A step in the right direction.
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By Andrew Fagan and Alan Msosa
Established in 2004, the International Day against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia seeks to raise global awareness of the discrimination which many millions of people continue to suffer simply on the grounds of their sexual orientation. It falls on May 17 – the date in 1990 when the World Health Organisation finally removed homosexuality from its list of mental disorders.
The world has come a long way since then. But demolishing prejudice can rarely be achieved overnight, and in many parts of the world, homophobia, transphobia and biphobia are widespread and deeply entrenched.
Many campaigners argue that the keys to changing discriminatory attitudes towards sexual minorities are education and availability of positive role models. But for all the good they do, approaches based upon the raising of consciousness are increasingly having to confront a very powerful and, in many cases, seemingly intractable opponent: religion.
Prejudice based on religious belief is far harder to shift than the more conventional folkloric attitudes that have long provided shaky and unstable support to widespread homophobia.
A series of recent developments illustrate the extent to which parts of established churches and religious communities are increasingly targeting sexual minorities.
In January 2016, the Church of England held its bi-annual Primates meeting, in which the world’s 38 principal Anglican leaders met to discuss doctrinal and administrative matters. Despite (or perhaps because of) a perception that the Church of England has been leaning towards a liberal standpoint on the question of sexual minorities, the meeting became embroiled in a bitter row over the question of whether the church should accommodate homosexuality, same-sex marriage and the appointment of gay clergy.
The disagreement saw the head of the Ugandan Anglican church reject calls for an end to the victimisation of gays and lesbians, stating that homosexual practices are “incompatible with Scripture”.
The Catholic Church, too, has moved slowly. While Pope Francis has called for an end to unjust discrimination against gays and lesbians, he has also stated that the church will not change any of its official doctrines on homosexuality – and beyond the ostensibly liberal climate of the Vatican, leading Catholic clerics elsewhere have reasserted the need to remain steadfast on the question of sexual minorities.
As with the Anglican communion, certain wings of the Catholic church have been taking harsh conservative stands of late. In Malawi, Catholic bishops recently issued a pastoral letter in which they faulted the government’s moratorium aimed at stopping gay arrests under the Malawi Penal Code. The bishops expressed worry at the government’s “betrayal” of bowing to human rights campaigners and international actors on homosexuality.
Spreading the word
But lest anyone imagine that such prejudices are only to be found among congregations in the Southern Hemisphere, the recent and well-publicised series of legal attacks against sexual minorities in the US, often in the name of “religious freedom”, is a reminder that discrimination on grounds of sexual identity is a truly global phenomenon.
For years now, Christian conservative groups from the US have been extending their prejudices into the African continent. Prominent African religious leaders have been deployed to campaign against LGBT rights. Right-wing American Christian organisations have opened new offices and increased resources in Africa to expand operations. Their stated aim is typically to popularise their teaching and to advocate for the incorporation of “Christian views” in legislation and policies.
The most notorious example is its instigation and support of anti-homosexuality sentiment in Uganda, which has resulted in some of the African continent’s harshest homophobic laws.
Beyond Africa and the US, sexual minorities have long been persecuted in parts of the Middle East. Their suffering has reached a new and terrible low point in those areas controlled by the so-called Islamic State (IS), with reports detailing IS’s systematic executions of gay men in the towns and villages it has captured.
Humanity and inhumanity
The right to free expression of religion and conscience is a fundamental human right. The historical struggles for religious freedom across the world have exerted a profound influence upon human rights. We must all be free to hold (or not to hold) to a particular belief system from which we seek to derive meaning, inspiration and guidance.
But even as a human right, religious freedom does not extend to persecuting or enabling the persecution of others.
Many religious believers base their faith on very difficult and demanding values and commitments. It is extremely difficult to love one’s neighbour when neighbours have become a source of fear and hostility. It is extremely difficult for many to recognise those they deem “unfaithful and godless” as God’s children.
May 17 offers all of us, religious and non-religious alike, the opportunity to recognise the sheer inhumanity of discriminating against others simply because of who they love. In a world so dogged by suffering and oppression, the energy and commitment of many religious communities can be put to far better use.
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This article originally appeared on The Conversation UK
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Photo credit: Getty Images
I can almost agree with this. The issue I have is with the implied obligation to speak against something you believe. Religion should be subordinate to the state so the state shouldn’t make laws abridging religion, but religion shouldn’t get an exemption from law. For example, infant circumcision should be banned even if it infringes on religious beliefs because it’s essentially assault when taken out of the context of religion. Religion should give a person an exemption from cutting a piece of skin from another human being without their consent or medical necessity. In that sense, religions that speak against… Read more »
First things first, people have to stop telling people who don’t condone homosexuality, that they’re homophobic. Once you quit labeling, then perhaps we can have a discussion.
The scriptures were written to reflect the values, ignorance and beliefs of ancient nomadic peoples. One wonders when the Christian religion will actually get over the inescapable fact that homosexuality is a mere sexual variation? Its cause is genetic/biological and 50% of heterosexuals carry the homosexual gene! When will they come to terms with that? They have accepted all the other modern trappings of advanced technology, science, medicine, and thought. Why can’t they tolerate a mere sexual variation that probably accounts for 10% of the human population?
Perhaps you could site the fact that there is a “homosexual gene?” A study that’s proven such a gene exists?
Here is the latest research from Science Daily. More research is needed but it is only a matter of time, IMHO.
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/04/160412132621.htm
It’s been researched for more then 40 years … I don’t have too many years left But it does bring up an interesting thought. With abortion on demand these days, in the event he gene is found, will it be okay to abort an unborn if they are found to have that gene? Can’t be an issue of bigotry because the unborn is not a baby and has no rights. Wow, that really does open a can of worms, doesn’t it?
Not to worry Tom! Genetics will never be so exact as to warrant an abortion. At least, in our lifetime. The nature/nurture debate will rage on. The article talks about what the Christian churches must do in the fight against homophobia. Forgive me laughing but homosexuality is never mentioned in the gospels. So, why is consensual adult sex behavior among same sex people or variations on that, agitating the church leaders so much? Why are they glued to the keyhole? What harm is it doing? Why are they dedicating time, energy and money to something so marginal? Beats me! You… Read more »
I’m glad the headline refers to “organized religion” saving the day. It was “organized religion” that killed Jesus.
Doesn’t say much about the countless atheists that are totally against LGBT