Homophobia

[BruceChris]

Greetings Soulforcers:

I have been posting comments and stuff to other peoples threads, and now I have decided to start a thread of my own. I am finding it a bit daunting
to post items that will be read variously by human service professionals,
seminarians and those of the cloth, and newbies, possibly teenagers, raised
with a conservative background and a fear of devine retribution. It is of course mainly the last group that truely deserve my best efforts.

I would also like to express my special appreciation for Zerbie. Your postings
always seem to brighten my day, and I have got to get myself an
image/avatar as inspiring and positive as yours!

As an example of one of my more thoughtful pieces of work, I offer an earlier
posting, made in response to lisanorman's initial piece.

Your comments and responses would be greatly appreciated.

Lisa:

You asked earlier for an explanation of why so many straight Christians, or other people are often much more upset about gays and lesbians, or GLBT
folk in general, than about many real problems in this world. It's called
homophobia, and it is literally a fear of having to face up to issues of sexuality and homosexuality, especially in one's own life. Some have referred to it as being insecure about one's own hetrosexuality.

Probably around half of us have felt attraction to someone of the same sex
at one time or another in our lives. This is fairly normal. But for a perhaps
fear or shame-ridden conservative Christian, this is a very frightening thing.

Let's take a step back here, and review a little basic Freudian psychology. Almost always, when a person sees something within themselves
that they find unacceptable, they will use ego defenses called denial, and
projection. First, they will deny that they have a problem, or any
problem in this area. Then, they project this problem onto someone else, and blame the other person for the problem. Finally, they blame and
attempt to change the other person, because in their mind, if they can
"save" the other person, they "save" themselves.

Then as a final part of the process, because they have fought off the temptation that they see, they can say that for themselves this was a matter of choice. And if it was a choice for them, obviously it must be
a choice for everyone else.

Finally, the more that a person is attracted to someone of the same sex, and the harder they fight it off, the more conflicted they are within themselves.
Almost always, the longer this person continues to present themselves to the world as straight, the more they will continue to rage against homosexuality, and the more people they will persecute. There are some
fairly well known individuals out there who have made a career out of
condemning, persecuting, and demonstrating against gays. Since some of them are well known for bringing lawsuits against anyone they can, we won't name names here.

Just one other thing to add, I believe that what we are looking for is not a middle ground, but Common Ground.

Lisa, (and others), I hope that I have been able to shed a little light on the question that you asked.

Peace and Love, BruceChris

[Zerbie]

BruceChris: Awww!!!!!

Thanks for the pick-me up!!! (You paid my favorite compliment some time ago on the old thread about the letter to the senator - thanks for saying I have good energy! I LOVE to hear that!)

That said: There is a fair amount of truth to your psychological observations above. And a fair amount of fluidity to the sexuality of many people, which further complicates the issue for those I like to call the 100 percenters (Kinsey 6, et al).

But I'd like to ask where you would like to take this thread? Are you interested in delving into psychological causes of homophobia? Or did you have another point in mind?

Ooh and - why feel daunted? You are aware of the unseen audience, that in itself is enough. 'Sides, we like having you around.