"Evangelicals". I have a question for you.

[GordonH]

Evangelicals please explain to me and others on this forum. Why you fear homosexuals?

[fvkasm2x]

Evangelicals please explain to me and others on this forum. Why you fear homosexuals?

I am not an evangelical, a homosexual, a homophobe, nor a member of any religion. However, I find the question quite simple to answer. According to the bible, homosexuality is a sin. Isn't that reason enough... if you are religious?

[Nebula]

I am not an evangelical, a homosexual, a homophobe, nor a member of any religion. However, I find the question quite simple to answer. According to the bible, homosexuality is a sin. Isn't that reason enough...

No.

Homosexuality is only brought up a couple of times in the bible. That's it. It is my understanding that extra-marrital hanky panky (adultery) is mentioned dozens of times as being wrong (and it is also a qualifed 'sin'). However, based on the infrequency of the mentions of homosexuality in the bible and the frequency of mentions of how bad affairs are, there seems to be an extreme focus on homosexuality and a complete lack of focus on adultery. Now why is that?

The big commandment was, "Thou shalt not kill," but one rarely sees evangelicals spouting off at the pulpit about the evils of war or how wrong the death penalty is. Why is that?

Why such a focus on homosexuality, given it is mentioned few times in the bible?

[I Think]

Yeah, there are a few mentions of homosex in the bible, but there are many more injunctions against divorce, but its OK now, - whats up with that?

[fvkasm2x]

Very good point Nebula. I agree... my answer has been proven insufficient. lol

[Nebula]

[eyepop]

Evangelicals please explain to me and others on this forum. Why you fear homosexuals?

I am not an evangelical, a homosexual, a homophobe, nor a member of any religion. However, I find the question quite simple to answer. According to the bible, homosexuality is a sin. Isn't that reason enough... if you are religious?

the bible doesn't instruct to fear homosexuals.

..and the question was why do so?


______________________
The Simple Life

[NAB]

Is "fear" really the right word to use? Personally, I don't think it has anything to do with fear.

Nab

[JonyDarko]

I think fear is the perfect word to use, evangelicals obviously hate "hate comes from fear" them. If i am not mistaken the bible says that homosexuality is an "abomination" and it says the same exact thing about eating shell fish. Now I have yet to see evangelicals abstain from eating shrimp or lobster.

Personally i believe it all roots from sexual insecurity.

[steven lloyd]

Is "fear" really the right word to use? Personally, I don't think it has anything to do with fear.

I think fear is the perfect word to use, evangelicals obviously hate "hate comes from fear" them.

Personally I believe it all roots from sexual insecurity.

Makes perfect sense. Until we become open to acceptance and understanding we fear what we don’t understand, and hate (most often expressed by disdain, anger and even violence) is the perfect psychological defence mechanism to protect our egos from acknowledging we fear something.

Freud suggested that homophobia was a defensive reaction to possessing latent homosexual tendencies. In other words, the more vocal you were in your opposition or disdain to homosexuality, the more likely it was you were repressing (and scared of) your own homosexual desires. Or put another way, the more secure you are in your own masculinity the less threatened you are by homosexual behaviour in others.

[NAB]

Is "fear" really the right word to use? Personally, I don't think it has anything to do with fear.

I think fear is the perfect word to use, evangelicals obviously hate "hate comes from fear" them.

Personally I believe it all roots from sexual insecurity.

Makes perfect sense. Until we become open to acceptance and understanding we fear what we don’t understand, and hate (most often expressed by disdain, anger and even violence) is the perfect psychological defence mechanism to protect our egos from acknowledging we fear something.

Freud suggested that homophobia was a defensive reaction to possessing latent homosexual tendencies. In other words, the more vocal you were in your opposition or disdain to homosexuality, the more likely it was you were repressing (and scared of) your own homosexual desires. Or put another way, the more secure you are in your own masculinity the less threatened you are by homosexual behaviour in others.

While undoubtedly there "can" be a link between hate and fear, in the context of this question I don't agree that it is a link that stands up in a generalized way.

But you make an interesting point steven... since you seem to be suggesting that, when it comes to homosexuality, that generalized "fear" of homosexuals is within homosexuals themselves? And by extension, All Evangelicals must be latent homosexuals? ROFL ;-) But then a lot of Freud's speculative thinking has been extensively debunked anyway.

That's why I am convinced that, in general terms, the word "homophobia" has little if any modern relevance or general significance any more. Edit to add: One comment I picked up (of many) which I liked was "I really do think Freud has bequeathed us a set of fictions that are destined to just hang around in our language and institutions."

Nab

[Glacier]

Why such a focus on homosexuality, given it is mentioned few times in the bible?

That is the nature of the human race. Downplay the vices you want to engage in, and 'balance this out' by over emphasizing a vice in which few partake.

{assuming for this example that laying into your neighbour's wife and sleeping with a man are both vices}.

[JonyDarko]

No one thinks all evangelicals are latent homosexuals. I think all people have some degree of homosexual behavior "does not mean you are a homosexual". Compound this with sexual inexperience "waiting for marriage"/ and insecurity, along with the FACT that parents, preachers, and teachers in their communities and churches have been telling them to fear and hate homosexuals for generations and you get a whole lot of fear and hate.

[JLives]

I think a big part comes down to (some) people being grossed out by male anal sex. I just cannot see any other reason for being so against somethnig that does not concern them.

[lammmy]

Whatever the reason, it definitely isn't hard to install a fear into people. In middle school I used to get bullied a little bit, not a lot, but enough to make me hate school. UNTIL I found the secret weapon: pretend you're gay. I'm not talking having to make out with others of the same gender, no, all I had to do was move in for a hug or flop my wrist and the kids went running before I had a chance to even make contact. Pretty sad...thinking back now, I'm super glad I did it, it was like a mini social experiment and really opened my eyes.