WHEN DO WE STOP THOSE HOMOSEXUALS?!

With so much ado about homosexuality, I was opportuned to come across this awesome write-up. With permission, I took the liberty of sharing it on my blog. Please enjoy this piece by Orinoco pulse.

Photo credit: www.compfight.com

I wanted to write about this when in late 2013, the Nigerian government signed into law a bill criminalising homosexuality (14 years in jail). I didn’t have the time/medium. With the reactions the recent Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) ruling on same-sex marriage elicited, it seemed like a good time to put this out now so here goes. . .

Warning: To read this, you need an ability to follow basic logic, an open mind, a handful of brain cells and peanut butter sandwich with strawberry flavoured orange juice. . . not necessarily in that order.

Let me start really blunt.

I hate homosexuality but not homosexuals. I hate the act but not the people.

I am unapologetically a Christian and I believe Scripture makes it clear that homosexuality is wrong. I’ll touch more on this subsequently. So hate the sin, love the sinner. Great! Now that that’s out of the way, you can decide to stop reading or not. Your choice.

Now, even if I wasn’t a Christian – even if I was non-religious – I would still find homosexuality to be puzzling and repulsive. How someone can be attracted to another person of the same sex is hard for me to understand. But that’s not so strange, because I imagine many homosexuals also find the thought of a man and woman having sex to be disgusting. This may be hard for heterosexuals to grasp but it’s possible.

So there – I don’t get homosexuality. Ah! This is precisely where many people stop.

“I don’t understand it.”

“I can’t wrap my head around it!”

“Make it stop!”

Humans often fight against what they don’t understand. Many people instinctively abhor mind-boggling concepts. Sometimes, it’s much easier for them to write it off as impossible.

So what do you do with stuff you don’t understand? Know more about it? Have logical debates about it? Keep an open mind?

No, you say. Make it stop! It’s impossible! Stop them! Arrest them! Kill them!

When do we kill those homosexuals, you ask.

To answer this question, let’s build a case shall we? Based on real-world frequently made accusations (FMAs) we shall build a case.

So come along, let’s show why we should stop (definition of “stop” here varies from criminalise to jail to kill, depending on who’s asking) those people.

It is against God! The Holy Bible and Qur’an say it’s evil.

Good start. I can speak for Christianity. The Bible explicitly and implicitly states that homosexuality is wrong, as well as defines marriage as between a man and woman (Leviticus 18:22, Leviticus 20:13, Matthew 19:4-9, Romans 1:26-27, 1 Corinthians 6:9, 1 Timothy 1:10 etc.). Theologians still debate on the applicability of many old testament teachings (especially Leviticus which contains some pretty controversial instructions) and why Jesus doesn’t touch on it so much. I do, however think Scripture is clear on it. Homosexuality is wrong according to The Bible. Many other religions’ holy books probably take this stance as well.

Here’s the thing though. In a secular country, you do not make laws “according to” religious books! Surprise! Wait, you knew that already right? Please tell me you did. It’s in your constitution. You see, assuming everybody was religious, whose holy book are we going to use? Christians, Muslims, African religion worshippers, Buddhists? Whose book? Tell me, I’ll wait.

*

*

No answer eh? Yeah, didn’t think so.

So we agree that in a multi-religious country, you can’t use one religion’s book to make laws over others, right? No, you can’t use a combination of them either. They don’t all agree with each other. That’s why they are different in the first place. Good, we are making progress. Now, that’s even assuming we were all religious. Guess what? Not everyone is religious. It’s amazing really what you learn everyday. Atheists pretty much don’t care about your Bible and your god. As far as they are concerned, you can shove it! And they have a right to hold that view! It’s in the constitution. This should be obvious – do NOT debate (as opposed to preach) with a non-religious person/someone of another religion using YOUR holy book. Don’t!

Lastly, assuming everybody practiced ONE religion. Ah! Bliss! Let’s say everyone was a Christian. Yay! We would then be able to make laws with The Bible yeah? Awesome! Newsflash! You can’t pick and choose. Fornicators, adulterers are all going to jail. Oh I’d personally love to see adulterers go to jail to be honest. The broken hearts, marriages and homes they cause. . but I digress.

