Why Do Straights Hate Gays?

What a travesty that you feel hated...I am truly sorry for that feeling...There is no excuse for bashing or hatred of anyone...I am a follower of Jesus Christ and unequivocally do not agree with the homosexual lifestyle...this does not mean I hate you....as a matter of fact...with all of my being....I love you...with the same love that Christ loves you and died for you. This "hatred" you speak of is not generated by one's faith but by fear....and the Bible clearly states that we are not given a spirit of "fear but of love, power and a sound mind". This sound mind does not include irrational hatred or fear. Again, I am truly sorry for the hurt you have been forced to endure in the name of Christianity....but Christian and American are definitely not the same thing....especially in this day and age...God Bless you and may you come to know the love and saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.

I'm a big fan of Larry's early work with ACT UP, but it seems like all of the writing of his that I've seen lately is just directionless ranting. Gross summarizations, shock value statements, and little in the way of productive suggestions of how to solve the problems he is so upset by. Unfortunately, that kind of writing is not going to move any movement forward.

To be sure, there are plenty of straight people who hate gay people. There are also many who do not. It's a sad thing when anyone has to experience hatred, and hatred most often comes from fear and misunderstanding. I suppose the author is merely trying to put the shoe on the other foot here, but it doesn't really seem reasonable to me phrase this in the way he has; it's as though the problem is all those damn straight people, and if we could just "cure" them, the problem would be gone. It is to buy into the same "they're all the same" frame that bigots of every era have embraced; we're right, you're wrong, get over it.

Furthermore, it is questionable to identify evangelical students "praying for gay souls" as an act of hatred without reference to the content of the prayers themselves. I suspect he means that saying that souls need prayer *because* they are gay is offensive to him, but offensiveness isn't the same thing as hatred. These are people who genuinely believe they are loving, not hating; rhetorically, offending the offender is ineffective.

In writing things like this, Kramer seems to lose sight of the very thing he must never lose sight of if the horrible prejudice of society towards gay people is ever to be overcome: people who hold prejudices are still people. I can understand how, just as has gone on in other civil rights battles over the years, those who are on the front lines of the fight for change can become embittered and begin to speak of those who are resistant to change in collective, disparaging terms. Does this kind of discourse expect to change someone's views? Will it convince someone who hates to stop hating? Will it convince those who do not believe they hate to give up their prejudices?

A much more effective tactic would be to publicly appreciate and identify with those who are supportive of the cause; find those who are courageous in their affirmation of people without restraint towards those who are gay. Celebrate those who reach out, who affirm, who accept, who love. Make a big deal out of those who are working for peace and justice in this area. It's far more persuasive in the long term.

Because thay can.

Every religion needs a devil real or emaginary to save us from.

Abolish reliion,the bible,the Koran,and the Torah and humanity will be free of supersticion,fear,etc,etc,etc.

"Abolish reliion,the bible,the Koran,and the Torah and humanity will be free of supersticion, fear, etc, etc, etc."

You're merely inserting the religious where the religious insert gays, or secular humanists, or whoever the enemy of the week happens to be. Do you really mean to imply that all non-religious people are free of prejudice and superstition?

Mistral, that is the essence of the problem.

In anthropology, it is often referred to as Othering (with a capital O). Many people respond to difference by rejecting the Other, rather than recognizing their basic humanity. Unfortunately, it is easier to stereotype everyone so they can be pigeonholed... even if it is wrong. That is clearly the case with American culture. Homosexuals have the stereotype of being hedonistic and narcissistic, and while the ones I've personally had problems with in the past were clearly that way- at the same time recent encounters (and friendships) have clearly demonstrated that homosexuals are people just like everyone else (and deserve to be treated that way).

Based upon the hatred I've experienced from people because I support gay rights (as can be seen in the archives for this blog) as well as based upon my ethnicity (I am Native American), I can say that the root of the hatred is stereotypes, ignorance and brainwashing.

