Why we need to stand up against Anti-Gay sentiment

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Corki said:
This is the kind of statement that causes such confusion. Are you really uncomfortable because of an irrational psychological fear (phobia) or are you uncomfortable because you are instinctively reacting to the fact that this is not normal behavior?

I have never met anyone, other than a few pre-teen boys, that actually exhibited or expressed any kind of phobia regarding homosexuals, homosexual behavior or any of the other variants.

Using the word “homophobia” is just a way to try to shut down the conversation by name-calling rather than discourse.
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I agree, the prevalent use of the word “homophobia” is not beneficial to the argument. My contention is that in all of us exists a tendency to fear what is different. If we don’t understand something, such as a spider, an odd food, or even a person who is quite different than us, we may have a belief that they’re threatening. We might think they’ll threaten our bodies, our taste buds, or our way of life. This is all fear. Whether or not it’s a logical fear, is a different argument. But to say that no one has this fear is just as silly as saying that everyone does.
 
Redman1986 said:
This statement is both an example of the problem, and an explanation of it. You begin by throwing everyone in the same pool, “I don’t fear LGBT people, therefore no one does,” then go on to state that those against homosexual marriage are being labeled as homophobic (I’m inferring you think this is a problem and I agree).

Broad statements that stereotype are so much easier to understand than reality, and that’s why we tend to use them. If I inform everyone here that I’m for gay marriage, you’ve already made several assumptions about me. This is how the brain works, and that’s fine in many situations, but it often leads to misunderstanding in public discourse.

I know many Catholics aren’t very homophobic, if at all. So many Catholics I know have great relationships with people that are gay, but still oppose gay marriage because they aspire to follow the morals given by God rather than their own personal opinions. This is very noble.

Myself, I’ll admit I’m a bit homophobic. It makes me uncomfortable to witness two men or women kissing because I can’t empathize. What I’ve learned through prayer and reflection is that homosexual people are different than me, but should not be treated differently. I’ve found that for me, my joy in life is loving my wife and family. As such, I’d never deny anyone that joy.
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I think this is a well put description and I also think that (as you point you) there are Catholics who hold a similar position but do not articulate it this way (or haven’t though it out) and so creates the perception of disliking gay people/homophobia.
 
Corki said:
This is the kind of statement that causes such confusion. Are you really uncomfortable because of an irrational psychological fear (phobia) or are you uncomfortable because you are instinctively reacting to the fact that this is not normal behavior?

I have never met anyone, other than a few pre-teen boys, that actually exhibited or expressed any kind of phobia regarding homosexuals, homosexual behavior or any of the other variants.

Using the word “homophobia” is just a way to try to shut down the conversation by name-calling rather than discourse.
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I agree.

Ed
 
Redman1986 said:
I agree, the prevalent use of the word “homophobia” is not beneficial to the argument. My contention is that in all of us exists a tendency to fear what is different. If we don’t understand something, such as a spider, an odd food, or even a person who is quite different than us, we may have a belief that they’re threatening. We might think they’ll threaten our bodies, our taste buds, or our way of life. This is all fear. Whether or not it’s a logical fear, is a different argument. But to say that no one has this fear is just as silly as saying that everyone does.
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I don’t fear my daughter or her wife in the least. I do disapprove of their behavior . There is No fear whatsoever in hating sin. Homophobia ,like the term racism, is increasingly used to stop any discussion in its tracks
 
Redman1986 said:
I agree, the prevalent use of the word “homophobia” is not beneficial to the argument. My contention is that in all of us exists a tendency to fear what is different. If we don’t understand something, such as a spider, an odd food, or even a person who is quite different than us, we may have a belief that they’re threatening. We might think they’ll threaten our bodies, our taste buds, or our way of life. This is all fear. Whether or not it’s a logical fear, is a different argument. But to say that no one has this fear is just as silly as saying that everyone does.
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This was confusing for me. Seeing two men kissing is not fear but observing uncommon behavior. It stands out. Surprise is the word.