So do we have a deal? Since we are using The Bible to make laws, you reading this. . yes you who had sex yesterday but aren’t married, me who cheated on my wife this morning, you who told that lie last week. A sin is a sin. We are all going to jail. 14 years will do. Heck, maybe the death sentence if the judge had real bad coffee that morning.

Wait, what? You object? You want to pick and choose?

Okay, what sins exactly would you like people to go to jail for? Tell me. I’ll wait.

It’s a sexual deviation. It’s abnormal. Even animals don’t do it.

Years ago, when I didn’t have easy access to the internet, I would take bus rides to the local library to do research for stories/articles I wrote. Today I just google them. You can too, you know. Try it. If you did, you’d stop saying “Even animals don’t do it”. Stop exposing your ignorance. Homosexual/bisexual behaviours have been observed (and well documented) in many animals. Over 500 species actually with animals including mallards, swans, lions. . you know, I shouldn’t even go into this. It’s all out there! Google wants to be your friend! In any case, that’s just an aside. The fact that animals practise it does not necessarily indicate that it’s “normal” (in humans) or not as there are countless traits that are NOT common across species obviously. I just mentioned that so you can spare your blushes in the future. Thank me later.

Now, in my opinion, the (ab)normality of homosexuality is probably one of the “accusations” that isn’t open and shut. It’s debatable in my opinion. However, the question is: Do we make something illegal based on our perception or interpretation of normal? Based on whose interpretation? You see, I also think S & M, threesomes and anal sex are abnormal. Some people think they are perfectly normal and find them enjoyable. *Cringe* Why would anybody do those? They don’t make sense to me! Will I be calling for people who practise those to be arrested/killed or to make those acts illegal? No! Why? Consenting adults doing whatever they want! Who cares? As long as you don’t bring it around me. It doesn’t make my coffee taste different. 

Heck, people classify oral sex and masturbation as sexually abnormal acts. . as well as – wait for it – any sex position that is NOT missionary! Yes! If you didn’t know this, then you need to read more. Read that again. There are people and cultures that believe that if you are having sex in a position other than missionary style you are abnormal!! You reading this. . yes, you! What does it feel like knowing that you are abnormal? 

So I ask again, by whose definition of normal are we going to make these laws and criminalize these acts? Once we have an answer to this, we move!

Wake me up when you have an answer.

Homosexuality is a threat to the perpetuation of the human race! If everybody is gay, how will children be born?

Haha. . On the surface, this seems like a smart challenge and it’s often used for that reason.

If your parents were gay, will you be born?

First off, no, everybody can NOT be gay (At least not me, even if you put a gun to my head. . lol!) The likelihood of everyone magically transforming into homosexuals is so minute that it’s impossible. Secondly, even if it was possible. . if everybody in the world became gay (including you! haha), that won’t necessarily be the beginning of the end of the human race. Surely you know about artificial insemination, in vivo fertilization. . you know, ways women get pregnant without sexual contact with men. No? You didn’t know that? Google is your friend, my friend.

Finally, if indeed their acts will result in the decimation of the human race, is that enough reason to kill/arrest them? Yes, you say. We can’t sit back and watch our species go out like the dinosaurs. Great. I’ve got a long list of other people to kill. It’s urgent!

Catholic priests and nuns. They don’t get married and thus don’t have children. How dare they? If their parents were priests, would they be born? If all our parents decided to be priests and nuns, what would happen to the human race? Arrest them.

By the same logic, it should be illegal to not want to get married and have children, and if you’re married and choose not to have children, you should be jailed! How dare you threaten the human race? If everybody decided that, where will we be today.

So I guess that goes into the trash yeah? That logic fails. . shucks. We’re losing this case. Let’s try another one. This time, something really smart!

There is a threat that homosexuals will start raping men!

I promise I’m not making this stuff up! These are real concerns raised by real people. See proof in the tweet below that I saw a few days back! Stranger than fiction.

It’s actually a good point to be honest. So, since men rape women, let’s ban heterosexuality, yeah? Yipee! Next!

It’s against our culture!

LOL!! This is way way up at the top of the charts for me. One of my all-time favourites. What, pray tell, is your culture?

Gentle reminder: Many many years ago, when missionaries convinced your forefathers to stop bowing to self-made images, when women started being educated and having careers. . etc. . some of your forefathers protested, “It’s against our culture!”. See how that turned out?

