GSA

[Les]

I try to use homosexual/bisexual/transexual until I know the person is okay with the more casualish terms.

[ParaLLL]

English it prettymuch depends where you are, who you're talking to, and what's going on. *sighs* Thus why I can never quite figure out what's safe to say to who. I generally either avoid any specific words at all, or give a whole list ending with 'whatever you prefer.' I think people may avoid telling me what they prefer just for the sake of making me do that....

[Beli]

Okay.. You're both doing it right.. But the truth is I have never asked that question around here so far. *Shrugs* My country is veeery homophobic. And I don't think there are many of us around.. *Shrugs* What is it like where you live?.. I'm sure it's at least a bit better than here..

[ParaLLL]

Well right now I'm not sure; we haven't lived here long and I have basically zero contact with anyone around. But it can be prettymuch summarized as one of my neighbors is still redneck enough to not only be homophobic but racist, while his wife is a hippie and his daughter is mostly just frustrated. Conservative rural country farmers mixed with liberal art college students. It makes things interesting. A year ago though I lived in in Pennsylvania (Erie technically, in case anyone cares) and it was kind of torn between the growing majority who either supported gay rights or genuinely didn't care, and the minority that were homophobic, but really, really fanatical. I've lived other places, but not recently enough to be sure what they were like.

A couple of my friends live in the Bible belt and one's said outright that if anyone finds out she's bisexual she'll either be leaving or be killed. There are other factors mixed up in there, though, so probably it wouldn't be as absolute if sexuality was the only factor. *shrugs* I have another friend who mentioned her girlfriend to me probably within a minute of meeting me; she and her girlfriend weren't really in the habit of worrying much at all. In the US it can prettymuch go to any extreme, depending on where you are in it.

[Les]

Honestly, as a Christian, I can't accept what the bible says about loving people of the same gender. =/

And in any case, we're not supposed to attack people for their beliefs anyway so people who do are no better or worse then the people they target. Ha.


I'm not really sure, but both of my teachers, my parents, my church and my aunt are all homophobic. I've managed to talk sense into my little sister, but I'm not sure how long it'll stick.

[ParaLLL]

The answers I've seen used to the Bible argument are generally to either point out all the other things the bible says (seafood is banned + only allowed to eat fish on Friday = what?, women are property, etc.) or I've seen a couple essays that go in-depth and pick out the parts of the bible that are used as support for homophobia and then look at the context and say how they probably meant something else, or the other interpretation is equally valid. I don't know it too well myself, though; I think I've been in a Christian church maybe three or four times in my life.


Most of my family is fine, though my mother and some of her sisters lean more toward the 'I don't mind it so long as it's not my kids' angle. My teachers have had opinions all over the place, though.

[Beli]

In the US it can prettymuch go to any extreme, depending on where you are in it.

I see..

Honestly, as a Christian, I can't accept what the bible says about loving people of the same gender. =/

And in any case, we're not supposed to attack people for their beliefs anyway so people who do are no better or worse then the people they target. Ha.


I'm not really sure, but both of my teachers, my parents, my church and my aunt are all homophobic. I've managed to talk sense into my little sister, but I'm not sure how long it'll stick.

The answers I've seen used to the Bible argument are generally to either point out all the other things the bible says (seafood is banned + only allowed to eat fish on Friday = what?, women are property, etc.) or I've seen a couple essays that go in-depth and pick out the parts of the bible that are used as support for homophobia and then look at the context and say how they probably meant something else, or the other interpretation is equally valid. I don't know it too well myself, though; I think I've been in a Christian church maybe three or four times in my life.


Most of my family is fine, though my mother and some of her sisters lean more toward the 'I don't mind it so long as it's not my kids' angle. My teachers have had opinions all over the place, though.

I could say my opinion about that, but then this will turn into a religious debate, and I really don't want that. Also, I'm sure it's not the only reason for homophobia.. Or is it?..
Now when I think about it - maybe the people around here have homophobia rooted in them; they were baptized at an early age and most of their childhood spent listening to their parents, which probably started their lives the same way.. And as far as I know, the men from Serbia (and most probably Montenegro) refuse to talk nicely about homosexuals because they think that man & man don't go together because it's not "masculine", and they got used to order their women around and to have them do the "house jobs"; on the other side, I think women around here are in the shadows of the men, and they have that man & woman idea deep inside their heads; they wouldn't want to differ from their people..
I just think of this country as a big pigpen. It's hard to learn a pig.

[ParaLLL]

I don't think religion is the cause of most homophobia; general fear/hatred of anything unknown is responsible for that. It is probably the most common justification though, sine there really isn't much else.

Conformity is definitely powerful... a lot of opinions get skewed because people just agree with whatever's normal instead of coming up with their own reasoning.

[TNHawke]

The Bible does, clearly state that God hates homosexuality. He also hates liars, he equates them with murderers, adulterers and witches. When one is not picking and choosing what bits of the Bible to believe and cling to, one will find that what God hates is sin. It's humans who put 'level's on sin and "how bad" a certain act is.
The people who stand on street corners with their signs about God hates Homosexuals and Gays are going to Hell... It REALLY pisses me off. God says love your enemy, and that HE is the one to judge and condemn, not us puny, insignificant humans. If we want anyone to understand the faith we believe in, we certainly won't get far by being jerks to them.
Stuff like this is why I don't generally claim the title "Christian", but rather "Bible Believing Christ Follower". Yes, I do believe the Bible and God, but all of it, not just the convenient parts and I try to live by what I believe.

[Les]

The Bible does, clearly state that God hates homosexuality. He also hates liars, he equates them with murderers, adulterers and witches. When one is not picking and choosing what bits of the Bible to believe and cling to, one will find that what God hates is sin. It's humans who put 'level's on sin and "how bad" a certain act is.
The people who stand on street corners with their signs about God hates Homosexuals and Gays are going to Hell... It REALLY pisses me off. God says love your enemy, and that HE is the one to judge and condemn, not us puny, insignificant humans. If we want anyone to understand the faith we believe in, we certainly won't get far by being jerks to them.
Stuff like this is why I don't generally claim the title "Christian", but rather "Bible Believing Christ Follower". Yes, I do believe the Bible and God, but all of it, not just the convenient parts and I try to live by what I believe.

*Hugs* This is what I've been trying to say for years.