I like a gay singer?

[andrewstx]

If you get those statistics they will almost certainly be from when “gay panic” was considered an actual defense.

I think ‘gay panic’ is still used as a defense especially in very conservative areas. I live near Midland Texas. And two young men shot and killed an older gay man. The two perpetrators used that defense and they used the gay panic defense. They got away with only slaps to the wrist. This was within the last ten years. SHAME.

I do not hate gays, I just follow church teachings, and the church says not to hate gays either.

The CCC says that this constitutes a trial for them and we are to treat them with respect, not a word about hate.

 

[Lost_Sheep]

I guess I better throw out all my classic Elton John records, huh?

 

[new_atheist]

The late great Freddie Mercury, lead singer of the legendary band QUEEN, was openly gay (he died of AIDS in the early 90’s). I will always be a huge fan. Even though l’m straight, I greatly admire Michael Stipes of the band REM (another huge fan); Boy George of Culture Club; George Michael of Wham; Ricky Martin; Elton John and the Village People. I admire their works but don’t condone their lifestyle as in the case of Freddie Mercury.

 

[new_atheist]

Hi! So I’m new to CAF and this is my first question.
First let me say that I’ve recently joined the Faith, but I’m not baptized yet. And I’m only 17 year old girl so please don’t give me hate on this. Thank You.

So there is this singer I really like and his name is Adam. I recently found out he is openly gay and used to have a boyfriend. I really enjoy his music and it’s fairly clean (well the ones I listen to) and he’s very gorgeous. He doesn’t talk about being gay at all, so he doesn’t throw it in his fans faces or anything like that. For some reason though, I feel like I’m doing something wrong because I like him. I’ve watched his interviews and such and he’s a really nice, sweet, funny guy.
Is it wrong that I like him? Is this a sin? Is God upset with me that I do? Should I continue to listen to his music and have pictures of him on my computer and phone? I want to tell my mom that I like him, but she’s a hard-core catholic and I’m afraid she might get mad. I know it sound childish, but I really need some advice.
Thank you for reading.
LostForWords

Is it Adam Lambert you’re referring to? He seems to be very talented and a nice bloke.

 

[Lost_Sheep]

The late great Freddie Mercury, lead singer of the legendary band QUEEN, was openly gay (he died of AIDS in the early 90’s). I will always be a huge fan. Even though l’m straight, I greatly admire Michael Stipes of the band REM (another huge fan); Boy George of Culture Club; George Michael of Wham; Ricky Martin; Elton John and the Village People. I admire their works but don’t condone their lifestyle as in the case of Freddie Mercury.

Is it Adam Lambert you’re referring to? He seems to be very talented and a nice bloke.

I heard yesterday on Satellite Radio that Adam Lambert will be the lead singer for Queen when they go on tour this summer.

 

[manualman]

Turns out that gay people living in bigoted places live twelve years shorter than those living in not as bigoted places (due to suicide, homicide, and cardiovascular diseases).

It’s not sinful to like gay singers.

It will be curious to see if cultural acceptance of the gay lifestyle (not just the person) leads to a decrease in the rates of gay depression, domestic violence, drug use, infidelity, STDs, suicide and other self-destructive behaviors. Right now this demographic has much higher rates of all these things compared to averages and the standard response from the gay community has been that it’s due to societal disapproval. Personally, I doubt this is all there is to it. Sins are sins because they do damage to the soul. That doesn’t stop when the neighbors no longer consider the action a sin.

On the other hand, Sodomy is not some uber-sin in a totally different category than the kinds of sins you and I get tempted towards. It has been sometimes treated that way by people desperately trying to find someone they can look down on and, thus, feel better about themselves. Kind of like “homophobia” is viewed in today’s pop culture. The world is full of irony!

So if we aren’t allowed to buy albums of rock stars that are unrepentant sinners, we probably aren’t allowed to buy albums at all!

 

[Joie_de_Vivre]

It will be curious to see if cultural acceptance of the gay lifestyle (not just the person) leads to a decrease in the rates of gay depression, domestic violence, drug use, infidelity, STDs, suicide and other self-destructive behaviors. Right now this demographic has much higher rates of all these things compared to averages and the standard response from the gay community has been that it’s due to societal disapproval. Personally, I doubt this is all there is to it. Sins are sins because they do damage to the soul. That doesn’t stop when the neighbors no longer consider the action a sin.