Gentle reminder 2: Today, it’s still part of many cultures for virgins to be hunted, killed and buried along with a king when he dies and for boys who come of age to be banished from a community if they don’t perform certain tasks. Just think!

Now, I’m not advocating for you to discard all your long-held cultural “values”, no! The point is, hang on to them solely based on their merits not because your culture is some STATIC (It’s not! Culture by its definition should EVOLVE) set of rules. “It’s against our culture” should never be used in a debate. It’s a lazy cop out. Don’t be lazy! Which is why this “defense” fails miserably! Any more?

Whatever. The majority of the people have decided, so it stands.

Yeah this is usually the last gasp after every other point doesn’t pass logical scrutiny!

“Well, we have decided and so be it. The West should leave us alone. We can do whatever we like”

Lol! I understand the need to assert independence and I’m all for respecting the sovereignty of nations. However, you must understand that you can’t just “do whatever we like”. Let me explain. Your country has ratified the UN charter (in other words, signed up to it) and is thus bound by its articles. Respect for human rights is an integral part of this. Read the terms and conditions – you can’t just “do whatever we like”.

Someone said democracy is about giving voice to the majority and protecting the minority. This is true. Policies/laws are not made simply because the “majority” wants it. Think about this – decades ago, in (parts of) Nigeria, majority would probably have supported a law to legalise the killing of twins whom many were convinced were evil.

Do you now understand why you can’t just “do whatever we like”?

Is that all? Anymore? Hey, I may not have covered all and there may be some really valid reasons out there. Let me know! But the ones above don’t pass through logical legal scrutiny as we have seen. Sorry!

So what to do. What next?

First of all, relax. Breathe in and out. It’s not that serious really. Someone said, “before the SCOTUS same-sex marriage ruling, I was in a loving, heterosexual, God-fearing marriage. After the SCOTUS ruling, I was still in a loving, heterosexual, God-fearing marriage.” Love it! Ask yourself how much what 2 consenting adults do really affects you. What are your fears? What are your insecurities? A defense mechanism? Projection? Ask yourself.

Secondly, all the energy you spend fighting AGAINST someone else’s rights, why don’t you spend that fighting FOR your rights?

Women fighting against gay rights still face gender discrimination at the workplace and their daughters still need them to fight for girl child education.

Certain ethnicities/races/religions fighting against feminists still get discriminated against based on the colour of their skins or who they worship.

And so it goes. . . .

Fight for YOUR flipping rights and stop having a seizure about someone else’s!!! As long as it doesn’t hurt you. Your freedom/rights stop where mine begin. If your freedom doesn’t infringe on mine, fam, I’m good. Which brings me to religious freedom. It is unacceptable for religious bodies, societies etc to be compelled to perform acts that go against their core values. That is an abuse of THEIR rights. For instance, I think it is wrong to force churches to perform same-sex marriages or Christian hospitals to perform abortions when it goes against their core values (but this is a topic for another day). Why don’t we devote time to ensuring those rights aren’t infringed on? Gents and ladies, fight for YOUR rights and don’t kill yourselves over the rights of OTHERS.

Lastly, from the Christian point of view.

Like I stated earlier, I certainly think the Bible is clear on homosexuality. It condemns it. Just as it condemns fornication, adultery, murder etc. However, the moment you realise that the world is NOT the church, you’re off to a great start. You can’t criminalise something in a SECULAR world because the bible says so. Trust me on this.

So what should you do? What would Jesus do?

Think about that for a second. Think about all the people condemned by His society and by the scripture in His time. The adulterers, the prostitutes, the tax-collectors.

What did Jesus do?

So when do we kill those homosexuals? NEVER!

Live and let live.

http://www.orinocopulse.com/when-do-we-stop-those-homosexuals/

Feel free to drop your comments and contributions.

For mobile phones,

Follow us on twitter @Frozenhuman1

Subscribe to our BBM channel at C00295B9E

Like our facebook page at www.facebook.com/FrozenHumanBlog

For laptops and tabs, simply click on the like button on the right to like our facebook page and click on @frozenhuman1 directly below the Facebook box to follow us on Twitter.