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Homosexuality and Religion
Homosexuality & Religion
Defining Homosexuality
Homosexuality and Religion
Teachings of Roman Catholic Church
Pastoral care of Homosexuals
Views of Protestants
Episcopal Church on Homosexuality
Southern Baptist
Religion and Discrimination against Homosexuals
Harm Caused by Discrimination and the Religious Correlation
Homosexuality and Religion
In this research paper the author discusses Homosexuality within religious context. This research paper examines the functioning of policies of discrimination towards non-heterosexuals in Christian churches and determines if these policies are harmful to non-heterosexuals in the church and in the broader social context. The author has discussed in detail history of homosexuality and gay rights movement. The author discussed views of Catholic and Protestants toward homosexuality.
The author starts by defining homosexuality followed by problem statement. The term homosexual is applied to sexual relations between individuals of the same sex. There are increasing numbers of people who are homosexual in the society and so there is growing concern about whether religion allows homosexuality, is this a sin? Should gays and lesbian have a right to marry? What are the views Catholic and Protestant churches toward homosexuality? Christianity provides an environment in which people can be supported and comforted through faith and forgiveness. So...
Conversion therapy assumes that homosexuality is an alterable state, that self-identification as a lesbian, gay man, or bisexual man or woman is not the only response to internalized feelings of same-sex attraction.
Defining Homosexuality
According to Vidal (1985), there are no such entities as heterosexual or homosexual people; there are only heterosexual or homosexual acts. He also stated, "most people are a mixture of impulses if not practices, and what anyone does with a willing partner is of no social or cosmic significance" (Vidal, as cited in Katz, 1995, p. 99). For nearly a century, the term homosexual has been applied to sexual relations between individuals of the same sex. The term homosexual was derived from the Greek root homo, and not from the Latin word for human, the term highlights the similarity of the two persons who are drawn in a sexual correlation. The term is used to symbolize the direct opposite of the term hetero, which is used for a relationship between individuals of different sexes (Kinsey, Wardell, Pomeroy, & Clyde, 1948).
The development of sexual identity is a difficult process that takes several years to unfold. As individuals realize that they are attracted to the same sex, the opposite sex, or both, it becomes apparent that only one of the three is an acceptable norm in the general population. Such a shared value in society comes from many…
While society may decide how a person may sexually express him or herself, certain bodies of institutionalized thought, like churches, have a large effect on how society makes such decisions. As the Christian church is particularly prominent in the United States, many individuals take guidance from the religious directives of its many sects. Christianity provides an environment in which people can be supported and comforted through faith and forgiveness. Religion is, therefore, an important part of the lives of many, because it offers an outlet through which to accept occurrences that are beyond a person's control. Unfortunately, problems arise when certain fundamentalist Christian congregations teach their disciples to negatively target anyone who strays from their accepted norms. The religious support systems that once guided lesbians, gay men, and bisexual men and women appear to turn against them after they proclaim their sexuality.
Churches have also changed from the fundamental beliefs of some Christian faiths, which ban homosexual behaviour, into what are known as gay positive churches. Homosexuals are now offered the choice of changing their type of church, staying in the same one, or stopping church attendance altogether. Religion is only part of the homosexual's life, however. The process of sexual identity awareness is a milestone for the homosexual in and of itself.
Beckstead and Morrow (2004) claimed that people becoming aware of their homosexuality are aware from a young age that they are somehow different from the majority of people around them. This realization
Homosexuality as Seen From Three Religious Perspectives One of the most controversial issues today is the notion of homosexuality. To many, it is an individual right to love who one wants to love. Yet, often with various religious perspectives, homosexuality becomes one of the most condemned moral concerns. The religions of Islam, Judaism, and Christianity are all very closely related. They share basic, fundamental elements which makes their monotheistic religions similar
Both faiths ascribe to a heaven and a hell, belief in angels and the devil. Moreover, Islam and Christianity teach against crimes against humanity to include violence, gambling, adultery, lying, theft and murder. Both teach that children are to respect their parents and husbands and wives are to be respected. Both Islam and Christianity teach against same sex marriage, homosexuality, fornication, and vulgarism. Both teach of modesty in presentation
Examples where religion has become intersected with politics are present throughout the entire history, and in more recent years, include the debates on same sex marriages or on abortion. A more specific look at the relationship between politics and religion has revealed at least three points of intersection -- the role of churches, the evolution of human rights and the emergence and impacts of religious conflicts. In terms of the
My personality also plays a major role in my personal religious development. Religion may have been part of my identity when I was younger, but has since played a more minor role in how I present myself to the world. On the other hand, religion plays a more salient role in my metaphysical and cosmological beliefs. I appreciate the role of religion in helping human beings ask probing questions about
This means that there must be some correlation between religion and politics. Indeed Keddie (2003) asserts that there is an aversion to the word secular and that most countries that try to embrace this idea are not content. According to Carroll (2003) this inevitable link between religion and politics forces the question of whether or not the world would be better off without religion. The author asserts that misconceptions about
(40) The foundation of the story demonstrates the social pull of religion as a way of life, that is inclusive, despite its obvious contradictions to the modern world, belief systems and economy. In a sense the social desire to fit in and be seen as different are met by the acceptance of the church as a lifestyle. According to Durkheim, "Deep down, no religion is false.... Each in its