 |
|
|
|
|
October 21st, 2010
03:14 PM ET
Churches contribute to gay suicides, most Americans believe Fort Worth Texas Councilman Joel Burns’ videotaped story about being gay and bullied as a child recently went viral on the internet. Two out of three Americans believe gay people commit suicide at least partly because of messages coming out of churches and other places of worship, a survey released Thursday found. More than four out of 10 Americans say the message coming out of churches about gay people is negative, and about the same number say those messages contribute "a lot" to negative perceptions of gay and lesbian people. Catholics were the most critical of their own churches' messages on homosexuality, while white evangelical Christians gave their churches the highest grades, the survey found. The Public Religion Research Institute asked 1,017 Americans their views on religion and homosexuality between October 14 and 17, in the wake of a highly publicized rash of suicides by gay people. Gay rights campaigner Dan Savage said the idea that churches send out an anti-gay message "totally jibes with my experience and that of millions of other gay and lesbian people." He cited Joel Burns, a Forth Worth, Texas, city councilman whose emotional tale of being bullied as a young gay man went viral on the internet. "He remembers being told to go home and commit suicide and that he was going to hell," Savage said, adding that the source of such attitudes "wasn't in algebra." Leaders of the Christian right "have redefined Christianity so that it is about being anti-gay," he said. And he cited other poll findings that suggest more Americans than ever before define themselves as having no religion. "When you dig down, you found people who said they were Christians who didn't want to be identified with being anti-gay," he argued. But Jim Daly, the head of Focus on the Family, argued in a commentary for CNN that Christian churches are not to blame. "To violate the dignity of another person, in any form or fashion, is to contradict the very basis of Gospel-centered living. And to suggest that an orthodox understanding of Christianity encourages abuse against homosexuals is a sad misreading of the very tenets of the faith," he said. "Some self-described Christians do not act in Christ-like ways toward those who are different than they are," he conceded. "They save their harshest judgments for the sins they don't struggle with themselves. That is not biblical Christianity in practice," he said. Only five out of 100 people gave churches generally an A for their handling of "the issue of homosexuality" in the Public Religion Research Institute survey, while 28 percent said their own church handled it well. One in three people said that messages from places of worship contribute "a lot" to higher rates of suicide among gay and lesbian youth. Another one in three said they contribute "a little." Only one in five said they do not contribute at all. The rest said they did not know. Americans were equally split on whether homosexual relationships between adults are wrong, with 44 percent saying yes and 46 percent saying no. The sampling margin on the survey, a joint project of PRRI and Religion News Service, is plus or minus 3 percentage points. |
  About this blog
The CNN Belief Blog covers the faith angles of the day's biggest stories, from breaking news to politics to entertainment, fostering a global conversation about the role of religion and belief in readers' lives. It's edited by CNN's Daniel Burke with contributions from Eric Marrapodi and CNN's worldwide news gathering team.  |
|
|
|
Just because someone doesn't agree with you doesn't mean they hate you or that they are racist or a bigot. Stop labeling people. It's not going to make you feel any better. Straight people struggle everyday with different types of personalities. We all struggle with something. How we deal with our struggles makes the whole difference.
There is nothing more detrimental to society than religious guilt trips.
The separation of church and state is nothing more than a bad political joke at best.
gays tell us want u want to hear it. hotos
please man up... Uooops gay up...
If a gay has to kill himself bcz somebody treated him badly, being gay is not worthy. don't try to put blame where there is not body to be blame for.
You know, the Quran talks about killing non-believers. So, I'm a non-believer. Should I go jump off a bridge. No. The Bible talks about immoral behavior. I'm not perfect. Should I go jump off a bridge. No! Either I ignore these writings or I abide by them. It's that simple.
MM, it is not only the Koran that talks about killing infidels or non believers. Did you ever read Leviticus or Deuteronomy? The Jews thought they had the blessing of God to kill all infidels, non-Jews, man, woman, child and beast in the way of them taking over the Promised Land.
Reading the New Testament, all non believers will die in the hell earth will become. While personally I think it is illogical to believe in the Christian Rapture it seems to be the prevalent doctrine among American Christians.
