Shooting in the foot (homophobic video)

by Syme 32 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  scotsman

  Being a young gay JW it didn't feel like merely like "disapproval". After hearing about someone being dfed for homosexuality my mother said she would rather her child was dead than a homosexual.

  These seemingly innocuous cartoons will feed the mindset that permits parents to say these things, after all a dead child gets resurrected.

  And I think that some of the JWs will be affected by the adverse publicity. My good friend eventually left the JWs because she couldn't stand the way her gay sibling and I were treated.
  
  
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  Pete Zahut

  The phobia raises it's head that her little girl must not be happy that her friend has two mothers. There can be no joy in being gay.

  I'm not condoning the video here but I think it's safe to say that most people (including JW's) realize that there must be something positive about being gay otherwise so many wouldn't risk life and limb to pursue that life. In this video they are discussing children with same sex parents. The JW Mother isn't saying anything about the character of gay people or telling the child to be mean to her classmate, she is teaching the little girl what she (the mother) believes is Gods view on the issue of Homosexuality. Nothing was said in the video to indicate that a gay family can't be happy or can't be good people .... you filled in those blanks yourself. The emphasis was on what Jehovah wants and what happens if we don't do what he wants. They believe he knows what's best for us and has the authority to tell us what to do and punish us if we don't. It's only natural that a Mother teaches her child what she believes to be true.
  

  
  

  They are being told that their natural desire to love and to be loved is somehow evil.

  It that's not an irrational fear - if that's not a phobia - I don't know what is.

  When it comes to our sexuality being a choice or not, a lot of research shows that men are wired to have multiple sex partners and spread their DNA around yet Women and Christianity expect men to deny this strong urge and stick to one partner for the rest of his life even though it may be very difficult. If this video were about a little girl who's school friend was upset because her parents were divorcing after the Daddy cheated on the Mommy, the JW mother would be explaining  how Jehovah is against fornication and adultery and won't allow people who do that, into Paradise. Whether or not science shows that Men are wired to be with multiple partners, the Mother believes that Jehovah expects humans to behave a certain way even if it's against our nature or the rest of the world thinks it's ok.
  

  
  

  After hearing about someone being dfed for homosexuality my mother said she would rather her child was dead than a homosexual.s

  Again, the title of this topic referred to the Video in question as "Homophobic". To me , when it comes to the statement above, it  is irrational and phobic thinking to prefer their child dead than Gay and I highly doubt the Watchtower Society would back such an attitude even though some of the more imbalanced JW's feel that way. To be fair, the Watchtower Society can't be held responsible for it's members who go way above and beyond what is required when it comes to certain beliefs or teachings.

  It always surprises me to see how differently people see things. One person who watches this video may not necessarily agree with it but still they are able to see  it as a mother calmly and logically explaining her own understanding of the complex subject of Homosexuality. Another person sees  the same video  and hears hate speech and homophobia and wants it banned from public view.
  

  
  

  
  
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  scotsman

  It never surprises me that different people perceive the same thing differently. Just as it never surprises me that majorities struggle to understand minorities's perspectives. Such is life.
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  exwhyzee

  It never surprises me that different people perceive the same thing differently. Just as it never surprises me that majorities struggle to understand minorities's perspectives. Such is life.

  Nothing wrong with struggling to understand another's perspective, it shows effort, but it's probably more productive not to jump to conclusions, start calling names or use inflammatory language while in the process of learning.
  
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  scotsman

  Nothing wrong with struggling to understand another's perspective, it shows effort, but it's probably more productive not to jump to conclusions, start calling names or use inflammatory language while in the process of learning.

  I'm not calling anyone names or using inflammatory language but I'm quite at ease with anyone labelling the JWs homophobic, it was certainly my experience. I also understand why some people don't understand the reaction to the cartoon and keep labelling it an over-reaction.
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  DATA-DOG

  When someone says, "I wish you were dead, instead of ( insert dogma )", you've got a friggin' phobia....

  DD
• 

  JW_Rogue

  that they just can't stop posting such material, even when it's damaging to their supposed goal of winning converts, and even though they know it!

  The days of winning converts are over, now it's all about controlling the flock and reinforcing the persecution complex. I'd say the video did both of those very well. JWs will view any backlash as being persecuted for righteousness sake. Most JWs agree with the position taken in the video that gays can be accepted but they must stop their homosexual lifestyle (meaning being celibate forever). They consider that the position of a loving God.
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  Zoos

  This whole situation makes me heart sick for all the young gays and lesbians stuck in that cult without the slightest idea the information they are being fed is a load of $#!%.
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  Coded Logic

  Christianity expect men to deny this strong urge and stick to one partner for the rest of his life even though it may be very difficult. If this video were about a little girl who's school friend was upset because her parents were divorcing after the Daddy cheated on the Mommy, the JW mother would be explaining how Jehovah is against fornication and adultery and won't allow people who do that, into Paradise.

  -PZ

  The fact that you're trying to compare fornication to being gay is truly abysmal. One is about a person being selfish and betraying their spouses trust. The other is about two people who love each other developing their relationship and cultivating a sense of trust and affection between each other.

  This is the exact sort of bigotry I am referring to. It's a deep seeded intolerance towards anything that is different and an attempt to vilify it by false equivocation. Biblical pronouncements are not "standards". Their arbitrary statements without regard to human decency or the well being of sentient creatures.
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  Pete Zahut

  The fact that you're trying to compare fornication to being gay is truly abysmal.

  Once again....another misconception of what was said. Read my comment again, I was not trying to compare a gay person to an adulterer, I was pointing out that when teaching their own children about their understanding of God's laws, JW's aren't just picking on Gay people as the title of this post is indicating.
  

  I was trying to point out that when it comes to this particular topic (homosexuality) this video isn't being any more "Phobic" than it would be if the topic of the video been about about Immorality or Adultery for example.  In either case, JW's believe, that breakers of God's law, whether Heterosexual or Homosexual, will not be allowed into the new system. (ie:destroyed) There is no Homophobia involved....they are equal opportunity condemners. Drunkards, smokers, drug users, apostates, adulterers, porn watchers, masturbators, people who don't comment enough at meetings, tax evaders, unwed mothers and gays according to JW's are all gonners when Armageddon comes. 
  

  It seems to me that when someone criticizes heterosexuals, they aren't called Hetero-Phobic. You can say pretty much anything you want about Heterosexuality. Gay people sometimes even use the word "Breeders" when referring to Heterosexuals yet when anything less than glowing or praiseworthy is even perceived to have been said about Gay people during a discussion such as this, people are quick to jumping to conclusions and using words like abysmal to describe an innocent comment. It's much the same when it comes to racial issues. White people (especially white men) can be blamed by non whites for just about every problem in the world but if a white person says anything even slightly critical of any other race, they are called bigots and or racists.

  It used to be that you had to ACTUALLY DO SOMETHING bad to someone, to be considered a Racist or a Bigot. Now all you have to do is express an opposing opinion or use a non P.C. term and people come unglued.

  I stand by my original opinion. To my understanding of the word this video is not "Phobic" in any way and as much as I disagree with them, JW's (just like anyone else) should in my opinion be allowed to express their views on any topic they want without having to apologize for them or have anyone try to censor them. I wouldn't want to live in a country where that wasn't the case. If however they were to condone the mistreatment of Gay people or start infringing on the rights of Gay people, that would be a different situation altogether. As I said before, it has been my experience that JW's are equal opportunity condemners when it comes to people they believe are breaking Gods laws.