 

There were many religions before Christianity, and some which have started since, a lot of which are still around, and these offer the same benefits.

 

For societies, religion operates as a form of social control. It means the basic rules of social interaction are not optional but mandatory by celestial decree. Again, this is fine as long as it only means that pressure is put on co-religionists to behave in a way that doesn't harm others. I have no argument with decrees against murder or theft. The problem arises when societies, communities or individuals use their religion in order to impose their petty prejudices on their co-religionists or others, or when a religion encourages (or is manipulated to make it seem that it encourages) causing harm to others. I would say the stance that some major world religions take on homosexuality is causing harm.

 

People are entitled to follow the rules of their own religions, and to expect the courtesy of respect for their beliefs. But they are not entitled to apply the rules of their particular religion to those around them who do not share their beliefs.

[Michael]

Because it is folks right to believe in what they believe in, and what qualifies you to tell them not to believe.

One person telling the masses what to believe in and what not to believe in....

 

People can believe what they want and I wont judge them for that, or treat them any differently.

 

But that doesn't mean I can't dislike organised religion.