That is the belief that just before all hell breaks loose on earth, and both religious and non-religious can see the possibility of that happening with current trends the real Christians, them in their own self-righteousness, will be physically removed from the earth and ascend into Heaven to meet the Lord. They are happy and excited to see the world falling apart wanting to see all hell break loose on earth. That has to come before they are raptured. They are in for such a rude awakening.
Those Christians hate Islam and love Judaism. I find that to be curious and blind. Judaism rejects Christ and Islam accepts and recognizes Christ. As a matter of fact, Islam is waiting for the return of Christ as much, if not more, than than those ruptured Rapturists. They believe when he returns, he will proclaim the Way of Islam to be the True Faith.
What God has opened my eyes to see is after 2000 years of Empires and Nations rising and falling, the world's hot spot is Jerusalem, where Christ was crucified, and where all three ritual man made religions to the God of Abraham meet.
And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet.
For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.
Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watches, and keeps his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.
And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon.
Three devils and three religions. I would say the false prophet is alive and well in all three religions Today.
Wow that is your take on the bible that YOU have to be perfect. Wait until you get to the book of Romans man will that be such a twist for you.
Christianity and religious fanatics are very much responsible for the genocide of Gay men, Lesbians and other members of the GLBT community. Christians have a lot of blood on their hands. It's not just GLBT people, Christians defended slavery and racism and if you've seen the recent film AGORA, they're not to thrilled with women who speak their minds and refuse to bow down to their religion. That film may have taken place a long time ago, but there are still male religious fanatics who think women are inferior and treat them like property. Christians may claim to preach Love but they practice a lot of Hate.
Gay people please stop trying to lay blame where it doesn't belong. Take responsibility for your actions. We all have to be responsible for our actions. If I have to kill myself because of what's in the Bible, then I have a real problem and it's not with the Bible.
Don't pretend like the genocide of the GLBT community is somehow the fault of GLBT people, stop blaming the victims.
Moderate this. The only thing the sodomites of CNN can moderate is a shalong between their teeth, and truth to them is another shalong packing fudge.
I suppose they had to lay the blame on someone else instead of taking responsibility for their action. So, who should the thief blame for their actions. Or the perverted straight person. Just about deviant person can lay blame on the Bible...not the church. The church only teach what is in the Bible.
Now if a deviant person doesn't believe in the Bible or the church then why should it matter what they have to say. Should I care what anyone has to say about me if they don't pay for the roof over my head or put food on my table. No! Such a person would have no affect on me or my feelings.
Is that what you think Christian love is?
@MM: That's quite an untruth. You would be pretty upset I think if someone called you Satan's gay b!tch and then all your coworkers made fun of you. And all your neighbours thought you were a pervert. And people at your church started treating you like something must be wrong with you for anyone to call you that. In fact, I bet if you had a kid and people started calling him the spawn of the Devil because of what they called you, I think you would be pretty upset.
Go to now, you rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you.
Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are moth eaten.
Your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. You have heaped treasure together for the last days.
Behold, the hire of the labourers who have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by FRAUD, cries: and the cries of them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth.
You have lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton; you have nourished your hearts, as in a day of slaughter.
You have condemned and killed the just; and he does not resist you.
Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waits for the precious fruit of the earth, and has long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain.
Be patient; establish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draws nigh.
Grudge not one against another, brethren, lest you be condemned: behold, the judge stands before the door.
Take, my brethren, the prophets, who have spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience.
Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.
But above all things, my brethren, swear not, neither by heaven, neither by the earth, neither by any other oath: but let your yea be yea; and your nay, nay; lest you fall into condemnation.
It would seem all the TV Christian Bible fundamentalists just don't see this view from the Bible. It implies there must be systematic change. It's so much easier to judge and condemn gays as an emotional issue.
They see nothing wrong with most Christian America selling $40 billion in the weapons of mass destruction last year, and this year will sell $60 billions worth of weapons of mass destruction to just one customer,Saudi Arabia.
