Homophobia
Jordan says: "If my Christianizing converted me to fearing homosexuals, Christianity ought to be an issue for producing negative sentiment toward fellow humans. The fact is that Christianity did not convert me to homophobia, as you can tell from my earlier response. I e-mailed Steve a private apology. I also apologize to our readers for my poor wording."
It is indeed because Christian denigration of others indicates that Christianity can reduce human empathy, that I wish to pursue this as far as possible. Jordan himself admits that this question is pertinent and appropriate and does not say this is "straying" or an attempt to dodge discussion of the resurrection. It is an evangelical trick to claim that Christianity is about a single issue, as Pat Swindall tried to do with Jordan. A false view of the world will have plenty of cracks, conflicting with reality and causing cognitive dissonance on many fronts. Christians claim that a tree can be judged by its fruit, and Jordan says that by becoming a Christian one should not start denigrating those you previously didn't. However the reality is that Christians so patently are often homophobic and cease to be so when they leave Christianity. As I said in my testimony, how can I love a god who condemns those I love and understand? The Christian god is no god at all, just an old, mixed up and evolving idea laden with plenty of ancient and backward morality. Plenty of Christians also argue passionately that it is right to torture people for ever - until they gain the courage to ask if this really is good. It still astonishes me that religion has such power to prevent humane feeling such that people will argue for hell. We should also recognise that the question is wider than whether Jordan himself has gained homophobic attitudes due to being a Christian. The same argument holds if anybody has their human empathy reduced due to Christianity. I shall also examine if Jordan's earlier response really does show that Christianity did not convert him to homophobia, and if his private apology goes anyway to denying his previous statements.
Jordan explained that the phrase "trapped in homosexuality" was reportage and not his phrase, although despite my asking for clarification he has not yet said if he disagrees with its sentiments - which is dubious given that he stated, as his opinion, "homosexuality is a sin" and also called homosexuality a "crime against God." I think people should be taken to task for saying such things. The apology referred to above in no way retracts these statements. Here it is in full:
From: "Jordan"
To: "Steve Locks"
Cc: "Temy R. Beal"; "John and Ann Richards"; "J. P. Holding"
Subject: Re: The Resurrection - part 2
Date: 28 July 2000 14:45
Steve,
You are truly due a heartfelt apology regarding my wording of the homophobe part. It will be included in my formal response. I wrote you that you were not a problem. That is because I figure that if Christianity turned me into a homophobe, it should be an issue. I found the subject appropriate. Again, my wording could have been better handled but I only had the response posted so a few atheist and Christian friends could read it and offer feedback. After incorporating those changes, I planned to send it to you to see if anything jumped out at you. If so, I'd modify it before formally submitting it. That was what I planned and I failed to carry it out; I apologize.
You are a very considerate, polite, and civil person in your work. I appreciate that and will correct the record.
Thanks in advance for your understanding.
Jordan
---------- Original Message ----------------------------------
From: "Steve Locks"
Date: Wed, 26 Jul 2000 22:27:30 +0100>Dear Jordan and Temy,
>
>I have a new page on the Resurrection that also serves as my next instalment
>in response to Jordan's thoughts.
>
>My new page can be found at
>http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~slocks/asym/jreply1.html
>
>Jordan - I have tried to be more direct this time and have included more
>quotes etc.
>
>Temy - Please feel free to copy this URL to your mailing list.
>
>Regards,
>
>Steve
>----------------
>Leaving Christianity: www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~slocks/decon.html
I do not understand how this is an apology for saying "homosexuality is a sin" and a "crime against God." An apology would be to state on his website that he retracts his statements made there denigrating homosexuality and is sorry for making such statements. Jordan completely misunderstands when he says about me "He took offense at it as a character attack." Derogatory statements about homosexuals I take as evidence that reduces empathy for others. It is bigotry towards the homosexual community, not an attack upon me. I will stand up for homosexuals but I guess that they would have far more to say on the matter than I do.
If Christianity has not influenced Jordan's opinion such as to induce negative sentiment towards homosexuals, then we are left with the bizarre implication that his opinion must have included these sentiments when he was still an atheist! Of course it would be ludicrous if Jordan thought homosexuality was a "sin and a crime against God" whilst an atheist. Those sentiments must have come since he became a Christian. It therefore certainly is the case that "Christianity is an issue for producing negative sentiment toward fellow humans." As I reported previously, when people leave Christianity they almost invariably loose sentiments like Jordan expresses about homosexuals. Christianity obviously does help people to degrade others. For instance http://www.godhatesfags.com/ [ref] provides plenty of biblical verses that have led to Christian homophobia. Can anyone honestly argue that such passages have not led to Christians denigrating homosexuals? Why should anyone take a religion seriously which says that the effeminate shall not inherit the kingdom of God? (1 Corinthians 6:9).
In order to clarify whether in his case Christianity is causing negative sentiments Jordan should clearly state whether he still thinks that homosexuality is a sin and a crime against god. If not then he should retract that opinion and apologise for having said so. He should also explain what made him say such a thing in the first place. If he does believe homosexuality is a sin and a crime against god then exactly why is this? He should also explain what it was other than Christianity that led him to believe that homosexuality is "a sin" and "a crime against God."
Finally I hope that Jordan will realise that using the literal definition of homophobia as "fear of homosexuals" misses the point which is the broader understanding of homophobia as disagreement with and negative sentiment towards homosexuality, which is what I am and always have been referring to. There is also something more subtle to homophobic "fear of homosexuals" (or fear of homosexuality per se). This is that for conservative Christians to accept homosexuality as completely valid is tantamount to questioning the authority of the bible. It is that which really frightens Christians!
Further Reading
Answers to Your Questions About Sexual Orientation and Homosexuality by the American Psychological Association
Homophobia: The Fear Behind The Hatred by Scott Bidstrup
An Enquiry Concerning the Evangelical Religion From the intro on the Secular web: The author, once a member of the evangelical religion, attempted to reconcile his homosexuality with his faith. In so doing he exposed several characteristics about evangelism that led to a full rejection of religious belief and an understanding of the hypocrisy that underlies fundamentalism. Brian Rainey recounts his experiences and offers a glimpse into the many interpretations of Biblical passages that address the issue of homosexuality. (This also discusses the "hard Sayings" books by Harrison and Kaiser, et al. that Jordan mentions).
Go to the next Section - The Asymmetry of conversion continued...
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