A majority of people surveyed in Britain believe religion is sexist and discriminates against homosexuals, according to a recent poll.
Six out of 10 people believe that all religion is fundamentally sexist and 56 percent say all religions fundamentally discriminate on grounds of sexual orientation.
The poll, which was commissioned by the Movement for Reform Judaism, has driven the liberal religious denomination – known for its support for homosexuality – to highlight the importance of its new gender-neutral prayer book.
The Reform movement is using gender-neutral language, for the first time, to refer to God. Its new prayer book will also give female figures in the Bible equal prominence to males. Nearly three quarters of Christians think that God is male and about six out of 10 Jewish people agree. Only four out of 10 Jewish people say it is right that God should be referred to solely as “He.”
The results were based on a survey of over 1,000 adults and have come out just a week after the release of the International Lesbian and Gay Association’s 2008 report on “homophobia.”
According to the report, homosexuality is a punishable offense in over 86 countries.
"Whether exported by colonial empires or the result of legislations culturally shaped by religious beliefs, if not deriving directly from a conservative interpretation of religious texts, homophobic laws are the fruit of a certain time and context in history," said Rosanna Flamer-Caldera, co-secretary general of ILGA.
"Although many of the countries listed in the report do not systematically implement those laws, their mere existence reinforces a culture where a significant portion of the citizens needs to hide from the rest of the population out of fear.”
Last month, the global United Methodist Church approved a resolution opposing homophobia and heterosexism. The denomination’s resolution came as Christians in the United States have begun to show more compassion when dealing with the issue of homosexuality while maintaining their biblical stance that homosexual practice is sin.
Despite the negative perception most Britons have of religion, over two-thirds of poll respondents said they still believed that religion has a place in modern life.
The Reform Movement of Judaism represents about a quarter of Britain's Jews.
Comments
Chris
Actually living here ,I would say that we have our far share of problems like most countries. There are of course various places I would not go at night (late) but of course this is no diffrent to America where there are places you would most likely not go. Every few weeks some mates and I go out to the pub etc.. till quite late, I never worry about walking home.
There are plenty of striaght people at the BBC.
Steve
Chris: I'm just reporting what I observed. I have friends from there as well and they mentioned the same thing to me - that the US didn't feel as safe to them as England.
Homophobia, a word found in the Devil's dictionary. If it isn't it should be as there are a lot of
saints confused by it and a lot of ain'ts content. I'm sure Forked Tongue is having a chuckle.
If this is any consolation , Jesus said," I will build my church and the gates of hell (counsels ?)
will not prevail against it."
The truth is it is the non-religious community that "fundamentally discriminate" in an effort to evade the gospel. Religion does discriminate. Atheism discriminates. Christianity sets requirements of what God says is quality within the creation and that is the standard.
Discriminate: "to mark or perceive the distinguishing or peculiar features of". Homosexuality is discriminately different from hetrosexuality. The Bible says one is natural and the other is against the natural function (the natural function being the way babies are made without medical intervention).
The poll itself 'discriminates' against religion so what's their point? They want to example to religion what discrimination is?
I watch some programs from the BBC America. The plugs for other programs makes me wonder...is anyone at the BBC 'straight'?
ifeelfine,
I have some friends from England, and they have told me enough stories to make me almost believe that the U.S. is a safer place. Report after report have come out noting the extreme drinking problems that England has. CNN just gave a couple recently. They have a lot of problems there.
My family and I were stationed in Europe for over 7 years and we loved it, in fact along with several other families we planted a church for mainly those who were stationed in Holland with us. At first we met in a local community center and then we moved our services to a Dutch Baptist Seminary that was much closer to the base. Before we were tranferred to Italy several Dutch people began attending our services. I say all that to say this what I found in the Christian community was a highly intellectual theology what they believed appeared to be biblically solid but it was so intellectual that a non-Christian would have a difficult time understanding what they both believed and shared through the pulpit or even in Bible studies. I personally believe that is one of the major reasons Europe spiritually is so dark. What they need are churches as well as ministries that are sharing a simple Gospel, there are some but Europe desperately needs more. Another issue in Holland and it may be tha same in other European countries is that they are not only a very private people they also have a very high regard and respect for the privacy of others. Many Americans stationed in Holland interpreted that as snobbery but if you let them know you wanted to be a part of their community they welcomed you with open arms. That being true confrontational evangelism regardless of how tactfully it's done flies right in the face of their culture so the churches need to be trained in and exercising a lifestyle evangelism approach if they are to effectively reach the community for Christ.
Matthew 7:21 (New King James Version)
New King James Version (NKJV)
Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.
I Never Knew You
21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.
John 14:6 (New King James Version)
New King James Version (NKJV)
Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.
