08 June 2008

This Crazy Homophobic World

You may have read the story of the Episcopalian Bishop Gene Robinson having a civil union with his partner of 19 years.

Big deal, you might say. Two people conforming to so-called social norms. Where's the story in that?

Here's a link from Reuters which fills in the gaps: Gay Anglican U.S. bishop enters into civil union.

A number of issues arise from this for me:

"The event was kept private out of respect for next month's worldwide Anglican conference..."

"The 77 million-member Anglican Communion...has been in upheaval since 2003 when the Episcopal Church consecrated Robinson as the first bishop known to be in an openly homosexual relationship in more than four centuries of church history."

"Robinson has in the past received death threats and wore a bulletproof vest under his vestments at his consecration in 2003. Two uniformed police officers stood guard at Saturday's ceremony..."
[Emphasis: my own]

Let's put aside for a moment that Gene Robinson is a supernaturalist and promotes it - that's his job - but the above quotes should illustrate to everyone what a sick, sad world we live in.

This has all come about, this high-level homophobia, because of the very books that these Christians revere. They will quote chapter and verse and teach about the bible's inerrancy and yet deny basic human rights to two people who want to have the same legal rights which are afforded to heterosexuals. (Do bear in mind that these civil ceremonies stop short of providing full legal equality but for some members of the gay and lesbian community it is better than what existed before.)

I am appalled, horrified that because of what some psychotic person or persons, repressed, ignorant, confused and lacking foresight or real love of humanity, have written, edited and cobbled together centuries ago that we humans have to suffer today. Regardless of whether you are straight or gay, male, female or any other gender - we should ALL be horrified.

As a black woman, I see the same backward attitudes within the black community and it nearly all leads back to religion. I am atheist also and so have, in some people's opinions, three strikes against me right there!

Racism and homophobia come from the same root - and it is more than ignorance. If millions of people are being taught to fear and ridicule others and that these ideas are good and will lead you back to an imaginary god or gods, then no real progress will ever be made by humans. No real tangible progress, that is.

The Anglican church is in turmoil because so many African churches abhor homosexuality and have threatened to break off and form their own factions. How ironic! The very people who had the bible thrust onto them by brutal means, which entailed millions of people being forced to convert or be killed, shackled and chained and carried across oceans to far-off lands where even worse horrors awaited them and yet their descendants are now saying the Anglican church is too lenient and not godly enough.

Gene Robinson believes in the supernatural like many other people do and yet he has to wear a bulletproof vest to protect himself from possible assassination. My question to him would be: Would it be another Christian that you fear may be your assassin?

This madness needs to stop and we can all play a part in it by educating ourselves, throwing away ancient or modern texts which insist on separating us from each other for no logical reasons.
Recognise that if we boast about being civil rights activists or gay rights activists, for example, we are not actually helping if we don't explore some of the root causes of the problems in the first place.

5 comments:

Anonymiss said...

I don't get it. That's one of the reasons that I can't get down with religion. And I don't need it. I prefer karmic philosophy and a strong set of morals. I can just hear my relatives saying "Let us pray for this lost child." LOL!!!

How does the Bible teach you to do one thing and then you go against teachings and act mindlessly?

Anonymous said...

bravo! Great article. Unfortunately, religion is such the hypocritical arena, that it usually does more harm than good.

That's pretty sad

Zee Harrison said...

Anonymiss,

Thank you for your comment. The Bible is a book of such awfulness, such barbarity and yet people choose to indoctrinate themselves in its 'truths'. A clear illustration of how sad humans are.

Myself I don't believe in karma - I think life doesn't 'pay people back'. I think we are born, live and then die. A number of my friends believe in similar ideas to yours and have tried to convince me I am 'mistaken' but I haven't found any evidence to the contrary, yet!

Green Pastures,
Thank you. It is pretty sad but I don't expect much to change in our life times - not radically. Beliefs in the supernatural have been with us for a long time and no doubt will for some time to come.
Too many people hold onto it for comfort without recognising the harm it brings with it.


Thank you both again and drop by soon. I am working on another article which should be out shortly. Watch this space!

Zee

Anonymous said...

I agree with you whole-heartedly. I happen to be a lesbian black womyn who isn't religious, so you can image the ridicule I receive. It's not enough to be an "ally" to a certain community. Or a supporter. You've to advocate, too. And that's what so many people forget....

Jim Hlavac said...

Ma'am, thank you very much for this post which I just happened upon because I was researching the problem of young men with their pants down and underwear showing - which you spoke of in another post -- which notice are never gay guys - and we don't understand it either. But as I was joking elsewhere, we are trying to whistle at these men into sensibility, and with their pants down they can't run after us.

Well, I see the joke, and I thank you for two posts that seem completely unrelated to you -- but are so entwined to me. Young randy men with a disregard for decency are a problem in our society -- and not a one of them is gay. And yet we are blamed for who knows what. So, I just keep pointing this out, and can only ask you to consider this conundrum.

Thanks.