SkipCaptcha
29
edits
Changes
Jump to navigation
Jump to search
Line 115:
Line 115: + + + + + + + + + +
→Christian view: Added content
Conservative Christians and other people who regard homosexuality as sinful, harmful or abnormal, have coined the term [[heterophobia]] to describe those who manifest an antipathy to those who uphold hetero-normativity. While the term ''phobia'' is an irrational fear of something, nobody is afraid of homosexuals, and nobody fears contracting homosexuality. That is in contrast to heterophobia, the existence of which has been documented.
Conservative Christians and other people who regard homosexuality as sinful, harmful or abnormal, have coined the term [[heterophobia]] to describe those who manifest an antipathy to those who uphold hetero-normativity. While the term ''phobia'' is an irrational fear of something, nobody is afraid of homosexuals, and nobody fears contracting homosexuality. That is in contrast to heterophobia, the existence of which has been documented.
Studies have shown that Christians tend to morally disapprove of homosexual acts more frequently than non-religious people, but this does not automatically translate into greater support for persecution, the withdrawal of human rights, or aggressive behavior against gays and lesbians.<ref>[https://www.tpmap.org/religiosity-the-sinner-and-the-sin-different-patterns-of-prejudice-toward-homosexuals-and-homosexuality/ Bosetti, Giulia Luisa et al. Religiosity, the Sinner, and the Sin: Different Patterns of Prejudice Toward Homosexuals and Homosexuality. TPM: Testing, Psychometrics, Methodology in Applied Psychology, v. 18, n. 3, p. 157-170, 2011.]</ref> <ref>[https://www.researchgate.net/publication/282809203_LOVE_THE_SINNER_HATE_THE_SIN_RELIGIOUS_BELIEF_DOES_NOT_EQUATE_HOMOPHOBIA Rodriguez-Seijas, Craig. Love the Sinner, Hate the Sin: Religious Belief Does Not Equate Homophobia. Journal of the Department of Behavioural Sciences, v. 3, n. 1, p. 1-13, 2013.]</ref> <ref>[https://capsinternational.net/downloads/jpc/JPC%2036.2.pdf#page=5 Krull, Douglas S. On Hating the Sin but Loving the Sinner: Judgments About Homosexuality and Religiosity. Journal of Psychology and Christianity, v. 36, n. 2, p. 99-109, 2017.]</ref> In other words, they make a distinction between disapproving of a behavior and rejecting or mistreating those who practice it.
Internationally, research also indicates that while religious affiliation is associated with greater state persecution of homosexuals in some religious contexts, especially in Muslim-majority countries, this association is weak or nonexistent in Christian-majority countries.<ref>[https://gisrrj.com/GISRRJ214573 Narayan, Sonam. A Detailed Study of the LGBT in Global Context. 2021.]</ref> In fact, even some African countries with low levels of secularization, where same-sex relations are not illegal, have Christian majorities, running counter to the liberal assumption that Christians' moral disapproval of homosexual intercourse necessarily translates into intolerance and persecution.<ref>[https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00918369.2022.2160683 Gibert Díaz, Eduardo; Palacios, Juan Carlos. Unpacking the Drivers of LGBT+ Legislation. Journal of Homosexuality, v. 71, n. 4, p. 975-1002, 2024.]</ref>
The claim that a homosexual person who converts to Christianity will necessarily experience a poorer quality of life and live under psychological oppression is also false. Although there are still relatively few studies in this area, the existing evidence indicates that sexual minorities who maintain conservative religious beliefs are not doomed to worse mental health for that reason alone. Research involving gay Christians who chose celibacy, for example, has found that many exhibit healthy levels of well-being and normal levels of depression, anxiety, and stress.<ref>[https://zondervanacademic.com/products/costly-obedience Yarhouse, Mark A. Costly Obedience: What We Can Learn from the Celibate Gay Christian Community. Zondervan, 2019.]</ref>
Likewise, larger studies indicate that traditional religiosity among homosexual individuals is not, in itself, directly associated with higher rates of depression or anxiety. Active participation in worship services within conservative Christian churches has been linked to lower levels of depression and has functioned as a protective factor for the psychological well-being of homosexual individuals. The findings also show that the relationship between faith, sexuality, and mental health is complex and varies from person to person. Positive and supportive religious experiences can provide purpose, identity, social support, and a sense of personal worth. What appears to worsen the mental health of homosexual individuals is not belonging to a conservative Christian community, holding traditional Christian beliefs and values, or attending services in conservative Christian churches, but rather traumatic experiences involving particular Christian individuals or institutions. In the absence of such experiences, religiosity has been associated with greater well-being.<ref>[https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10943-021-01289-4 Rosik, Christopher H. et al. Is Conservative Religiousness Inherently Associated with Poorer Health for Sexual Minorities? Journal of Religion and Health, v. 61, n. 4, p. 3055-3075, 2022.]</ref>
On the other hand, completely abandoning one's religious identity is not something that necessarily reduces suffering and, for some people who are deeply connected to their faith, it may even intensify internal conflicts.<ref>[https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1417&context=studentpub Jessup, Jaxon. Positive Effects of Conservative Religion on the Mental Health of Sexual Minorities. Brigham Young University ScholarsArchive, 2024.]</ref>
== In liberals ==
== In liberals ==