Why are Christians obsessed with Gay people?

[ApeNotKillApe]

Who is we?

[BeeDeePee]

Putting aside their gay-orientated hatred, I'm more surprised by obvious lack of any coherence in religious beliefs of most people: believing in a morally perfect God, while at the same time claiming that he punishes humans for the sins of their ancestors or fellow citizens. I'm even more surprised that most people see no problem in having a belief in an purely anthropocentrical God.

[Divinity]

Here's something I don't get.

You kill 6 million people, and you get sent to hell for eternity if you don't repent.
You have a monogamous relationship with someone of the same sex, and you get sent to hell for eternity if you don't repent.

As my daughter pointed out--this is fucking disproportionate retribution. So... why shouldn't gay people go around killing people? I mean they might could make their lives better here on earth. They have no intention of repenting. They're going to hell for eternity anyways. Might as well sin as much as they like.

[Cyberman]

Yep. Hanged for a sheep as for a lamb and all that.

[vorlon13]

Here's something I don't get.

You kill 6 million people, and you get sent to hell for eternity if you don't repent.
You have a monogamous relationship with someone of the same sex, and you get sent to hell for eternity if you don't repent.

As my daughter pointed out--this is fucking disproportionate retribution.  So... why shouldn't gay people go around killing people?  I mean they might could make their lives better here on earth.  They have no intention of repenting.  They're going to hell for eternity anyways.  Might as well sin as much as they like.

I'm trying !!!

[Redoubtable]

The reason why Christians are so obsessed with gays (and anything they perceive as sexual immorality) in my view is rooted in the concept of "moral disgust" [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jonathan_Haidt#Moral_disgust]. If any of you are familiar with Jonathan Haidt he does a lot of work and research into the psychology behind different systems of morality and this concept of disgust figures prominently into his thinking. In this context it basically means that fundamentally the aversion to homosexuality is based on a feeling of disgust among believers, and this visceral reaction to it has survived to this day as an inheritance from our ancient ancestors who blended causes for sickness with immorality.

It's less common now, but if you asked a Christian (or a practicing Jew, Muslim, etc.) why they think homosexual sex is sinful, they would express disgust by claiming it's unnatural and therefore unhealthy. Even when it is proven that two people of the same sex can have a sexual relationship safely, that does little to dislodge the idea of it somehow being harmful to one's health. In recent years this argument against it has died down but Christians still cling to the idea that being a practicing homosexual leads to some kind of maladies, if not physical then spiritual. This is the essence of the moral disgust such believers associate with homosexuality.

So why is homosexuality so obsessed upon? I believe because it evokes such a visceral reaction of moral disgust from Christians and other believers that it is easier to harp on issues like these that are so rooted in emotional centers (which are the origins of those feelings of disgust and revulsion), than focus on more distant, less emotional matters deemed sinful.

[Neo-Scholastic]

I've been following the podcast Unbelievable? for some time now. It features debates and discussions between and among different Christians and atheists. It seems like it's the atheists who always bring up homosexuality first. Right now it's the most popular critique of Christian theology. Regardless of whether the atheists are right or wrong, it seems like they are the one's who are most interested with making it an issue. In every generation the Christian community is trying address whatever seems to be the most prominent moral issue of the time. In the mid-19 century it was slavery. In the 1920's it was temperance. Then abortion. Then divorce and the breakdown of family structures. Christians aren't obsessed; they are just responding to the larger society. And now gender identity has become the hot political issue of the day. Everyone is weighing in, not just Christians.

As far as I can tell the biggest issue inside the church for the last 10 years hasn't been homosexuality, but rather porn addiction. On AF it isn't even an issue. It's just taken for granted that porn is innocuous. To the extent that it does come up, it's considered positive and even has it's own forum, area 69.

Just an observation. YMMV.

[Catholic_Lady]

Good points. There are Christians out there who are particularly focused on the gay thing, which I find stupid. But to generalize isn't really fair.

[Neo-Scholastic]

Good points. There are Christians out there who are particularly focused on the gay thing, which I find stupid. But to generalize isn't really fair.

For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. But I do think it is time that Christians admit that we lost the culture war (whatever that is). We're a counterculture - an alternative to the larger culture in which we now find ourselves. For now. Demographically, the Muslims are set to take over Europe. Then the so-called secular humanists will be trying to find common ground with Christians to oppose Islamisation (sp).

[Faith No More]

Oh, please. Christians didn't lose the culture war. Ass-backwards morons lost it. It just so happens that many of them are Christians. I mean, it's pretty hard to lose at something when you outnumber the opposition by at least 4 to 1.

Funny how none of the liberal Christians in my life are ever bitching about the war on Christian values like the fundies on here do.