Sexual Orientation and Religious Discrimination
April 27, 2012 in PsychPod Studio
What’s it like to grow up in a home where sexual orientation is discriminated against because of religious worldviews? In episode 20, I tackle the hushed topic of controversy amongst many fundamentalists and conservatives – sexual orientation. Are we born with sexual orientation, or is attraction a choice?
Welcome to the PsychPod Studio Podcast with Psychological Thriller Author M.E. Anders, where we chat weekly news and views. Merging fact and fiction into an infotainment-packed show. Here we’ll explore hot psychological topics from the perspective of a suspense and mind-altering thriller author. Popular topics include cult survivor tales, author interviews, psychological expert interviews, reader discussions, critical thinking skills, skepticism, freethinking, and religion.
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The Podcast Shownotes
One bit of Psych News:
Psychopaths and Stalking – Fabulous article by one of my favorite bloggers on the psychopath.
“Paradoxically, psychopaths are egomaniacs without pride. Their shamelessness, lack of boundaries and hunger for control often leads them to relentlessly pursue individuals who don’t want them, and who repeatedly reject them. Normal human beings not only don’t desire to stalk others because they have boundaries, but also they would feel too deeply embarrassed and humiliated to continue pursuing individuals who have rejected them over and over again.
This common sense logic does NOT apply to psychopaths…”
Click here to read the rest of the article.
What I’m Reading?
Go Put Your Strengths to Work: 6 Powerful Steps to Achieve Outstanding Performance by Marcus Buckingham
What I’m Writing?
Not much novel writing. I’ve been focusing my creative writing into my social media community management job. I have some exciting news about my future in this career, but I’m waiting to tell you when it’s official.
What I’m Watching?
Game of Thrones – I am already addicted to this show. I’ve been bingeing on the episodes – watched four of them in one night! Tremendous (sometimes gory) cinematography and acting.
Reader Mailbag (Q & A) – In response to my podcast questions, “Can Religion Be Bad For Kids?”
Howard says, “Yes, I am a former Evangelical, though open to a possible reattachment to some very progressive church. Of all prominent “theologies” I definitely find most helpful and feasible that called Process Theology–I did PhD work at Claremont, which houses their Center for Process Studies.
As to the question of abuse of kids via religion–no time to go into that. Personally my main sense of “abuse” (very broadly defined) was that I was conditioned to think in terms of only “right” (orthodox) theology and view of the world–and only one way of salvation, etc. Took me many years of gradually deepening questioning and searching to, by age 45 or so, make a major paradigm switch. Even that is quite traumatic for some, though for me was gradual enough that trauma was kept mostly to very scared, negative reactions and minor shunning from close family and other relatives–all conservative believers. That is partly smoothed over, tho I imagine will never be completely. So perhaps a blessing that my parents had passed and I’d not been very close with my two sisters even prior to my transition.”
Today’s Topic: Sexual Orientation and Religious Discrimination
Which groups are discriminated against?
- Anyone who is not heterosexual.
- Anyone who is not monogamous.
- Anyone who claims that “they were born this way.”
- LGBTQ – even asexuals.
Why are these groups considered sinful?
- Because these groups believe God ordained this formula: One man + One woman = For life.
- Biblical references are misinterpreted to support religion’s sexual biases.
- The fundamentalists feel that anything outside their traditional model is a threat to the family unit.
What remedial steps do fundamentalist religions expect these “sexual deviants” to take?
- Reformation – Go into groups like Reformers Unanimous, similar to the Alcoholics Anonymous program.
- Isolation – Move far away from large cities, so that they are not faced with as much “temptation.”
- Transformation – Ask God to transform them into a “new creature.”
What happens to those who do not conform to the heterosexual-monogamy model?
- They are cast out from the congregation.
- Their families are often required to shun and shame them into repentance.
- They must live a double life – secret dalliances into their forbidden behavior while maintaining a heterosexual exterior.
How do you think sexual orientation should be handled in both secular and religious settings?
- Religious adherents should challenge their biases and interpretations of scripture.
- In my opinion, there should be no discrimination amongst sexual orientations.
- We are all born with different orientations – it’s NOT a choice.
Next Week’s Topic: Religious Authoritarian Cultures
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Listeners: Did you grow up in a home with where sexuality was misinterpreted or debased? How do you believe that sexual discrimination should be handled? Leave your comment below. I would love to hear your opinion!
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