On the other hand, Sodomy is not some uber-sin in a totally different category than the kinds of sins you and I get tempted towards. It has been sometimes treated that way by people desperately trying to find someone they can look down on and, thus, feel better about themselves. Kind of like “homophobia” is viewed in today’s pop culture. The world is full of irony!

So if we aren’t allowed to buy albums of rock stars that are unrepentant sinners, we probably aren’t allowed to buy albums at all!

Acceptance massively increase life expectancy, the difference between tolerant and intolerant areas in the US is 12 years which is the difference between the US and Myanmar in terms of male life expectancy. source

What is even worse is how lots of heterosexuals commit engage in sodomy, don’t realize it and treat it as if it is absolutely horrific sin that only gay people are debased enough to engage in.

 

[manualman]

Acceptance massively increase life expectancy, the difference between tolerant and intolerant areas in the US is 12 years which is the difference between the US and Myanmar in terms of male life expectancy. source

What is even worse is how lots of heterosexuals commit engage in sodomy, don’t realize it and treat it as if it is absolutely horrific sin that only gay people are debased enough to engage in.

1. A study began in 1988 is a bit premature in predicting precise life expectancy impacts, but the point is at least qualitatively important, I’ll grant. I DID notice that the description of the study seems suspiciously focused, don’t you? If you’re going to that level of trouble to study impacts, why only discuss overall life expectancy? Why not also compare rates of the OTHER self-destructive behaviors I listed above that are traditionally highly elevated in the gay community? You’re already having to identify and question survey participants. Why not gather a few more parameters while you have their attention? Seems suspiciously selective on the surface, as if maybe they DID gather lots of other data and only published what they wanted to find…
2. Absolutely. Everybody loves having a scapegoat handy to beat on. It’s a bad habit of human nature that seems almost impossible to suppress.

 

[Joie_de_Vivre]

1. A study began in 1988 is a bit premature in predicting precise life expectancy impacts, but the point is at least qualitatively important, I’ll grant. I DID notice that the description of the study seems suspiciously focused, don’t you? If you’re going to that level of trouble to study impacts, why only discuss overall life expectancy? Why not also compare rates of the OTHER self-destructive behaviors I listed above that are traditionally highly elevated in the gay community? You’re already having to identify and question survey participants. Why not gather a few more parameters while you have their attention? Seems suspiciously selective on the surface, as if maybe they DID gather lots of other data and only published what they wanted to find…
2. Absolutely. Everybody loves having a scapegoat handy to beat on. It’s a bad habit of human nature that seems almost impossible to suppress.

In studies normally you only examine one variable.

 

[manualman]

In studies normally you only examine one variable.

But you gather data on dozens of variables so you can control for the other factors. That control data is important as well. I looked and I don’t have direct access to the study itself via those links, but it strikes me as very odd that life expectancy would be the primary focus. Something just feels “off.” Life expectancy is NOT what would immediately come to my mind when wondering what effect societal disapproval has on a specific group. Rates of depression, drug abuse and the other litany above would come to my mind first.

Part of me wonders if there are uncontrolled factors at work here. Would, say, Manhattan not have more of a critical mass in spreading, for example, AIDS awareness and prevention strategies in gay populations than a small town area where gay behavior is still taboo and not spoken about? Would one then expect to see higher per gay person AIDS fatality rates (1988 study, remember) in those areas where gay people are a tiny minority and information about AIDS is not freely shared? The press release suggests that the difference is stress and violence related, but no details. Feels to me like AIDS impacts alone could account for the difference. All speculation with no details, of course, but it’s hard to separate real studies from activism these days (on both sides, in fairness).

In any case, I’d still like to see a study done on the rates of those other self-destructive behaviors I mentioned in the general population, in gay people living in “gay-friendly” places like New York or Amsterdam and in gay people living in more traditional communities. This is the closest I’ve yet heard of such a thing, but isn’t quite the focus area I was hoping for.