Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people are more likely to be
atheist than anyone else in the general population, a new survey has found.
Nearly half of all LGBT adults surveyed said they were atheist,
compared to 20% of the general population.
According to the Pew Research Center, those who said they were religious
also attended services less often and attach less importance to their faith
than other people.
A 34-year-old lesbian is quoted in the report as saying she attends
a church that allows gays and lesbians to be ordained.
‘However, it would be an issue for some people in the church and
I’m not ready to open that can of worms,’ she said.
The online survey of 1,200 self-identified LGBT adults in
California is one of the largest and most detailed of the community, Pew has
said.
George Broadhead, secretary and trustee of UK-based gay humanist
charity The Pink
Triangle Trust, alleged atheists in the US are more discriminated against
than LGBT people.
Speaking to Gay Star News, he said gay people in the UK, in his
experience, was a far larger majority of the atheist population than the Pew
research suggests.
‘I would say without a shadow of a doubt, in this country that
religion, the hostility of religion to LGBT relationships and rights, puts them
off.
‘I can’t understand why anybody in their right minds if they’re gay
or lesbian would want to embrace any religion like Catholicism which is so
hostile. It’s masochistic.’
Sharon Ferguson, from the UK-based Lesbian and Gay Christian
Movement, said it was the media who often puts faith and sexuality at
opposing ends.
‘The message for a long time now is one of LGBT people are not
welcome within church, and so naturally that message gets through, and people
feel there isn’t a place for them within organized religion,’ she said.
‘But if you talk about spirituality, that would be a very different
kettle of fish. Gay people probably have a greater spirituality and greater
desire to connect with the divine than the rest of the population.’
She added: ‘The Christian voice saying it is an abomination is
actually a minority, and they’re not speaking the truth. You don’t have to pick
one or the other, you can have both, it’s not either or, you can have both.
‘You don’t have to be in the closet when you go to the church about
your sexuality, or be in the closet in the gay bar about your faith.’
As I remember being told once, no ones just BECOMES atheist, either were raised a non believer and theres something that pushed them.
ReplyDeleteAnd I mean, yes it quite OBVIOUS why many of the LGBT are atheist. They refuse to be believe in a God that has distaste in them simply because of their sexuality. Makes sense.
But in my opinion by the definition of the word, I dont think they really disbelieve in God. I think its so, "Oh so God hates me because Im gay? I am not going to worship him then." I think many gays are atheist as a "get back at God" type of thing.
I think people are letting formed religion cloud their own vision of who God is. People choose to believe in that God that feels heteros are superior and Im inferior by DEFAULT simply because I am gay. No, I do not. I believe a God that still sees me as his child. I believe a God that has watch over me in many moments in my life including a near death situation. You don't need religion to have God. Religion was created by man. You can have one without the other.
And since I am one of the little groups of people who really do having the love of God in my soul, I do not judge nor condemn an atheist. People who believe in THAT type of God are always the bitter, judgmental, hypocrites.
VERY WELL SAID, I've taken the word God out of my view because that is kinda small. Maybe that means I've allowed to persons to taint his/her name and if that's the case I will accept that.
DeleteI had friends that called me an Atheist because I didn't tremble @ the sound of God's name and his book but I've come to accept that the universe is where I want to be. Universal in love and faith and if that makes me hypocrite then I accept it.
Sorry, but no people do become atheists. Some through occurance, some through reading the bible. I've met many more who become atheist die to bible than some kind of "anger" issue. IMO, rather arrogant to assume what others believe. I prefer to take the person at their word. (Frankly I find it hard to believe others believe in a book often proved wrong, but I am willing to accept you at your word)
DeleteI agree with Sir Ess in his comments above. If a belief system turns against the basic tenets of that system, love, tolerance, peace, and espouses hatred and exclusion, then the belief system loses any moral authority and becomes nothing more than a political movement.
ReplyDeleteand most can't seem to get that, sad
DeleteI wasn't taught much religion or faith other than being forced to attend Sunday school as a kid and the odd holiday service now and again. I have somehow on my own, developed a very strong faith in and personal relationship with a Superior Being and under the circumstance have to say that most likely, "I was born that way." Maybe I created "Him" out of the alienation from Society on so many levels that I have always felt. I don't know.
ReplyDeleteLike Sir Ess, there have been many times in my life that I have felt this Superior Being has been there for me for guidance and protection. I don't question it; it just is and I am grateful.
I know how you feel, I too was forced to attend church as a child and teenager and found my own connection to a higher power.
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