As to a statement in the original post, there is a Christian candidate running who is championing civil rights for LGBTQ folks and he's running for President 2008, Dennis Kucinich. Get the word out! http://kucinich.us/

Blessings,
Abbot-Bishop Brian E. Brown, OSH
Ecumenical Free Catholic Communion
http://www.free-catholic.org

There is a preponderance of hatred towards gays in America. Even on the school grounds you hear children calling others fags in a derogatory way. It is the new frontier of civil rights which still has to be fought. These children did not learn this behaviour out of thin air. They are not using the word nigger in the same way which parallels that racism has at least diminished somewhat over the past 40 years. I am sure that in another 100 years historians will look back in disbelief that homosexuals were persecuted in the ways that they are now and our future historians will feel a bit of shame for what their ancestors were.

Your comments are so cliche' same song different verse. Your hated and we are homophobic, it's the path you take when confronted with someone who disagrees with you. It's your silver bullet against straights, you whip it out and all at once you are both victim and freedom fighter.
Time and time again you have my point, if you want people to give you a break, stop dressing up in black leather and struting through the streets as Timmy and Tommy the testicle twins, shouting obscenities and grabing each other.
If and when you want the goverment to stay out of your bedroom then stop taking your bedroom into the courthouse. The problem with the gay community is not who they love and sleep with, it's because they demand that everyone conform to their standards.

In response to the excerpt, Dear straight people.
My response is why do you hate straight people. You claim to be a freedom fighter, a victim. And don't pull the political correct card, its getting old.
You get way too offended easily, not ot mention when a small kid asks "what's gay?"

As Justin said, not many Christians I know hate gays my self included, not even the right wing[ which I am not"]. It seems to me this is used any time someone dose not agree with the gay agenda, the paint brush comes out and you are painted as a racist or a bigot .
Again as Justin said any one who disagrees with the gay agenda is called name's. Jerry Farwel, Pat Robinson, and Billy Graham all said they do not hate gays, said they pray for gays, said Homosexuality is a sin just as they believe Adultery is a sin, no more no less ,and most Americans believe that ,

all you gay and lesbo's are going to burn with the devil and im glad i hate you all !!!!!!!!!!!your stupid and not right god hates you and so do i!idiots!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!111

Fatcha,

I invite you to read about the bloody, horrible and inhumane treatment of millions of human beings in the name of and by the Christian church.
Have you ever heard of the Inquisition, the Holocaust, Christian-backed black slavery, and slaughter of Native Americans, Christians murdering other Christians during the Middle Ages or other atrocities done in the name of Jesus?
All your self-righteous hate mongers, bigots, and intolerant right-wing Christens are headed for those "fires lf hell" because you're making this life a hell on earth for others, and "Using the Bible as a Weapon of Mass Damnation" against nonbelievers and LGBT people. You are no different from and no better than the Nazi party.
Jesus warned against judging others, lest you yourself be judged accordingly! Where is your Christian love? Why can't you leave us alone?
Clean up the mess in your own heart and soul before casting the vote of damnation on others!!!

i hate gays

i hate gays they break the covenant of marriage
i have a boyfriend david who i was with for 5 years, we were engaged to be married but my exboyfriend roberto de souza came into the picture to destroy our relationship with homosexuality and i ended up finding out that they were hanging out behind my back sleeping with a a network of corrupted males and females who cover for their parents raping them by getting money after the fact.Roberto's a drug addict,homo,bum,who made me lose jobs by preying on my past,he was raped by his father paolo de souza comes from a brazilian family has a bum chum bestbuddy called michael manoleskos who smokes pot and enjoys gay triasons .THIS NETWORK OF CHILD MOLESTORS,HOMOSEXUALS,CORRUPTORS,ADULTERERS KEEP AWAY FROM THEM I STRONGLY ADVISE THEY HAVE RAPED
ASK THE LORD GOD TO REVEAL THIS FAMILY OF EVIL AND KEEP A GOOD EYE ON YOUR DAUGHTER,S AND SON'S THEY STALK PEOPLE CALL ON GOD TO SHOW YOU WHAT THEYVE CAUSED AND TO REVEAL WHO THEY ARE AND WHAT THEYVE DONE ALSO AS FELLOW CHRISTIANS ASK THE LORD TO REVEAL NAMES AND ADDRESES GAYS ARE DESTROYERS THEIR EVIL MINDED FILLED WITH SELFISH DECEIT. IT'S WRONG IT'S MAN AND WOMAN BY INVOLVING YOURSELF IN GAY RELATIONS YOU CAUSE YOURSELFA MENTAL ILL INSTEAD OF YOUR MIND BEING PURE AND CLEAN YOU BECOME FILTHY AND CORRUPTED AND BREAKING THE ADDICTION IS HARD TO DO ONCE YOUVE STARTED IT YOU OPEN YOUR MIND TO THINGS IT SHOULD NOT KNOW AND CAUSE YOURSELF HEARTACHE AND PAIN IM AGAINST GAYS ,TO REALIZE IT IS WRONG AND MAKE A CHANGE FINE BUT TO CONTINUE IT , IS A SIN AND A CHOICE AND THAT IS WHY WHEN JUDGEMENT DAY COMES YOUR HELD ACCOUNTABLE AND THE LORD GOD ALMIGHTY FORBIDS IT.

