Why christians homophobic

Unfortunately Christianity has replaced the ancient Roman tradition of tolerance. Things would improve only when Christianity would be eliminated. Your email address will not be published. Search for:. Adriaan van Klinken July 20th, Although religion is a major factor in fuelling homophobia in Africa, the Bible and the Christian faith are not only sites of struggle but have also been appropriated by African LGBT activists in support of their cause.

Adriaan van Klinken says we need to move beyond a narrow focus on African religious homophobia as religion plays multiple and complex roles in contemporary dynamics of African sexualities.

Many of the stories refer to religion. About the author Adriaan van Klinken. Pingback: Beyond belief: how powerful is religion in Africa? Religion and Global Society. Leave a Comment Cancel reply Your email address will not be published. Related Posts Featured. We use cookies on this site to understand how you use our content, and to give you the best browsing experience. To accept cookies, click continue. To find out more about cookies and change your preferences, visit our Cookie Policy. During his considerable time in Uganda he is on record for making many statements on HIV treatment - but never once for speaking out on the rampant homophobia and prejudice in that country.

The pink community opposed his selection because of this factor, and also because as a clergyman entering a high political office, he threatened the separation of church and state. Then there is the Rhema cult. It is what is being called today a "super-church" which brings in millions in earnings a year, and its charismatic leader - pastor Ray Mccauley, appears on Rhema's own TV channel and is quoted by many other Christians who are seemingly unperturbed by his hypocrisy and bigotry.

This group recently made headlines for laying out its plans to "revive morality" in the country and to remove gay rights from the Constitution. Zuma himself has been reported in the media in for calling gay marriage "a disgrace to the nation and to God" and of course, just prior to the elections which won him the presidency last year, he was in the Rhema cult delivering a speech in which he invited conservatives to "come talk to the government" about things that bother them, such as marriage equality and abortion.

The NILC was slated recently for issuing emails from government addresses, and for making use of government resources such as offices - and the ANC and NILC regularly post joint press releases on "moral" issues. Living in South Africa, it is clear to me that the religious right is slowly mobilizing and gaining momentum and has its eyes focused on the SA Constitution. There is a growing fear that the underpinnings of the Constitution are being chipped away.

Newspapers are speculating whether the President has been rewarding his cadres for supporting his rise to power, by placing them in key posts, but personally I am concerned that this may facilitate changes to the Constitution in line with "moral regeneration" policies. Qwelane is still facing charges in the Equality Court for an article from in which he attacked the pink community and encouraged politicians to rewrite the Constitution to remove gay rights, calling the need for these rights "ridiculous".

What the government was thinking in appointing such a person as ambassador to a country contemplating instituting state-sponsored genocide against the pink community, only they will know. Coupled with apparent apathy in the pink community and disinterest in politics, this makes the threat of fundamentalists in the political arena that much more real and potent. Many people in the community are not even aware which political parties are pro gay rights, or that there are in fact any parties which are pro gay rights.

When they hear about moves made by conservatives, the most noticable reaction is shock, followed by an expression of disinterest in politics. Those willing to pay attention and to get involved in defending the human and civil rights of their own community are definitely in the minority - which in my personal view is a recipe for disaster.

We campaign for the law and the administration of justice to be based on equality, respect for human rights, and on objective evidence. Public services that are intended for the whole community, especially those funded by public money, should be provided in a secular context. We campaign on a wide range of topics where religious privilege impacts public life.

For over years we have campaigned for disestablishment, the separation of the C of E and state. Meat from animals not stunned before slaughter is being sold in parliament, the National Secular Society has found. An independent faith school has failed three consecutive inspections due to its "narrow" secular curriculum. A bill to end the duty on non-faith schools in England to hold daily acts of Christian worship has progressed in parliament.

The National Secular Society has supported plans to end discriminatory admissions policies for some faith schools in Suffolk. The Armed Forces must dismantle their institutional Christian privilege if they are truly committed to inclusivity, says Megan Manson.

Paul Stanley's work shows how much more inclusive and engaging school assemblies could be without the anachronistic legal requirement for religious worship, argues Sue Garratt.

The national conversation following the brutal killing of David Amess suggests an unwillingness to tackle the Islamic extremism behind it, argues Stephen Evans.

A case in Leicestershire shows the mess faith groups make of admissions and why secular accountability is necessary, argues Alastair Lichten. Ahead of parliament's first consideration of assisted dying for six years, Stephen Evans calls on secularists to help ensure that religious objections don't stand in the way of necessary reform. Most importantly, why do all the other passages of Scripture referring to this account fail to raise the issue of homosexuality?

Ezekiel states it clearly. The people of Sodom , like many people today, had abundance of material goods. But they failed to meet the needs of the poor, and they worshipped idols.

The sins of injustice and idolatry plague every generation. We stand under the same judgment if we create false gods or treat others with injustice. But some ignore its definitions of their own "uncleanness" while quoting Leviticus to condemn "homosexuals. Their meaning can only be fully appreciated in the historical and cultural context of the ancient Hebrew people. Israel , in a unique place as the chosen people of one God, was to avoid the practices of other peoples and gods.

Hebrew religion, characterized by the revelation of one God, stood in continuous tension with the religion of the surrounding Canaanites who worshipped the multiple gods of fertility cults.

The Hebrew word for a male cult prostitute, qadesh, is mistranslated "sodomite" in some versions of the Bible. What is an "Abomination"? An abomination is that which God found detestable because it was unclean, disloyal, or unjust. Several Hebrew words were so translated, and the one found in Leviticus, toevah, is usually associated with idolatry, as in Ezekiel, where it occurs numerous times.

Given the strong association of toevah with idolatry and the canaanite religious practice of cult prostitution, the use of toevah regarding male same-sex acts in Leviticus calls into question any conclusion that such condemnation also applies to loving, responsible homosexual relationships.

Rituals and Rules Rituals and Rules found in the Old Testament were given to preserve the distinctive characteristics of the religion and culture of Israel. But, as stated in Galatians , Christians are no longer bound by these Jewish laws. By faith we live in Jesus Christ, not in Leviticus. To be sure, ethical concerns apply to all cultures and peoples in every age. Such concerns were ultimately reflected by Jesus Christ, who said nothing about homosexuality, but a great deal about love, justice, mercy and faith.

Romans Most New Testament books, including the four Gospels, are silent on same-sex acts, and Paul is the only author who makes any reference to the subject. The most negative statement by Paul regarding same-sex acts occurs in Romans where, in the context of a larger argument on the need of all people for the gospel of Jesus Christ, certain homosexual behavior is given as an example of the "uncleanness" of idolatrous Gentiles.

The book of Romans was written to Jewish and Gentile Christians in Rome , who would have been familiar with the infamous sexual excesses of their contemporaries, especially Roman emperors. Jewish laws in Leviticus mentioned male same-sex acts in the context of idolatry. The homosexual practices cited in Romans were believed to result from idolatry and are associated with some very serious offenses as noted in Romans 1. Taken in this larger context, it should be obvious that such acts are significantly different from loving, responsible lesbian and gay relationships seen today.

What is "Natural"? In Romans , God acts in an "unnatural" way, para physin, to accept the Gentiles. In view of this, we should observe that it is "unnatural," para physin, for a person today with a lesbian or gay sexual orientation to attempt living a heterosexual lifestyle. Romans is the only statement in the Bible with a possible reference to lesbian behavior, although the specific intent of this verse is unclear.

Some authors have seen in this passage a reference to women adopting a dominant role in heterosexual relationships.