Watching the Canadian Parliament discuss Canada's intention to buy 65 F-35 fighters from the U.S. I was moved to write this,
From: Prime Minister/Premier ministre (pm@pm.gc.ca)
Sent: September 17, 2010 1:02:39 AM
To: Ray Cormier (ray032@sympatico.ca)
Dear Mr. Cormier:
On behalf of the Right Honourable Stephen Harper, I would like to acknowledge receipt of your e-mail.
Thank you for writing to the Prime Minister. You may be assured that your comments have been carefully reviewed.
M. Bourque
Executive Correspondence Officer
for the Prime Minister's Office
Agent de correspondance de la haute direction
pour le Cabinet du Premier ministre
/>>> From : Ray Cormier ray032@sympatico.ca Received : 15 Sep 2010 10:09:01 AM >>>
/>>> Subject : Fighter Jets For The Future >>>>
Prime Minister,
Watching the hearings on the purchase of the most advanced and expensive jet fighters the world has produced, real weapons of mass destruction, the whole questioning process is focused on the traditional, mundane, earth bound issues of dollars and jobs. Benefits and Liabilities.
What is being offered as a future for our children and Citizens is endless war and increased terrorism.
Looking at the current realities of this world, a rapidly growing world population, mostly poor, without money or resources, education, opportunities for advancement, on the verge of starvation, the nominally Christian West is still focused on self-indulgence.
'These people honour me with their lips, but their hearts are far from mine,' Christ says. This is addressed to those who say they believe in him, not those who don't.
This is the choice confronting the peoples of the world at this juncture in world evolution. It is the Will of God the Nations should beat their swords into plough shares and their spears into pruning hooks, and the Nations no longer learn war any more. In other words, switch from planning war and war production, to food production. It is good, practicable, simple, common sense advice for our times.
What Nation among them all is uniquely placed to show the leadership to the world in altering the destructive path it is on? With the bitter hatred they have for each other, it is not only the Jews and the Arabs that have an inheritance and Destiny on the Plains of Abraham.
Peace
Ray Joseph Cormier
Ray, that was wonderful! Were are the verses at the beginning to be found in the Bible?
So, it's not the nutters that the moderators are trying to exclude. Good to know.
That quote is from James 5
Gold is selling for $1300 an ounce. You can't eat it. Buying it does not create jobs. The rich sit on it thinking it gives them a sense of security. Gold is the last line of defence before guns, clubs and knives. If you have gold and are able to keep possession of it, you can trade it for food and other necessities after currency becomes worthless. Of course people with guns, clubs, and knives will try to take it away from you if they can.
Thanks, and that's good advice.
Being gay may be against the bibles teachings. But im pretty sure passing judgement against others is too. God should be the only judge, and if you wanna decide who deserves the be hated, then get ready for a nice red hot poker up your bum from lucifer.
This is for you people belittling, disparaging and insulting all these who have committed suicide or struggle with the urge to: You disgust me, quite honestly. You should feel so lucky that you don't have to struggle with major depression as well as living in a heartless society that treats people like pieces of meat with a number with inhuman standards of 'perfection'. You should feel so lucky that you never had to deal with being left behind, made to feel different for being who you are or having people completely misunderstand you as a 'freak' because you struggle to find the words to express how you feel inside, so you close off. You should feel so lucky that you apparently have such a strong support system that is always there for you to lay your burden on in your moments of weakness. You should feel so lucky that you never had to deal with resorting to self-injury inorder to release the deep emotional and spiritual pain you are in. You should feel so lucky that your life isn't such a black hole of emptiness, pain and despair.
You should feel happy and lucky that you don't have to experience such things in your happily blind little lives. Because that's what people who struggle with suicidal ideation have to deal with. Of course, I can only speak for myself and my experience when it comes that, but the experiences aren't so different. You are a cold and heartless person to think someone is 'weak' and a 'freak' in order to resort to such drastic measures. They are people who badly needed help, but help wasn't given. And it's your mentality that is feeding this epidemic. People kill themselves to relief themselves of the horrible pain and suffering they are experiencing.