Definition of a Christian: A sanctimonious, homophobic, narrow-minded, anti-progress individual who is obsessed somehow with gay sex while divorce, gambling, murders, injustice, racism, gluttony and environmental destruction rein all around them.

God made me gay. Gay people have always existed and serve a purpose in God's world. It's so very interesting that straight people are so threatened by this and so selectively bullying gay people. What is it that scares you? Truth? Love? All of your hate will not stop me from loving my boyfriend of 15 years. All of your votes against us will only affirm my commitment to him.

Jesus never mentions homosexuality yet he talks many times about adultry. Southern Baptists have the highest incident of adultry by admission of their own studies. They also have the highest births out of wedlock. Hypocrisy is the main message of you so called Christians and you disgrace the universal love and grace of Jesus every day.

You will never judge me. Only God is my judge. If you insist on telling me I will go to hell when you come to my door or yell angry words at me on the street I say to you that he who is without sin cast the first stone.

You will not win. You will not stop us. You will not keep me from God's love. You will only empower us with your hate.

For every gay child you have thrown out of your families I pray. For every gay brother or sister that is not welcome home at Thanksgiving, I pray. For every gay man or woman that is fired from their job or beaten up by those motivated by your hateful gospel, I pray.

Christian Freed

I think that alot of christian or other people don't understand what is is like for so many people to not condone them or the churches not condoning them. It destroys integrity, spirituality and happiness. No one has a right to hurt people that way. I hear so many things like, I love you and pray for you but i don't condone or agree with your lifestyle. To me that is a bigoted secret way of attacking and hating gays and lesbian people. How would these people who say they love you but don't agree with you feel if this were done to them right and left as they are doing to us? Remember, do unto others as you would have done unto you said Jesus. But you can't seem to do that.

i love them

I'm glad there are websites like this!! I was raised a christian but stopped attending church when i didnt fit in with the church's "christian" ideals including gay bashing, pro-life ranting, rejection of science and just plain hypocrisy.
For one, I'm always hurt when i see fellow believers telling gays that god hates them and gives them no chance in heaven. Anyone who has read the bible sees that god does not hate anybody, and the only one who has authority to condemn is god. Jesus hung out with sinners and welcomed all who believed in him. So whether you are straight or gay, Christ wants to be your savior. His message involves tolerance and acceptance, not ignorance and hate.
I am straight, but i have several friends who have recently confessed to being gay. They have told me that their attraction to the same sex is not a choice, saying,"do you really think i would choose to be this way... to be looked at as a freak and risk rejection?! I still look at them as close friends and do not see any reason to judge.

I know God loves us all. The church is required to do the same. The question I sincerely ask is, why do some gay people think the bible does not consider homosexuality, adultry, fornication, sexual immorality (all these are sins committed by all men and women, not just the gay community). In addition, lying, gossip, drunkeness,withholding charity etc are considered sins(and a lot more). I am not gay, but I sin in many ways, it is a constant battle which I pray to overcome. I think it is wrong for gay persons to expect me to ignore my belief in the Bible's stance on homosexuality to say it is an exceptable practice. I say this in a kind spirit. I would not want gay persons to tell me my sins were OK with the Bible either.

My point was, there are no positive results of gay bashing. We are supposed to welcome people to Christianity but instead we are scaring them away. Stop treating homosexuality like it's the worst sin of all. There are better things we can do with our time. Various studies show that the #1 cause of Aitheism is Christians. Perhaps we can change this statistic by choosing not to discriminate.