The World's Largest Coalition of Nontheists and Nontheist Communities!

Do homophobic Christians bother you?

I'm aware it's not only Christians who are homophobic, but in my life so far they are the only people I have experienced who have voiced their opinions to me.

I have quite a liberal family, so finding out about and meeting my girlfriend wasn't a big deal for them. However, since I started talking about her to my friends and mentioning to them that they might meet her soon, I've noticed that those friends who are Christian are not taking the news well.

They're not being explicitly insulting or anything, and I guess I should be grateful for that. It's just the casual comments about how "it was Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve" and "I think that people have a right to be gay, but I just don't want them in my house". They give me enough trouble for being an atheist already, but this seems altogether more personal.

I don't know whether I'm being over sensitive being troubled by what they're saying. Normally I just laugh it off and try not to let it bother me (why should I care what they think?), but it's really been getting to me lately. Has anyone got any tips for how to cope?

0 members like this

▶ Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by annet on September 24, 2011 at 5:47pm

I recommend the "it gets better" project. http://www.itgetsbetter.org/video/

And when you need a boost, watch Zach Wahls, this kid just kicks bigoted you know whattage.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by annet on September 24, 2011 at 9:25pm

awesome, awaiting your review...

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by LeeLah on September 25, 2011 at 12:44pm

WOW Very well done!

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Tara Benson on September 24, 2011 at 10:38pm

Unless I have no choice (work situations or other involuntary associations) I don't associate with such people. Everybody's free to hold whatever opinions they want, but they don't have the right to use those opinions to hurt others.

You're not being oversensitive to what your friends are saying. Crude comments like that are no more acceptable than racism, sexism or any other form of bigotry. If I heard someone say something nasty like, "I think that people have a right to be gay, but I just don't want them in my house" I'd probably reply, "I'm sure the feeling is mutual".

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Brian Wood on September 26, 2011 at 8:38am

All people who judge others on things the others cannot change are, in my view, subhuman and unworthy of my respect or care.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Sydney B on September 29, 2011 at 2:37pm

Even if gay WAS a choice, I see nothing wrong with it. Sex between consenting adults is of no one's concern but the people involved.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by AgeOfAtheists14 on September 27, 2011 at 11:08pm

seems they bother eachother and then end up bothering the general population of non phobic of others types... maybe this will take you further... into the psyche of xyz...
http://faculty.virginia.edu/haidtlab/jost.glaser.political-conserva...
~
careful out there folks...
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-15086103

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Becca on September 29, 2011 at 8:42pm

I don't think you are being overly sensitive. I think these friends of yours are the ones being overly sensitive. It's not like who your personal relationship is with has any effect on their lives at all. To fight back you could always come up with a few "casual" comments of your own... "Are you against love" "Don't knock it until you try it" and so on.