I think I understand why people like right-wing anti-gay fundies exist.

[Deja Q]

Maybe they are gay. Maybe they are bisexual.

Either way, they do not like some of the feelings they have, even if they ultimately act out on them.

They did not like the cruelty bestowed upon them because of what other people inferred, regardless if any proof existed.

All of these folks have one major factor: They are extroverts with the lawyer mentality. So they can conjure and spin anything into something believable, and popular.

As adults, they wanted to live socially acceptable lives (remember, a lot of these folks lived in times before GLBT uprisings took place). Even today, many folks - right down to teenagers who don't give a shit about any form of authority - have great fun in mocking, bullying, fighting, or killing GLBT people or people they think are GLBT, regardless of any proof.

Combined with other stereotypes to help solidify their opinions, they chose the easiest route to take in terms of blocking out the part of themselves they dislike most: Hatred of themselves and that part of them that causes them grief.

What bothers me is the Xian fundie mindset that if one is a repub, they deserve sympathy. If one is a dem, they deserve damnation. Therefore, the issue isn't even of sexuality or religion -- but of politics.

I'm probably wrong, but whatever. I felt I had to say this for some reason.

[kenny blankenship]

1. Yes you are wrong.

But I love being blamed for my own oppression, so thanks anyway!

[flordehinojos]

2. i think you are right. i think homophobics are afraid of their own sexuality

which at some point has probably led them down the path of feeling attracted to someone of their own sex.

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

4. "led them down the path?"

There is no leading down the path. Sexual orientation is something you're born with.

[LostinVA]

8. When were you led down the path of heterosexuality?

I'm on pins and needles waiting for your answer...

[Sapphocrat]

12. You're not gay, are you? n/t

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

3. You're right about one thing.

And that's that you're wrong.

I have no sympathy for self-loathing gays who actively work to harm gay people. It's one thing if they choose to hate themselves and fuck up their own lives, but I'm not going to have a bit of sympathy for anyone working to harm others.

[SutaUvaca]

5. Oh sure, some fundie freaks project

what they hate or can't deal with in themselves.
But mostly, I think fundie churches manufacture these folks, generation after generation.
Some of us grow up and break free, exercising that wonderful gift of the spirit called discernment.
Others, most, never do, and soon discernment (which requires questioning) becomes a great sin instead of a gift.
Next thing you know, you're a fundamnmentalist.

[JohnnyLib2]

6. Betcha there are several paths to their position:

some self-haters
some brainwashed
some trendies
some yielding to peer pressure
some ignorant

or mix and match. It ends up at the same place.


Edit to add: SutaUvaca's comment on discernment is right on target, IMO.
Some can change, just like some can change any other attitudes.

[Bluerthanblue]

7. I agree that they are often motivated by fear- but

coming from the mindset of a 'recovered-fundie'- I believe that the fear can come from ANY source- not necessarily sexual- or of one's self- but fear of life. Fear of the REALITY that no matter what 'we' do- how 'good' we are, how 'correct' we live- life can, does, and will often sabotage us, and pull the rug out from under us without warning, cause or reason.

Life can be terribly cruel, unpredictable, and terrifying. The "ILLUSION" that the bible 'believing' fundamentalist mind-set gives to many, is the LIE that 'if you do just so' then you can expect to live contented, or at least 'safe' lives. But life doesn't co-operate. And while we do our 'self inventory' to see where we might be 'messing up' and don't or CANT see our failings- (being human to begin with) we take the comfortable out-.... we look at others, and choose things about THEM that we can point to- (often things that we aren't- or don't struggle with) and say "You, are doing BAD things!"- Because we want to believe we DO control our futures- and forcing others to 'conform' to what we choose to be 'right'- props up the illusion that control is possible.-

I chose to believe that as a 5yr old child I had the power to control a life that was being lived in complete chaos- and often mortal danger. I continued to believe that 'I' had not 'behaved' in the correct way, and would live my life forever paying for my badness. Even as an adult, would rather think that I was responsible for things that I had absolutely NO control over, but the realization- the scary REALITY that 'bad things happen' to EVERYONE and ANYONE- was overwhelming- so I continued to believe my 'sinful' nature was the cause of every horrible thing that came into my life-

Now, all these painful lessons later- I see that life isn't something people can 'rule'- without the unexpected, un-seen obstacles, AND blessings, or happy surprises interfering with the 'everything will be 'just so' mentality.

It's sad that religion often picks on people who are in the minority- Or things that people often cannot change- without living a lie- an illusion- or a life of continual strife. Look at how Michael Jackson destroyed the beauty of who he was, to 'appear' more 'white'- Look at what men and women do to their natural bodies to achieve an 'outward' acceptability- that is based on what society tells 'us' is 'ideal'- Like the binding of womens feet in Asia, male and female genital mutilation, even the rat-race that American Society has yoked on us, so that we run in circles trying to be- achieve- afford- all sorts of (in the big picture) meaningless shit-

I'm running off at the mind here-.... but I understand what you are saying, and I agree that it is fear that motivates much intolerance- fear of not being acceptable, fear of the future, fear of ourselves, and of life in general-

And we have a wide variety of scape-goats. Even after these thousands of years-

sorry for the verbal diarrhea-

peace,
blu

[LostinVA]

9. Does racism lead to being black?

SExism to being female?

Hmmm?

[NMMNG]

10. Occasionally you'll find a homophobic who is a repressed gay/bi

But the average homophobic fundie is just a homophobic fundie.

[Sapphocrat]

11. You're very wrong.

If you really want to know why, ask. But I don't think you want to hear what I think.

[Vorta]

13. I've never bought into that "hates gays so must be gay" thing

Ted Haggard and the various politicians are completely different animals than your average gay basher.

[La Lioness Priyanka]

14. you are wrong.

yes there maybe some gay people who are bigoted toward people in the lgbt community but a vast majority of bigots are straight...

i am sure that at some point some fair skinned black people who could pass as white may have been racist towards black people. but most racism toward black people did not come from those who passed as white.

similarly we are not the main source of the homophobia directed toward us.

[soleft]

15. The Shadow - as Jung called it

explains people like Haggard, John Wayne Gacey, Roy Cohn - they hate in others the aspect that they hate in themselves.

The question is - why do they hate that aspect of themselves - because of homophobia, and oppression, and societal condemnation and repression.

Of course, not everyone who is self loathing acts on the hate - and that's where the Haggard's, John Wayne Gaceys and Roy Cohns become the victimizers instead of the victims.