Homophobia

[BeaStKid]

Homophobia: A Problem of Moral and Spiritual Development

By Joe Perez

 

 

Homophobia is no myth. Over the past weekend, several news stories

highlight the prevalence of homophobic hatred throughout the world.

Clearly a large proportion of the world's population builds their

worldview based on antipathy towards and hatred of gays:

 

In Hungary, "skinheads and right-wing activists" greeted participants

in a gay-rights parade with rotten eggs and smoke bombs. When

Budapest police tried to disperse several of the protesters, some of

them threw beer bottles at the officers, says another AP report.

 

In the Croatian capital of Zagreb, about 20 people in a gay-rights

parade were hurt by anti-gay attackers carrying weapons appearing to

be Molotov cocktails, and two required hospitalization for their

wounds. Vile hatred of gays takes aim at marchers advocating for

equal rights, tolerance, and acceptance.

 

In the Sacramento area, a group of Slavic men on a picnic noticed

that a man did not have a female date and danced with both women and

men in his party. They tossed racist and anti-gay slurs at Satendar

Singh, and later one of the men struck Satendar and hurled bottles at

his party. Satendar died on July 5th from the wounds inflicted by the

attackers.

 

A man in Massachusetts seeks nearly $10 million in damages because he

failed the bar exam. He told the Associated Press that the reason he

failed is that he refused to answer a question about the rights of

two married lesbians and their children (presumably he had no problem

answering questions about murderers, rapists, and divorced

heterosexuals) .

 

Because Stephen Dunne found the grounds for the bar exam's

question "morally repugnant and patently offensive," he believes he

is justified in not answering the question. So he sues. This

particular attack against gays is not with Molotov cocktails or beer

bottles, but with inflammatory language, insulting argument, and

frivolous lawsuits that could distract the attention of gay

activists.

 

Just about any weekend turns up dark or odd stories like this, as you

are well aware if you follow news about gay-rights. The stories serve

as a cautionary reminder that hatred of gays is alive and well and

can't be ignored.

 

Read the stories and you will see that the methods of anti-gay attack

vary. The motivations and tactics range from overt violence to subtly

worded position papers. The attacks wound physically,

psychologically, and spiritually. But there is a common thread that

unites all homophobes.

 

In Soulfully Gay (Integral Books/Shambhala, 2007), this author

writes: "In general, the greater the consciousness that develops in a

human being, and the more spiritually enlightened one becomes, the

deeper the sympathy for homosexuals and the sensitivity to our common

humanity. Homophobia is real. It is nasty, it is unseemly, it is

ungodly, and it is present only at the lowest levels of human

development. "

 

Homophobia is a set of beliefs and behaviors based on the hatred or

fear of gay people, or based on the premise that homosexuality is

intrinsically inferior, sick, and shameful. There is a natural

tendency for younger human beings--especially adolescent males, but

more generally as well--to go through a phase of development in which

they need to strongly repress natural same-sex emotional and sexual

urges in order to pass certain hurdles of entering adulthood.

 

For this and other reasons, it may be said that a certain degree of

homophobia is natural in our culture for negotiating certain lesser

developed stages of life. Unfortunately, many adults get stuck in

this juvenile and primitive mode of relating, and they continue in

their homophobia well into adulthood. Unfortunately, their homophobia

is often supported by religious beliefs, cultural attitudes, and even

political ideologies.

 

So the problem of homophobia, broadly conceived, is a problem of

underdevelopment or arrested development in psychological, moral, and

spiritual maturity. Adults trapped in ugly and restrictive juvenile

attitudes are among the worst homophobes, and they must be encouraged

to grow beyond their outmoded anti-gay mindsets.

 

Adults restricted by selfish and ethnocentric moralities are unable

to empathetically place themselves in the shoes of a homosexual or

transgender person, and therefore their moral horizons have not

expanded enough to let go of their homophobia. They are moral

cripples, in a manner of speaking.

 

Authentic spirituality teaches empathy and compassion towards all,

and forbids the expression of intolerance and hatred. Adults saddled

with backwards heterosexist religious beliefs must be encouraged to

question their received opinions in the light of more sophisticated

readings of their sacred traditions. They must be taught to

spiritually grow up.

 

When homophobia is properly understood as a problem of immaturity in

consciousness and lack of heightened spiritual awareness, then it is

possible to reject the impulse to hate the homophobe. We can accept

the homophobe for who they are, and tolerate where they're at in

their own journey towards maturity.

 

It is human to react defensively and respond to hate with intolerance

of our own. But what is really justified is an attitude that makes

room for the immature to think and act immaturely while creating

barriers to prevent the homophobes from inflicting harm to others.

 

In other words, let us strive to greet the homophobes not with more

hatred and violence, but with firm barriers to prevent them from

spreading the hate (supplemented with genuine concern for their own

holistic development) . We can't expect the immature to grow to

maturity overnight. We need to give them time and resources to

support their growth.

 

Let us continue to march for our freedoms and our right to love,

taking prudent measures to protect ourselves from harm, while giving

the ignorant homophobes the gift of our genuine concern for their

well-being. Let us fight off the gay bashers and punish the heinous

murderers, but let us remember their own common humanity. Let us beat

back bizarre legal and political attacks with wisdom and good humor,

not more idiocy.

 

Let us counter fear with love for our enemies and concern for their

holistic growth. It is difficult and perilous path, but one grounded

in a deep and authentic spirituality.

[AFriendlyFace]

Dude, that article rocked!

 

I loved this quote:

 

In Soulfully Gay (Integral Books/Shambhala, 2007), this author

writes: "In general, the greater the consciousness that develops in a

human being, and the more spiritually enlightened one becomes, the

deeper the sympathy for homosexuals and the sensitivity to our common

humanity. Homophobia is real. It is nasty, it is unseemly, it is

ungodly, and it is present only at the lowest levels of human

development. "

 

Thank you for posting this

-Kevin

[BeaStKid]

My pleasure,

That was one of fav too....

[colinian]

Cole Parker sent me this:

There's a very good article on the front page of the Saturday, July 28th LA Times (). It's titled: Young and Out on the Field. (http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/l...1&cset=true).

 

It's worth reading because it shows how things are changing for the better in some parts of the world. My favorite quote from the article is this:

 

A 2007 Gallup poll found that 57% of Americans viewed homosexuality as an "acceptable alternative lifestyle," an increase of 11 percentage points from four years ago. The percentage was higher among 18- to 29-year-olds.

 

Attitudes ARE changing, despite the non-Christian "christian nazis" who try to create hate against gays.

 

 

Colin

[AFriendlyFace]

Cole Parker sent me this:

It's worth reading because it shows how things are changing for the better in some parts of the world. My favorite quote from the article is this:

It wouldn't let me view this. Said I wasn't a member.

A 2007 Gallup poll found that 57% of Americans viewed homosexuality as an "acceptable alternative lifestyle," an increase of 11 percentage points from four years ago. The percentage was higher among 18- to 29-year-olds.

That is very heartening!

Attitudes ARE changing, despite the non-Christian "christian nazis" who try to create hate against gays.

Yuppers, you're right! Leave it to you, Colin, to point out the positive side of all this

 

-Kevin

[BeaStKid]

Let's just hope that this attitude hits the eastern side of the globe too...God knows we need a bit of sanity here too...lol...Its coming, but way too slow..

 

As they say--

 

God give me patience and give it to me fast!!

 

lol

 

The BeaStKid

[colinian]

I just found out they're closing the ice cream shop by my house to open a high-end clothing store...you have no idea how conflicted I am.

 

Kevin,

 

I love your signature!

 

Colin