Ed
 
Zeldarocks2 said:
I’m not talking about those who say that Homosexual sex is bad, I’m talking about Westboro Baptist, Conversion Therapy/Reparative Therapy, Protestant Fundamentalism, etc.

I’ll even say that the Church is somewhat complicit at times. Now, I don’t mean that because we support traditional marriage, I’m talking about outright discrimination.

I believe we need to live and let live. Fine, don’t call it marriage, but I’m fully in support of Civil Unions, as is my Parish Priest.
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What needs to stop more han anything is supposed “progressives” who are “tolerant” to anyone but those who disagree with them. There have been times that I was called a bigot simply because I stated I didn’t believe that homosexuality was right. I didn’t say “gays need to die” or " I hope they burn in hell" or anything of that nature. No I don’t agree with WBC approach by calling then derogatory names and claiming God hates them because if you were truly christian you would know God hates the sin not the sinner.
 
Bradski said:
Maybe we should make them wear something so that we can tell who they are.
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That’s quite a leap from disapproval of homosexuality to marking homosexuals for violence and persecution, but I see you made the jump without a second thought. Well done.
 
estesbob said:
I don’t fear my daughter or her wife in the least. I do disapprove of their behavior . There is No fear whatsoever in hating sin. Homophobia ,like the term racism, is increasingly used to stop any discussion in its tracks
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This exactly. I get tired of people accusing me of being a “homophone” like I run off and cower if a gay person walks in the room. What it does cause me is fear for their souls.
 
WT1 said:
Love the sinner but condemn the sin. Gay people should absolutely be treated with love and compassion but the Church should not support the life style.

For the record the only workable solution is for the government to get completely out of the marriage business. Marriage should be a sacrament of the Church and have no secular connection.
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Agreed
 
Expatreprocedit said:
That’s quite a leap from disapproval of homosexuality to marking homosexuals for violence and persecution, but I see you made the jump without a second thought. Well done.
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Wouldn’t you want to know if your child’s teacher or baby sitter was gay?
 
Expatreprocedit said:
That’s quite a leap from disapproval of homosexuality to marking homosexuals for violence and persecution, but I see you made the jump without a second thought. Well done.
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Not logical. This “They’re all like that” thinking is wrong and insulting.

Ed
 
ellam25 said:
This exactly. I get tired of people accusing me of being a “homophone” like I run off and cower if a gay person walks in the room. What it does cause me is fear for their souls.
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That is the problem. I never cowered in fear because a gay person walked into a room. A false picture painted too often.

Ed
 
Bradski said:
Wouldn’t you want to know if your child’s teacher or baby sitter was gay?
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Which sex they are attracted to would not be of interest. How they chose to deal with that situation might be though.
 
edwest2 said:
That is the problem. I never cowered in fear because a gay person walked into a room. A false picture painted too often.

Ed
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Are you under the impression that people think “homophobes” are people who truly “cower in fear” at the presence of gay people? You don’t like the word…fine. I’m not even suggesting you don’t have a point, but are you really denying that prejudice and hatred toward gay people doesn’t exist? You seem to be using semantics to avoid actually addressing the OP’s point. Semantics aside, do you believe that prejudice, hatred, and discrimination are real experiences for gay people, or are you actually suggesting it doesn’t exist?
 
Rau said:
Which sex they are attracted to would not be of interest. How they chose to deal with that situation might be though.
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So if your baby sitter was gay you would need to know if he or she was celibate?
 
Bradski said:
So if your baby sitter was gay you would need to know if he or she was celibate?
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Nah, I was responding with school teachers in mind. Whether they are celibate is not relevant. They are teachers - so what they say about SSM, the behaviours they uphold, the proper place of sex in relationships, the nature of family - these things, and how they are presented to my children (if at all) matter to me. A person may experience same sex attraction and yet fulfill my expectations for a teacher, If they participate in a same sex relationship, particularly if they are open about it, it’s somewhat less likely.
 
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