Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Here are the facts that Christian homophobes ignore:
Quote:
The prejudice and discrimination that people who identify as lesbian, gay, or bisexual regularly experience have been shown to have negative psychological effects.
In the 2000 U. S. Census, 33% of female same-sex couple households and 22% of male same-sex couple households reported at least one child under the age of 18 living in the home. Despite the significant presence of at least 163,879 households headed by lesbian or gay parents in U.S. society, three major concerns about lesbian and gay parents are commonly voiced (Falk, 1994; Patterson, Fulcher & Wainright, 2002). These include concerns that lesbians and gay men are mentally ill, that lesbians are less maternal than heterosexual women, and that lesbians' and gay men's relationships with their sexual partners leave little time for their relationships with their children. In general, research has failed to provide a basis for any of these concerns (Patterson, 2000, 2004a; Perrin, 2002; Tasker, 1999; Tasker & Golombok, 1997).
First, homosexuality is not a psychological disorder (Conger, 1975). Although exposure to prejudice and discrimination based on sexual orientation may cause acute distress (Mays & Cochran, 2001; Meyer, 2003), there is no reliable evidence that homosexual orientation per se impairs psychological functioning. Second, beliefs that lesbian and gay adults are not fit parents have no empirical foundation (Patterson, 2000, 2004a; Perrin, 2002). Lesbian and heterosexual women have not been found to differ markedly in their approaches to child rearing (Patterson, 2000; Tasker, 1999). Members of gay and lesbian couples with children have been found to divide the work involved in childcare evenly, and to be satisfied with their relationships with their partners (Patterson, 2000, 2004a). The results of some studies suggest that lesbian mothers' and gay fathers' parenting skills may be superior to those of matched heterosexual parents. There is no scientific basis for concluding that lesbian mothers or gay fathers are unfit parents on the basis of their sexual orientation (Armesto, 2002; Patterson, 2000; Tasker & Golombok, 1997). On the contrary, results of research suggest that lesbian and gay parents are as likely as heterosexual parents to provide supportive and healthy environments for their children.
The above point to harm being caused by the prejudice and bigotry of those opposed to acceptance of homosexual in our greater society.
Then you have Christian groups that talk about reparative therapy to "switch" homosexuals into heterosexuals--as in "it's just behavior." The classic study about and support for this therapy is by Dr. Robert Spitzer and was done in late 1990's, I believe. Here is Dr. Spitzer's latest update:
Quote:
I offered several (unconvincing) reasons why it was reasonable to assume that the subject's reports of change were credible and not self-deception or outright lying. But the simple fact is that there was no way to determine if the subject's accounts of change were valid.
I believe I owe the gay community an apology for my study making unproven claims of the efficacy of reparative therapy. I also apologize to any gay person who wasted time and energy undergoing some form of reparative therapy because they believed that I had proven that reparative therapy works with some "highly motivated" individuals.
No contradiction at all. I support your right to feel that gay marriage is wrong, you're welcome to. I also support the rights of gays to get married under the law. The difference here is that you cannot, under the eyes of the law, prevent gay marriage from occurring except in places of worship / churches. Gays are able to be married and you or any other person having "icky" feelings over it doesn't trump their right to get married.
Kidding? Nope. Where are these insults and personal attacks?
Occurs more often on Politics thread... it's been relatively civil here - but there has been 30 pages or so that have went by since I pulled up the thread.
Posts 21, 25, 63 are personal - not necessarily insulting.
You're confusing an opinion with action. You're entitled to whatever opinion you want and whatever meddling ideas you may have about other people. It becomes an issue when those opinions cross into the lives of others, i.e., treating them as unequals.
You're not simply stating your opinion. You're advocating that gay people be treated differently. Those are not the same.
What "actions" have I done? Isn't discussing this on a forum just merely expresting my opinion. In what way have I gone beyond that?
Having a partner to share life with is a positive. Having one that you are both emotionally and sexually attracted to is even better. Why does that need to be explained?
You can be friends and share life together. What's sex (homo or hetero) have to do with that?
Politicians who are ultimately influenced by the preaching of religious groups that are fueled by those who think homosexuals are "icky" :-)
Thankfully that is going away due to the progressive minds of the 21st century. The older Fox News fear mongering folks are disappearing and losing their stronghold day by day. Church attendance is at an all time low, fewer people are religious overall. Religion is inching towards the door, close it on your way out.
When you want to legally put a "religious" connotation on marriage and require everyone else to follow YOUR definition--then you are interfering with other people's lives. You are putting the entire basis of the First Amendment at risk. You are attempting to institute a theocracy---and everywhere that has been tried it has been a fricking disaster.
You are in no way harmed by Adam marrying Steve. But you, and those like you, who constantly throw "sin" in the face of Adam and Steve are harming THEM according the American Psychology Association.
What has always confused me is the hypocrisy with which Christians that do so, say "we love you as God loves you," while at the same time treating Adam and Steve with such contempt and hardly concealed hate that it is no wonder so many homosexuals are turned off to even the slightest attempt to find God.
And is it an act of self-righteousness on the part of so-called Christians. Well, we currently have at least three active threads on homosexuality, and in the two years I've been on CD there have been more threads on it than any other "sin" even though it is among the least practiced "sin" in the entire nation.
A bunch of politicians decided they could get your vote by stirring up irrational fear and disgust over something you don't understand. I don't understand it either, but I'm not afraid of it. I don't believe my 43+ year marriage to one woman, the only woman I've known biblically is challenged either. I don't believe Adam and Steve getting married is going to turn my granddaughter into a "raving homo."
So my conclusion is that many in your shoes are simply prone to being brain-washed--sort of like the Germans with the Jews. The politicians get your votes to protect you from the "vast majority of homosexuals that are about to overwhelm your society." And the people who are just afraid of homosexuality get to sit smug in self-satisfaction and see their selves as "righteous," not haters because it is GOD who is doing the condemning. It's been the same pattern with every single type of hate and discrimination throughout the history of Christianity--and if I knew other religions I would guess they have the same qualities. The most fearful people become the most fanatically religious and then commit atrocities on others--always small minorities with whom they think they have nothing in common--and feel justified because THEY didn't commit the atrocities--they committed the "righteous" act of their God.
What a bunch of hooey. Wake up and get your head out of the sand. Adam and Steve aren't going to turn you or your family into homosexuals. They just want the right to get service from any entity that holds itself out for public business--and maybe the right to worship God--just not a god like you're trying to serve.
Your argument of putting a "religious " definition on marriage is unstantiated by the fact that anyone's beliefs whether you support ssm or not could be rooted in someone's beliefs. I do not condemn you for believing what you want, I just ask that you respect my difference in opinion when it comes to law.
One fallacy that people like yourself believe is morality and law are mutually exclusive. You do not arrive to something being legally right (or wrong ) if you do not think it's morally right (or wrong) first. With that said, you cannot separate people's beliefs with how they vote because then there is no standard.
Last edited by justtitans; 10-22-2014 at 10:16 AM..
So does that mean you would campaign or support a campaign that restricts or otherwise prevents the rights of others legally?
Not campaign, no, but I would support such a law. Why? Because we already have laws that prevent people from doing things deemed 'immoral'. Just because you and I disagree on what is 'immoral' doesn't mean that I don't respect the rule of law. I've made my beliefs clear. I believe in God and what He says, regardless of what society or man says. God gave us free will, but he also established governments and authorities over us.
What "actions" have I done? Isn't discussing this on a forum just merely expresting my opinion. In what way have I gone beyond that?
Are you for gay marriage bans? If so, your opinion is being enacted on others and is no longer merely a belief. If not, I stand corrected.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
