Word: Jules Clarke

WITH CHRISTMAS BEING THE FOCUS FOR MANY THIS SEASON, JULES CLARKE TAKES A LOOK AT RELIGION FOR THE LGBT COMMUNITY IN HONG KONG AND AROUND THE WORLD… ARE RELIGIONS ACCEPTING OF OUR COMMUNITY AND SHOULD THEY BE IF IT MEANS CHANGING THEIR ORIGINAL CONCEPTS?

Over the past few years, I have read countless articles that have asked the same question in regards to whether or not religions should move away from traditional belief structures to accommodate homosexuality or the LGBT community in general. This is still an ongoing debate around the world and one that is so controversial, even I loathe to write about it. In saying this however, I must point out that Christian leaders in particular have been talking about homosexuality since the beginning of time. Furthermore, such debate is probably something that will be hotly contested for years to come.

The declining role of organized religion in modern society however, has put a new slant on how religion is being delivered to the populace. Ongoing declines in church attendance and religious identification are now at the forefront of religious debates, with religious leaders now looking at new ways to bring the flock together again.

The existence of religion and various theories on what religion is however, is a complex one and hard to define on many levels. The universe in itself is constructed from a massive amount of various materials. This is clear. Religion however, is not so tangible in its definition.

If we take a look at specific historical contexts of religion, we can see that there are a myriad of explanations and theories as to what constitutes religion and how it originally came into existence. According to some, religion exists purely as an explanation for what we don’t understand and ultimately, as an evolutionary strategy for survival. To others, religion
is an all-encompassing and significant cultural phenomenon and one that is easily changeable, solely dependent on the now. With this in mind, we can see why the human and religious institutions in general, are so complex and how the continual debate of what is acceptable or not, is at the forefront of today’s religious discussions.

This progression can be seen through the recent emergence of the gay liberation movement throughout Western society. It can also be said in regards to the abolition of slavery and emergence of women rights over the past century or so. Such ongoing social change has brought about much dialogue in philosophical circles, including church groups and religious leaders. At the end of the day, the issue is not really about whether a religion should change their original concept in order to accept the LGBT community, but whether or not a long-term membership within a certain religion can be positively acknowledged and affirmed on any level.

We are now in the throes of equal rights for the LGBT community with religious leaders having to tackle this head on, otherwise, they themselves, risk the ongoing destruction of the most precious and sacred rights of human nature in itself, which are completely inconsistent with the law of God.

Discrimination in itself creates a paradox within the moral system, which goes against what religion ultimately stands for. Historically acting as agents for social change, religious organisations had a long list of what they considered as immoral and an abomination. The Bible, which was written over a period of 1600 years, was ultimately written to provide a record of God’s creation and an outline of the history of man in relation to God. Interpretations however, are vast and some say, have been used to control the populace and bring about social order. In light of this however, it should be noted that the Bible continues to change thousands of lives around the world in positive, tangible ways.

What was once viewed as immoral and an abomination, are now being looked upon differently. Interpretations are changing. Masturbation, which was once believed to be an unnatural, perverted sign of mental illness, is now regarded as a normal, healthy sexual activity. This gradual shift in social behaviour, alongside a discourse of collective rights, gives hope and credence to ongoing social change and acceptance.

Such shared beliefs and moral attitudes are emerging through education and understanding, with certain religions taking a stand on discrimination against minority groups such as the LGPT community. In a recent joint statement made by the Anglican, Roman Catholic, United Reformed, Baptist, Methodist and Society of Friends (Quakers) churches in Liverpool, England, homophobia throughout the area was condemned following a bate of anti-gay violence. The churches released this statement:

“The leaders of the churches in Liverpool believe it is wrong for anyone in the community of which we are all part to be victimised, or threatened with victimisation, on account of their race, creed, colour or sexual orientation.

“We affirm our commitment to work with others to build a community where all can have their place of belonging, feel welcome and live in safety.

“As church leaders, we represent a rich variety of Christian traditions, with different perspectives on some issues, but we stand together in condemning the use of violence and other forms of intimidation against minority groups who are especially vulnerable.”

This is somewhat comforting to know that the church is definitely moving towards the right direction in total acceptance of minority groups, regardless of their sexual orientation and that perhaps, we should not perceive it as a move away from traditional beliefs, but a move forward in overall collective consciousness.

As we are heading towards a global community and have access to more and more information than ever before, we are also changing the way that we look at the world. From a spiritual perspective, the essence of spirituality is the search to know our true selves, to discover the real nature of consciousness. This can be said for any religion, any person and any animal.

Human beings discovered that the Earth wasn’t flat and that it’s not actually the centre of the solar system. Beliefs change. Customs change. People change and at the end of the day, love is love and that’s ultimately what the church is about. I think we all need to have a little bit of faith in a world filled with so much uncertainty, in a world where we’re still learning about our past mistakes and in a world, where there is hope and what I believe to be a positive future.