Posts: 10694
Threads: 15
Joined: September 9, 2011
Reputation:
119
RE: Theory of Evolution, Atheism, and Homophobia.
October 24, 2017 at 9:19 am
The theory of evolution is descriptive, not prescriptive. It describes the process of genetic variation under a regime of differential reproductive success determined by environmental fitness. It can't be used as a justification for behaving a certain way, good or bad. It would be an example of the naturalistic fallacy: it does not follow from something being natural, that it is good or right.
I hope you're not having to deal with a lot of homophobia in your personal life.
I'm not anti-Christian. I'm anti-stupid.
Posts: 7045
Threads: 20
Joined: June 17, 2014
Reputation:
55
RE: Theory of Evolution, Atheism, and Homophobia.
October 24, 2017 at 10:22 am
(This post was last modified: October 24, 2017 at 10:22 am by FatAndFaithless.)
(October 24, 2017 at 9:19 am)Mister Agenda Wrote: The theory of evolution is descriptive, not prescriptive. It describes the process of genetic variation under a regime of differential reproductive success determined by environmental fitness. It can't be used as a justification for behaving a certain way, good or bad. It would be an example of the naturalistic fallacy: it does not follow from something being natural, that it is good or right.
I hope you're not having to deal with a lot of homophobia in your personal life.
Yeah. That's like saying the theory of gravity proves it's immoral to fly in planes.
In every country and every age, the priest had been hostile to Liberty.
- Thomas Jefferson
Posts: 2791
Threads: 107
Joined: July 4, 2015
Reputation:
35
RE: Theory of Evolution, Atheism, and Homophobia.
October 24, 2017 at 11:08 am
The homophobia of the Bible is extremely easy to understand. Small warring tribes need people. They need more people than the neighboring small warring tribe. Therefore babies are needed. Lots of babies. So you have stories of a tribal war demon god who kills Onan for masturbating. He's not making babies for the tribe.
"The family that prays together...is brainwashing their children."- Albert Einstein
Posts: 28389
Threads: 226
Joined: March 24, 2014
Reputation:
185
RE: Theory of Evolution, Atheism, and Homophobia.
October 24, 2017 at 11:16 am
Homophobia would definitely exist even if religion didn't. People will always fear what they can't understand.
(August 21, 2017 at 11:31 pm)KevinM1 Wrote: "I'm not a troll"
Religious Views: He gay
0/10
Hammy Wrote:and we also have a sheep on our bed underneath as well
Posts: 15452
Threads: 147
Joined: June 15, 2015
Reputation:
88
RE: Theory of Evolution, Atheism, and Homophobia.
October 24, 2017 at 11:50 am
(This post was last modified: October 24, 2017 at 11:51 am by Catholic_Lady.)
People have an inherent tendency to be afraid of those who are different. Unfortunately fear of gay people (homophobia) and people of other races, other cultures, etc, is always going to exist.
As for the Church's teaching on sexual morality, yes, we believe that sex should be kept as a sacred bond between husband and wife. But that doesnt justify being afraid of or prejudice against sexually active folks who don't fall under that category.
"Of course, everyone will claim they respect someone who tries to speak the truth, but in reality, this is a rare quality. Most respect those who speak truths they agree with, and their respect for the speaking only extends as far as their realm of personal agreement. It is less common, almost to the point of becoming a saintly virtue, that someone truly respects and loves the truth seeker, even when their conclusions differ wildly."
-walsh
Posts: 13901
Threads: 263
Joined: January 11, 2009
Reputation:
82
RE: Theory of Evolution, Atheism, and Homophobia.
October 24, 2017 at 1:23 pm
(October 24, 2017 at 11:50 am)Catholic_Lady Wrote: People have an inherent tendency to be afraid of those who are different. Unfortunately fear of gay people (homophobia) and people of other races, other cultures, etc, is always going to exist.
As for the Church's teaching on sexual morality, yes, we believe that sex should be kept as a sacred bond between husband and wife. But that doesnt justify being afraid of or prejudice against sexually active folks who don't fall under that category.
As woody Allen said, "sex without love is a shallow meaningless act, but as shallow meaningless acts go, its one of the best"
You can fix ignorance, you can't fix stupid.
Tinkety Tonk and down with the Nazis.
Posts: 25314
Threads: 239
Joined: August 26, 2010
Reputation:
156
RE: Theory of Evolution, Atheism, and Homophobia.
October 24, 2017 at 5:27 pm
I actually don't like the word 'homophobia'. It's sloppy almost to the point of meaninglessness. Phobias are unreasoned, instinctive fears, nothing to do with prejudice and hatred. As a card-carrying arachnophobe and acrophobe, I speak from experience. Even if it was a genuine phobia, the prefix 'homo-' denotes humans, not homosexuality. It's the equivalent of calling a television a magic picture box; descriptive, but almost completely inaccurate and definitely misapplied.
At the age of five, Skagra decided emphatically that God did not exist. This revelation tends to make most people in the universe who have it react in one of two ways - with relief or with despair. Only Skagra responded to it by thinking, 'Wait a second. That means there's a situation vacant.'
Posts: 20476
Threads: 447
Joined: June 16, 2014
Reputation:
111
RE: Theory of Evolution, Atheism, and Homophobia.
October 25, 2017 at 2:50 am
(This post was last modified: October 25, 2017 at 2:54 am by ignoramus.)
Yeah, I have natural homophobia...
Problem is I just never know who's gay around me!
So to be extra careful and not put myself in a vulnerable position, I've become an agoraphobic as well...!
Now I have natural nested phobias!
I'm homoagoraphobic! Very rare!.....
I feel so special...
But I'm also extremely introverted so everything nullifies itself out again...
Now I feel extra special for having that gift! DOOH!
No God, No fear.
Know God, Know fear.
Posts: 7392
Threads: 53
Joined: January 15, 2015
Reputation:
88
RE: Theory of Evolution, Atheism, and Homophobia.
October 25, 2017 at 3:08 am
(October 22, 2017 at 5:51 am)Gawdzilla Sama Wrote: When I was in high school in the late '60s "a homosexual can be identified by the fact he wears pink and green together."
That's the kind of logic they use.
Isn't that just an excuse to lynch anyone who wears pink and green together?
Posts: 6859
Threads: 50
Joined: September 14, 2014
Reputation:
44
RE: Theory of Evolution, Atheism, and Homophobia.
October 25, 2017 at 4:50 am
(October 22, 2017 at 3:29 am)RayOfLight Wrote: As I said before, I don't have that much of a good knowledge regarding the theory of Evolution. However, I did learn some of the headlines you might say during Introduction to Psychology class. The professor said that according to the theory, our primary purpose is to reproduce, they went (gender neutral pronoun) as far as to claim that nature tricks us into thinking we're in love, but the primary purpose is just to reproduce.
From that point of view, and as a gay man myself, could the theory of Evolution based on that interpretation be used to justify homophobia? After all, this is basically what the Roman Catholic Church says about marriage and sex.
What do you think? And while we're on the subject of homophobia, do you think homophobia would still exist even religion didn't? What about China, Soviet Russia, and also Estonia which is predominantly irreligious but LGBTQ people have had tough times.
evolution and natural selection has no "purpose", neither do we as individuals except for what we make for ourselves. We can choose to be immortal cyborgs and evolution would still continue despite the lack of natural reproduction.
Humans are afraid of anything they don't understand, and homophobia is rooted in this fear.
Quote:To know yet to think that one does not know is best; Not to know yet to think that one knows will lead to difficulty.
- Lau Tzu
Join me on atheistforums Slack (pester tibs via pm if you need invite)
|