Yeah but you have to deal with the homophobia and judgement of other members if you want to date around and not immediately settle. The church had a such huge role in western society but squandered it.
The primary source of members for all the Abrahamic religions are born into it, not converts. Churches, Mosques, Synagogues will continue to exist, as long as they are effective at boosting birth rates for their members, and manage to retain their children to a degree.
Homosexuals are therefore low-revenue customers, because the expected children count (including adoption) is far lower than heterosexual marriages. Churches that prioritize accommodating modern social mores statistically have shriveled massively.
Whether they have 'squandered' anything by sticking to their 'business model' will only become obvious in decades. They don't operate on quarterly targets or even 5 year plans. Judging by fertility rates, highly religious groups still have higher birth rates than secular groups.
I understand what you're saying about the judgement of other members, but I think it's misguided. Many, probably most, people fear judgement of their social groups, but conversely it is social groups that also enable the most powerful and free versions of ourselves when we find the right ones. Which ultimately is to say that when the judgement of the group is good, you are empowered to do things you didn't know were possible. So rather than fear judgement, either intentionally pick the group that will judge you well, or more preferably make the changes in yourself that the groups judgement is incentivizing.
Homophobia isn't the right word. The church isn't afraid of homosexuality. It has beliefs that are inconsistent with homosexuality but it isnt fear as the word falsely implies.
> Homophobia isn't the right word. The church isn't afraid of homosexuality. It has beliefs that are inconsistent with homosexuality but it isnt fear as the word falsely implies.
The church encompasses many beliefs and mandates. However, there is a reason anti-LGBT sentiment resonates so strongly with certain church-going crowds, and it's not merely because the clergy is telling them it's wrong. I believe it's because they're playing to a crowd who has a base fear or even disgust of LGBT folks and wants their preconceived notions validated.
In other words, the church is telling a crowd of homophobes what they want to hear. Does that make the church homophobic? To me, that's a distinction without a real difference and not even the most important thing to figure out. The real question is why that base disgust exists in the first place for the clergy to sell to.
> Homophobia isn't the right word. The church isn't afraid of homosexuality. It has beliefs that are inconsistent with homosexuality but it isnt fear as the word falsely implies.
Catholics, I think, get a really bad rap for this.
The standard literally is "sex is only in a marriage of one man and one woman." Everything that doesn't fit is viewed as being incompatible. Gay relationships? Straight relationships outside marriage? Straight relationships in addition to marriage? Masturbation and Pornography? All aren't acceptable - being gay is hardly special theologically even if it gets the most attention.
anonylizard|2 years ago
Homosexuals are therefore low-revenue customers, because the expected children count (including adoption) is far lower than heterosexual marriages. Churches that prioritize accommodating modern social mores statistically have shriveled massively.
Whether they have 'squandered' anything by sticking to their 'business model' will only become obvious in decades. They don't operate on quarterly targets or even 5 year plans. Judging by fertility rates, highly religious groups still have higher birth rates than secular groups.
arcbyte|2 years ago
I understand what you're saying about the judgement of other members, but I think it's misguided. Many, probably most, people fear judgement of their social groups, but conversely it is social groups that also enable the most powerful and free versions of ourselves when we find the right ones. Which ultimately is to say that when the judgement of the group is good, you are empowered to do things you didn't know were possible. So rather than fear judgement, either intentionally pick the group that will judge you well, or more preferably make the changes in yourself that the groups judgement is incentivizing.
Homophobia isn't the right word. The church isn't afraid of homosexuality. It has beliefs that are inconsistent with homosexuality but it isnt fear as the word falsely implies.
LexiMax|2 years ago
The church encompasses many beliefs and mandates. However, there is a reason anti-LGBT sentiment resonates so strongly with certain church-going crowds, and it's not merely because the clergy is telling them it's wrong. I believe it's because they're playing to a crowd who has a base fear or even disgust of LGBT folks and wants their preconceived notions validated.
In other words, the church is telling a crowd of homophobes what they want to hear. Does that make the church homophobic? To me, that's a distinction without a real difference and not even the most important thing to figure out. The real question is why that base disgust exists in the first place for the clergy to sell to.
gjsman-1000|2 years ago
Catholics, I think, get a really bad rap for this.
The standard literally is "sex is only in a marriage of one man and one woman." Everything that doesn't fit is viewed as being incompatible. Gay relationships? Straight relationships outside marriage? Straight relationships in addition to marriage? Masturbation and Pornography? All aren't acceptable - being gay is hardly special theologically even if it gets the most attention.
plorkyeran|2 years ago