GLBT Voter Apathy

Three people I know recently told me they aren't bothering to vote and don't bother with politics - and I have seen numerous others online say the same. Hearing things like that make my blood boil, not because I want people to support a party of my choice - but because they are so uninterested in their own affairs - in OUR affairs as gay and trans people in South Africa.

These same people are ones who often complain about homophobia in their workplaces, the hate in the media expressed against gay and trans people - and they often wonder aloud why "somebody" doesn't do anything about it.

They cannot see that even a non-vote is a vote for our enemies who campaign against us. They simply couldn't be bothered.

What Is A Bigot?

What is a bigot, I have been asked. Well, what is a bigot? According to that treasure house of knowledge Wikipedia, "A bigot is a person who is intolerant of or takes offense to the opinions, lifestyles or identities differing from his or her own, and bigotry is the corresponding attitude or mindset. Bigot is often used as a pejorative term to describe a person who is obstinately devoted to prejudices, especially when these views are either challenged, or proven to be false or not universally applicable or acceptable.

The origin of the word bigot and bigoterie in English dates back to at least 1598, via Middle French, and started with the sense of "religious hypocrite" Forms of bigotry may have a related ideology or world views."

Gee, it looks like there have been bigots for quite a long time - and especially religious bigots.

Divide And Conquer

All arguments aside about whether being gay is a sin or not - what about those Christians who take it upon themselves to persecute gay people?

We could debate another year, and for another year people who call themselves Christians and who yet hate gay and trans people could reject all evidence to show gay and trans people are as natural as heterosexual people, as well as rejecting all reasonable religious alternatives to the choice some make to hate or to love us in the name of the same God we also love and who also loves us. But let us put that aside for a moment, and narrow it down to response.

How do you as Christians respond to other people?

We Ain’t Broke – Stop Trying To Fix Us!

Let’s take a look at religion versus sexuality in terms of how certain religious groups seem to get the idea that they can “pray away the gay”. In recent years there has been an increase in these little groups in South Africa. Certain churches are generous enough to provide programs which are guaranteed to screw gay people up completely in order to make them “normal” and in accordance with what they believe is “God’s Law”. 

One religious political party was also nice enough to make the same offer, welcoming gay people who want to “seek help” and be “made straight”. This unbelievably backward belief is generally called the “ex-gay movement” – except that they are trying to lose the bad image justifiably associated with the name, so it seems they will keep changing it every time their reputation catches up with them.

The Shuffling Of Feet

Is being gay or trans a sin? After all it is how we are born and if you believe God made everything, including humans then you have to believe that He made us as well. How is being born gay a sin any more than being born straight? Either way, sex still comes into the equation because of our innate human nature, but that is another matter for another day.

Needless to say, if it is a sin, well then - most good things in life are and have been called "sinful" - so what?

Branching Off

For a long time I have been interested in scientific studies of our distant relatives, the apes. Aside from the interesting genetic discoveries that indicate less than one gene actually determines whether we swing from branches or manage them, it has been most gratifying to see that come of them make and use primitive (but still clever) tools and have social orders not unlike some of our own.

Bricks And Mortar

According to Christ, all have sinned, and that includes you and me, and everyone else here on this world. While I am the last person to claim to be perfect, I think it is rather funny how some sinners seem to think they are better than other sinners, innit?

This group of political parties claiming to be Christians supposedly representing all followers of Christ also say they do not hate gay people, but act out of love for us - and that it only SEEMS as if they hate us. Often they even claim we are acting out of hate for them and their religion by daring to stand up to them.

Hmm. Interesting concept.

Bang, Bang - My Pastor Shot Me Down...!

I used to call myself a Christian all of my life, having being born into a loving Christian family and been "born again" when I was 12. I spent all my adult life believing in a loving god - until I saw people say and do things I could not believe came from a heart supposedly changed by the living god - especially against people like me - in the name of this same god. 

 

While I do not believe that this God feels the way they do about GLBT people, this inexcusable HATE has most certainly set me against this contradictory fundamentalist sector of Christianity - and any religion - that chooses to persecute.

Curiouser And Curiouser

Today in India, homosexuality is illegal and punishable by laws and social stigmas inherited from British rule and Victorian conservatism.

We all remember the Victorians - people who were so severely religious, they were afraid to see even themselves naked in case it caused them to think sinful thoughts.

Of Grated Carrots And Canned Fruit

During a 'spirited' (no pun intended) debate with a supporter of the ACDC - I mean P, I suggested those "loving Christians" watch the documentary "For the Bible tells me so". For those who do not know, it is a documentary which exposes the motives and misinformation used by the religious right and biblical literalists to try and justify the persecution of GLBT people. It does not attack Christianity, but uses religious argument along with scientific facts to reveal the flaws and faults in the religious rights' attack on innocent people based on misinterpretation, mistranslation and prejudice.

People have been expressing hate under the guise of religious clothing for so long they do not even see the wrong in it anymore.