So get your heads out of your asses and become a part of the solution and stop being part of the problem. If you notice someone in your life who is quiet and withdrawn, make an effort to show some human compassion. You just might save a life.
Thank God for God. The Bible says don't put your trust in man. This is the reason why so many people are in despair. They look to man to fix their problems and tell them that it's going to be ok. All men are messed up alike. Why should I put my hope in them. Find God...find peace!
God definitely helps and it's always good to have a spiritual backing. But this isn't everyday despair I'm talking about here. Something is VERY VERY wrong with this world. More wrong then most people can ever understand.
Make sure to NOT put your trust in man when you end up in the hospital with a grave condition and have to rely on medicine (i.e. science). Say your Hail Mary (if applicable) and/or use the direct line to your deity instead. I'm sure it'll turn out for the best. 🙂
God definitely helps and it's always good to have a spiritual backing. But this isn't everyday despair I'm talking about here. Something is VERY VERY wrong with this world. More wrong then most people can ever understand.
Copy and pasting me with no comment? Your point, please?
@MM: Your solution to mental disability is don't trust people, just pray? You should at least put some hope in mankind who has developed treatments for depression and support systems for people who are victims of abuse. Suicidal depression is a medical disease that needs to be treated by doctors and counselors. When you say don't put your faith in mankind, only in god, you are misleading people as to the seriousness of the situation.
Oh BS.... Blame Blame Blame... Do you think GAYS are commiting suicide so they can hurry up and ask God personally whats up? Excuses Excuses Excuses , If you can't take responsibility for your own life then at least have the balls to take responsibility for your own damned death!
Actually when you spend years trying to change who you are, without the slightest bit of success, and I mean even in years of celibacy, you eventually get to the point where you can't live because of what you believe and you can't take your own life because of what you believe. Finally the pain is so bad something has to change and there's the small hope that if you die, it's just all over...that you're just gone...
Talk about a witch hunt! This has to be one of the most irresponsible surveys and articles I've ever read. I have been in fairly conservative churches all my life, and I have never heard of anyone being treated like this or counseled this way. Has anyone ever considered the fact that maybe there's a higher rate of suicide among gay people because it's ultimately a very unsatisfying way to live? Minorities have been persecuted for centuries and I don't see a corresponding rise in suicides. If anything, they become more committed to self-preservation. No, there's something else going on here that no one wants to consider.
Joy O, to be honest, I think this whole thing has been blown out of porportion and turned into a political cause for votes. Being gay isn't naturally anymore unsatisfying or depressing than being straight. Suicide is the top cause of death for teenagers across the board, besides car accidents, from what I hear. Singling just one group of these young people out and exploiting it for votes isn't really helping. It's immoral.
I only had three suicide attempts when I was in the Christian church trying to change my $exuality in the name of Jesus. Funny, since I accepted my $exuality I haven't been suicidal once and am rarely depressed about anything.
i'm very satisfied with life. Its ignorant bible sodomizers like you who make living unbearable. See you in hell b!tch 🙂
I look at suicide as a way of thinning the herd. If gays really feel killing themselves is necessary because they handle the truth of what they are, then let it happen. I don't mourn them. In fact, hopefully the next time they make the journey from spirit to human, they will remember what a mistake they made being gay.
@Zorro So that's why you keep coming back as a slime mold! I knew we'd find the answer sooner or later!
What should people expect when they get their info about human $exuality from an ancient middle eastern desert tribe that didn't even understand basic human rights?
Exodus 21:20 "If a man beats his male or female slave with a rod and the slave dies as a direct result, he must be punished, 21 but he is not to be punished if the slave gets up after a day or two, since the slave is his property."
The Pu-blic Re-ligion Re-search In-sti-tu-te as per guidestar.org and the po-sted IRS Form 990 for 2009 was a start-up ope-ration in 2009 with no f-u-nding and no as-sets. So then how did said group get the fu-nds to su-pposedly run this ex-pensive "so-phi-sticated" poll? Might there be some fu-dging or in-venting the results with su-bsequent use of inex-pensive po-lling sta-tistics sof-twa-re?-
I am disappointed that such an unfair characterization would be based upon such a small sampling. It is instructive however for those of us who pursue a faith-based lifestyle. I spent yesterday as part of a United Methodist group that gave hundreds of thousands of dollars in grants to various social ministries including those focused on helping persons and families impacted by AIDS. So please do not lump all Christians into the same bin. Even when we may not condone the lifestyle, our faith moves us to substantial acts of compassion in Christ's name.