6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.
continued:
Apostates Predicted
16 These are grumblers, complainers, walking according to their own lusts; and they mouth great swelling words, flattering people to gain advantage. 17 But you, beloved, remember the words which were spoken before by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ: 18 how they told you that there would be mockers in the last time who would walk according to their own ungodly lusts. 19 These are sensual persons, who cause divisions, not having the Spirit.
Maintain Your Life with God
20 But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, 21 keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.
22 And on some have compassion, making a distinction;[d] 23 but others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire,[e] hating even the garment defiled by the flesh.
Glory to God
24 Now to Him who is able to keep you[f] from stumbling,
And to present you faultless
Before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy,
25 To God our Savior,[g]
Who alone is wise,[h]
Be glory and majesty,
Dominion and power,[i]
Both now and forever.
Amen.
Footnotes:
Jude 1:1 NU-Text reads beloved.
Jude 1:4 NU-Text omits God.
Jude 1:12 NU-Text and M-Text read along.
Jude 1:22 NU-Text reads who are doubting (or making distinctions).
Jude 1:23 NU-Text adds and on some have mercy with fear and omits with fear in first clause.
Jude 1:24 M-Text reads them.
Jude 1:25 NU-Text reads To the only God our Savior.
Jude 1:25 NU-Text omits Who . . . is wise and adds Through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Jude 1:25 NU-Text adds Before all time.
imagoodguy wrote:
"Society is changing, religion also needs to adapt however difficult it may seem. Imagine what went through the minds of heretics when one fine day society said "Only One GOD"!!! All we need to do is change the rituals to make them more accommodating. I am sure God will still love us... "
jesus4me quotes what God says in His Word:
Contend for the Faith
3 Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints. 4 For certain men have crept in unnoticed, who long ago were marked out for this condemnation, ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into lewdness and deny the only Lord God[b] and our Lord Jesus Christ.
Old and New Apostates
5 But I want to remind you, though you once knew this, that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who did not believe. 6 And the angels who did not keep their proper domain, but left their own abode, He has reserved in everlasting chains under darkness for the judgment of the great day; 7 as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities around them in a similar manner to these, having given themselves over to sexual immorality and gone after strange flesh, are set forth as an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.
8 Likewise also these dreamers defile the flesh, reject authority, and speak evil of dignitaries. 9 Yet Michael the archangel, in contending with the devil, when he disputed about the body of Moses, dared not bring against him a reviling accusation, but said, “The Lord rebuke you!” 10 But these speak evil of whatever they do not know; and whatever they know naturally, like brute beasts, in these things they corrupt themselves. 11 Woe to them! For they have gone in the way of Cain, have run greedily in the error of Balaam for profit, and perished in the rebellion of Korah.
Apostates Depraved and Doomed
12 These are spots in your love feasts, while they feast with you without fear, serving only themselves. They are clouds without water, carried about[c] by the winds; late autumn trees without fruit, twice dead, pulled up by the roots; 13 raging waves of the sea, foaming up their own shame; wandering stars for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever.
14 Now Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about these men also, saying, “Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of His saints, 15 to execute judgment on all, to convict all who are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have committed in an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him.”
1 Cornthians 6:9-20
9 Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals,[a] nor sodomites, 10 nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.
Glorify God in Body and Spirit
12 All things are lawful for me, but all things are not helpful. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any. 13 Foods for the stomach and the stomach for foods, but God will destroy both it and them. Now the body is not for sexual immorality but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. 14 And God both raised up the Lord and will also raise us up by His power.
15 Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a harlot? Certainly not! 16 Or do you not know that he who is joined to a harlot is one body with her? For “the two,” He says, “shall become one flesh.”[b] 17 But he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him.
18 Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body. 19 Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? 20 For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body[c] and in your spirit, which are God’s.
Footnotes:
1 Corinthians 6:9 That is, catamites
1 Corinthians 6:16 Genesis 2:24
1 Corinthians 6:20 NU-Text ends the verse at bod
I think it very odd that any true *Christian* would oppose referring to God as male - since Jesus Himself taught His disciples to pray "Our *Father* who art in Heaven..." This is simply the objection of *religionists* hiding behind a facade of Christianity - and not of true Christians.
"Religion" may need to adapt, but as for me, my RELATIONSHIP with Christ will not. God's Word is plain for all to see, if they want to see. Homosexual behavior is sin and will be judged as sin, as all sin will.
john14-6: I don't know what part of GB you were in but I didn't see any of that at all. In fact, I never felt safer than when I was over there. The people were friendly, I didn't see any crime (except maybe a little drunkenness), the police were engaged. I would rather be in downtown London than almost any urban center in the US.