I hardly ever watch "Larry King Live", but last night the focus was on Brokeback Mountain and the subject of gay marriage. Guests included openly gay actor, Chad Allen and openly gay former mayor of Casper, Wyoming, Guy Padgett. Also, on the religous side Janet Parshall and Albert Mohler.
I should first say, that as a gay male, I don't wish to get married. But, I'd like the option if I ever decided it would be right for me. As of right now, I am celibate and have no interest in a relationship anyway.
I guess my point I'll try to make here is that religious views seem to be invading our laws. Whether or not a person claims to be religious, many of their views might be tainted by religion. Oh my garsh, did that even make sense? :)Let's look at
India’s Slow Descent Into Homophobia, by Amara Das WilhelmAncient India’s acceptance and accommodation of many forms of eroticism within its culture, including homoeroticism, has been well documented in early Sanskrit writings, art and architecture. This makes modern-day India’s sexual puritanism and homophobia, which reached its zenith in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, all the more astounding. In today’s world, India has been relegated to the level of the most backward countries in the sphere of personal liberties, and one might wonder how such a drastic change could ever have come about. Through careful examination, India’s long and troubled past reveals a gradual descent into puritanism and homophobia due to caste consciousness and foreign religious influence. The following is a brief timeline that summarizes the history of India and its deteriorating attitude toward people of the third sex.
The key point there is
foreign religious influence. It wasn't until the puritan, victorian English came along that the views in India changed. Laws were put into the books to outlaw "sodomy"... based on foreign religious ideas. These laws have stayed on the books and tainted what was once a very "liberal" and beautiful system that viewed all people as, well, people.
If you care to read
India’s Slow Descent Into Homophobia in it's entirety, it is quite enlightening.
So, back to Larry King.
It starts off with a bang that basically states my point perfectly.
JANET PARSHALL, RADIO HOST "JANET PARSHALL'S AMERICA": No, I didn't see the film and I'm not at all surprised that out of seven nominations Brokeback walked away with four and some might say that's an indication of what the Oscar ceremonies might look like later on this year.
KING: Why would you comment on it if you haven't seen it?
PARSHALL: Well, I'm interested in all of the buzz around the film. I'm not the least bit surprised that we're hearing so much chatter. After all, I think what we're witnessing, Larry, is the homosexualizing of America.
We've got the Book of Daniel with a gay theme and we've got Will and Grace with a gay theme and we're trying to get people, like me, people of faith who happen to believe that any sex outside of marriage, heterosexual or homosexual marriage, is wrong to try to somehow tolerate and even more importantly accept that lifestyle.
Hmmm, she says the "homosexualizing of America". Well, I say the problem is the "christianizing of America". What you believe is between you and yourself, it should not influence laws. It's as if the christian right is trying to turn the US into a theocracy. I mean, should I be happy living a lie, just so some religious fanatics can be happy that the wishes of their "god" are being put into manmade law?
I think I might be better off ending this with an answer I gave on a message board.
I can expand on this later I guess :)
The biggest problem I see with BOTH Christianity/Judaism and Islam is that these religions focus on the Creator and not the Created. I'll see if I can explain this better cause normally it would take me writing a novel to get this point across in the best possible way. :wink:
The more ancient traditions showed great respect for nature, natural cycles of the earth and universe, the individual, the group, etc. When you didn't respect these things, you suffered. Not because "god" was angry, but because you went against the natural order of the universe and the individual.
Hinduism, before it was tainted with modern Christian ideas brought in from England, was simply amazing and beautiful for it's progressiveness. Actually, to give Christians a little break, the Muslims started the tainting earlier, especially in the northern areas of India. The Indians had advanced in areas of science, architecture, sociology, etc.
The problems with Monotheism.. well, there are many. but the main one for me is that they focus on worshipping the creator. It basically says, screw the earth, we won't be here forever so it doesn't matter if we pollute and destroy it and other inhabitants that disagree with our beliefs. Life on earth is just intermediary to eternal life in heaven with your chosen god. It also turns people into nothing but baby makers. God created man and women to make babies, yippee. Anything that doesn't involve creating more minions for your god is considered wrong and unnatural.
Before the Christians invaded India, they had a deep respect for the "third sex", which ironically, Jesus (if you believe he existed) did as well. When he speaks of those that are born eunechs or made eunechs. I dont' have the time to look up the passage right now. In loose terms you could consider the 3rd sex as natural population control. There are those individuals that were not intended to propagate.
When you enter monotheism, it becomes your duty to propagate and we end up with an out of control population. Why? Because people are made to feel guilty if they don't get married and have lots of little minions to worship "god". If you want a better description than I can provide in my time I have read this http://www.galva108.org/Tritiya_prakriti.html .
I'm not sure why I got on this kick, maybe because it's been stuck in my head. Anyway, it seems you all are stuck on the prayer issue.
I don't consider myself an atheist, although I am pushing more towards it. I have prayed through out my life. I've never really asked for anything... mostly just for understanding I guess. I've never actually seen a person's prayers answered. One thing I've found is that when you trust in yourself instead of trusting in some invisible, non existant higher power, you actually find the answers that bring true happiness and understanding. The principles of the monotheistic gods always seem to say "Fight your natural feelings." How does surrendering what truely makes you happy a better person or this a better world? When I look at this world, I see a bunch of unhappy people living a lie. We start wars with others, because god told us to. We get married and have children, because god told us to. We do this or that, because god told us to.
What has this caused? Nothing but pain and suffering for the individual and the whole of society. When people get rid of this need to please some invisible higher power and actually live life, there is much happiness.... less guilt... and I'd dare say, there'd be less crime.
Whoa, I think I rambled on.... but hey, it's a bit early and I have to get going :) Not even sure I made the point I wanted to either hehe.