@Gene: You do know that AIDS is not a gay-only issue, right?
@Gene McCallips
Your post reeks with a lack of understanding, as you are *inferring* something that is not true. It is often postings like yours that lead to terrible misrepresentations and ignorance about people. Thus, it leads to the de-humanization of certain segments of our population. Hence hate...
PLEASE read @Frogist's post above mine.
First off I think Josephine is a joke and I would never let her out in public unless she was muzzled and had her rabies shots. Second, I think churches are a joke too and religion is designed to control people and thats what they want to do. Third, if someone takes their own life, then no one else forced their hand to do it and cannot be blamed for it. And all the posts I have been reading are about how the stat samples are too small and incorrect, which tells me that you christian church goers have never changed and still trying to dodge bullits, even when your not to blame. "The truth never has to be defended"
Just like Kanye except Perez Hilton saying Churches don't care about gay people?
Churches are to blame, religion is to blame Good for those people who do want to blame christians. At least they think for themselves instead of following a 2000 year old cosmic Jewish zombie. If the church isn't contributing to all this then why isn't gay marriage legal? What ever happened to liberty and justice FOR ALL? Everyone deserves to be happy in whatever way they choose. If beleiving in a false god makes u happy then whatever. Enjoy your ignorance but dont impose your views on others unless you can back it up with fact. The sample number is fine btw. I don't think we need to sample all the Christian rednecks to find out that they think being gay is a sin.
Bad Religion is an awesome band.
It's a great song by Godsmack as well...
Eww, Godsmack.
@Frank
ha ha ha! You are one funny transpotato! But who ever heard of ears on a transpotato?
I'm a Mr. Transpotato Head. 😀
But, seriously. Godsmack is rather lame. This isn't 2000. Lol.
@Frank
So just how long am I supposed to be "cutting edge"? I might get a phone call any day to tell me I'm going to be a grandfather for all I know....! Hell, I haven't been surfing the edge for, mmm, a long damn time. This is not a crime unless you are still in high school, as far as I know...?
Oh, man. How old are you, 60? 😛
I mean, Godsmack is okay as far as that style goes. I'm just not a fan of rock star types like Sully Erna. But the music is alright. They have some good songs. But it just reminds of 10 years ago. Lol.
@Frank
Nah, I'm not a geezer yet...unless you think everyone over 30 is a geezer, which I used to do when I was young...lol
So you listen to music more often than me, so what? I'm not big on constant music thumping in my brain every minute...geez!
Now you've got me all defensive and paranoid about being old and no longer on the edge. lol
Do you expect to be in the thick of things your whole life? Ha ha ha ha! 😛
Oh, WOW. YES. You old fart – you're about a decade older than me! Enjoying those Depends?
Oh, I HAVE to have music jarring my eardrums every second of the day. iPod MUST be on. And I will always be cutting edge and fabulous. 😛
@Frank
LMAO! You must be fabulous indeed!! Ha ha ha!
I love AbFab, but that was the 90s...lol..
fyi, I like almost every sort of music from classical to deathmetal, and I only listen when it seems like a good time for music.
Good music is good music, no matter teh age of the listener or when it was produced.
But what would a Catholic know about good music, anyway? How could you ever feel safe without a list of approved songs from the Pope? lol
Sweetie darling! AbFab is one of my all-time favorite shows! Patsy and Edy 🙂
I have to use a different name for now because some h0m0phobic ass_hole usurped 'Frank'. 🙁
@Frank G. S.
Why not change your name to Transpotato? It has a certain dash to it, you know...? 8)
I commented on my musical tastes but I guess it got erased somehow.
