The Religious Roots of Homophobia

August 25, 2011 by P. Sufenas Virius Lupus

Continued from Page 1

Find the scientific or psychological authority or institution who suggests that homoeroticism and transgenderism is "not natural," or is in some manner harmful to individuals or society, and it is virtually certain that there is a conservative creedal monotheistic religion paying directly for such research.

While I would like to reiterate again that there are good Christians, Jews, and Muslims out there who are just as accepting of homoeroticism and gender variance as many non-religious and pro-LGBTQ people are, and it should be the right of anyone who wishes to be a participant in one of these creedal religions while affirming their LGBTQ status without difficulty—if one group can find that Ha-Shem, Jesus, or Allah can love an LGBTQ person, why can't all of the others?—this creedal monotheist bias against homoeroticism and gender variance has absolutely no place in modern Paganism of any sort.

If modern Pagan religions and forms of animism and polytheism, which are supposed to revere nature to some extent or another, maintain homophobia of any sort (even if it is out of adherence to some ancient texts or traditions, which themselves often have resulted from Christian influence or inadequate modern interpretations of difficult terminologies), then they are aligning themselves with fundamentalist religious viewpoints that would happily seek to outlaw, and even execute, those who are "guilty" of homoeroticism or gender variance. Voting for conservative candidates who have espoused a religious position like this because one agrees with them on fiscal issues is a direct affront to every religious value one upholds as a modern Pagan or polytheist.

Page: 2 of 2

8/25/2011 4:00:00 AM

Pagan

Queer I Stand

GLBT

Paganism

more at patheos

Meet Catholic Supernatural Thriller Writer R. E. Chard

Mark Wilson

Justice Sonia Sotomayor : Hollow Words Without Action

Jeff Hood

Fighting Over the Rhetorical Woman

Dennis Knapp

Practicing Peace Over Chaos In The Church

Michele Howe

About P. Sufenas Virius Lupus

P. Sufenas Virius Lupus is a metagender and a founding member of the Ekklesía Antínoou (a queer, Graeco-Roman-Egyptian syncretist reconstructionist polytheist religious group dedicated to Antinous, the deified lover of the Roman Emperor Hadrian and other related gods and divine figures). E is a contributing member of Neos Alexandria and a Celtic Reconstructionist pagan in the filidecht and gentlidecht traditions. Follow Lupus' work on the Aedicula Antinoi blog.

Patheos Logo Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Subscription Support Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In

Follow Patheos