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@Gay-bashing@ (was: Re: songwriters and geography trivia)
-----Original Message-----
From: OncleBoo at aol_com
>I've often been disappointed in the way that Christians have a tendency to
>regard gays as somehow subhuman, but at the same time, that doesn't
>mean that they've advocated violence against gays. In fact, most of the
>Christian leaders who are often accused of fostering an environment that's
>conducive to gay bashing have gone on the record condemning that very
>behavior. In fact, I've seen more vitriol directed at Christians by gays
than
>vice versa.
>
As someone who is both Christian and gay, I'll take a stab at this
pondering. It is true that most gays are at least as intolerant of
Christians as vice versa. But it stems from the blatant unacceptance and
fear (it's a harsh word, but I find it true) that most believers have
towards people who are wired differently from themselves. Christian leaders
do not promote "gay bashing" (narrowly defined as violence against
homosexuals), but stop just short of it, indicating from the pulpit it is OK
to discriminate against homosexuals in the work place, deny civil rights and
ostracize them from normal society because of the narrow biblical
interpretation that the very attraction to someone of the same sex is the
result of heinous sin, for which gays are not inclined to repent. In a few
instances, some believers see gays as the enemy, like an opposing religion,
trying to steal their children, and more deserving of judgment than normal
people. Most of it is built on irrational fear and personal revulsion rather
than sound theology. And it's hardly universal. But it typically goes
unchallenged. for example, no one is reaching to openly embrace that
minister from Kansas or wherever who's church pickets the funerals of AIDS
patients. But few go out of their way to publicly criticize him, either.Now,
it is true that many, many, many gays are highly promiscuous and see nothing
wrong, and little danger to it. But there are also many out there who love
God, who want to find a spiritual home, but can't deal with their
spirituality without acknowledging their homosexuality, while the church
won't accept them with open arms unless they quit being gay. So this gulf
remains between the two, neither understanding the other and few bridges
being built between the two.
BSC