Anyway, I have eclectic tastes, as well. I always say that I just listen to whatever I find to be good. And I don't need the Pope's approval. 😛 Most of the music I listen to is secular...even Satanic. >:)
I was going for Transs#xual Spud but my post was lost in moderation, shall we say. Lol.
@Gender Switch Potato Fry
Oh, that's too short. Try something longer! Ha ha ha ha !
Hmm...how about that? 😛
@SPSGFFTT
yeh, that'll do. The abbreviation sounds like a fart. A very young fart.
😀
Hey, that's not the right abbreviation, smart ass! It's SGSPFFTT.
Now it sounds even more like a fart. 🙁
I declare this to be my Halloweenie name!
@HollowWeenieName 😀
And we owe this all to Kate. Isn't she great? lol
Who knew being a dictator could be so much fun?
Ooh yeeeeaaaahhhh. I'll be certain to think her. Lol.
My e-mail handle is Saint Frankenstein and I'm wearing zombie plugs in my ears I'm all set for All Hallow's 24/7! Halloween was always my favorite holiday, anyway. Too bad in sh!tty Ohio they don't celebrate it on the appropriate day. Not to mention the damn OSU games f[_]ck up transportion in the city.
@youngfartsound
You religious zombies! Always looking for the brainz you don't have!
LOL
@Peace2All
Hey, man! Frank has become born again! He is now ready for your anti-fundie attack! 😛
Hey, zombies need salvation, too! We, too, are made in the image and likeness of God. Plus, we're huge fans of Catholicism since we get to drink Blood at church. It ain't brains...but it'll do. 😉
Yes, Peace2All! Attack me! I have seen the light of the name s[e]x change!
@Frank & Sum Dude
What in the F -U- C- K are you guy's talkin' about at this late hour...?
"Crackle" .... *Sound of my head spinning around doing a full 360... 🙂
[laughs wildly at seeing Peace2All's head spin around]
What, too early for you? Still blinking in the sun? Grab sum coffay, bro! Frank is a new man! LOL
Transs[e]xual Catholic zombie love...and dic[k]tators.
Now you're all caught up!
@zombieFrank
I think Peace2All may be searching for a helmet, a magic helmet, or even a foil hat, with which to save his brainz from you....
Aww...But it's okay. He doesn't have enough neurons to fill my stomach. 😛
Oh, man. I'm a tired zombie. I must retire to my grave for the time being. Catch you around the cemetary later. Good night/morning.
In psychological terms, religion would be termed "Shared Delusional Disorder" where an amazing percentage of American would believe more so in "virgin births" than biology.
Michael ....... God created both biology and a virgin birth. They are not oposed to each other. The opposition is between the Kingdom of God and the kingdom of satan. Whose side do you choose?
Michael, that's not even funny. In the USSR, religious/spiritual people were thrown into state mental hospitals and tortured. Our society isn't too far away from that. Think before you call someone 'delusional', which is a mental illness.
Virgin Birth? Right....
@Frank
I agree with Michael and have no idea why you think all religious people are going to be rounded up and tossed into a rubber room. That's just crazy. lol
You have to realize what the problem is before you can seek solutions. No intelligent person would try a wholesale incarceration method like some of those extremists...it just isn't a workable concept at all.
But if you'd like to discuss possibilities that would preserve everyone's rights and freedoms while making a real effort to put a stop to religious delusions, let me know....I doubt anyone is serious about solutions to real problems, since we have so many with the same roots....
I said that because it's happened before. Our liberties are going down the toilet day by day. Who knows what could be?
@Michael: I had to look up the term and didn't exactly find the phrase exactly. So I'll just go with this. I don't think we can consider religion a mental disease of some kind. Not everyone believes their holy texts literally. Many people understand there are lessons to be learned for good even though what those lessons are is up for discussion. I consider it on par with myths and fables from years past. Every civilization needs its mythology. Where religion oversteps its bounds is when it doesn't know its place and tries to overrun other human pursuits like science. But mythology has been an integral part of the human experience since humans first existed. And on many levels it has served us well. So I cannot write off religion as merely a mental defect.