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For some people, religion is an essential, fundamental part of their life and the lives of those around them. For others, religion is like a ticking time-bomb of tension and fear, avoided at all costs.
Within the LGBT community and their supporters, although you're more likely to find people who are on the latter end of the scale, there are still many to whom religion is an essential part of their lives. In this article I'd like to give some insight into this issue of combining LGBT with religion, discuss how we can and can't make it work, and also what needs to be done by our respective communities to help it gel into a positive part of the life of a person who is LGBT.
As the topic of religion is very thick with opinion, interpretation, and subject to a lot of personal bias, even if unintentional, I'd like to quickly preface by sharing some background on myself.
I was born and raised in a religious (Orthodox) Jewish family and community. I went to private school where Bible study was as important as the English studies. I studied - usually in the original tongue of Hebrew - the Old Testament as Christians would call it, as well as many other texts important to Judaism such as the Talmud, books of the Prophets, etc.
Despite moving away from religion in my own personal beliefs, I have a strong understanding of Judaism. Although in this article I will not specifically address other religions besides Judaism much because I do not have as strong an understanding of them, I hope that the ideas in this article are relevant and relatable to all: of any religion(s), or of no religion.
Anyways, onwards, shall we? Are religion and LGBT compatible partners?
Lets start by opening up the can of worms,
"And if a man lie with mankind, as with womankind, both of them have committed abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them." - Leviticus, 20, 13
Ouch. This is a pretty clear cut condemnation of homosexuality. Take a moment for some deep breaths to recover your calm. This can be a shocking passage to read, especially for those who have not read it before. But fear not, we are going to attempt to reinterpret this passage in a way that it does not in fact condemn homosexuality.
Religion is rife with interpretation. What may appear as a clear condemnation of homosexuality may in fact be something different. Some people will mock religion for its wishy-washy allowance of interpretation to 'cover up' its 'out-of-date' morals and laws. Although this may be a fair criticism, it is worth understanding that interpretation is a very powerful tool, and the way it is used in religion can certainly be very intelligent. To simply shrug it off as a cheap trick to keep religion "modern" does not do justice to the vast amount of thought that is often put into the interpretation of religion.
So what can we do with this passage, Leviticus 20:13? I'll provide one simple reinterpretation of the passage, although there are other ways I can personally think of reinterpreting it, and I'm sure you can find more through some research. (If you're curious as to my own alternative interpretations, I'd be happy to share them! Send me an email or comment on this article.)
The passage states "If a man lie with mankind, as with womankind" etc., etc. The key words here are "as with womankind". The traditional view has been to see this as indication that a man may not have penetrative sex with another man - which, by the way, is notably not a condemnation of homosexuality itself, so we're not off to a bad start already! However, I don't think a gay religious man should have to live with this idea in his head that his desire to have sex is a sin. So what about these key words... "as with womankind"... perhaps it is in fact referring to a straight man: a man who would lie with womankind in the first place. It is this man that should not lie with another man in the same way as he would a woman. This isn't even talking about homosexuality! It's an entirely different issue. This is an issue where a straight man is being warned not to give in to a lust or loneliness, perhaps, that would lead him to have sex with another man.
But the homosexual man? Sure, he can lie with another man. That is his natural course!
As you can see, we did not change the words of the passage, but simply reinterpreted them, understood them in a new way.
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It seems that religion and LGBT are indeed coming together for those that seek to fuse the two.
My next question then: is this healthy? The fusion of religion and LGBT... is it really possible one can experience this without an associated push towards self-hatred or a fear of their sexuality? Is opposition to homosexuality too deeply ingrained in religions like Christianity, Islam, and Judaism to be overcome simply through reinterpretation?
I do think it's possible to eliminate that opposition to homosexuality in one's personal view of religion, through reinterpretation. However, it's a difficult task for some, especially those like myself who grew up in a strict religious environment where homosexuality was indeed condemned. It is of utmost importance in my opinion, that if one wants to be LGBT and religious, they be sure that this does not come hand in hand with a fear of themselves, of their own homosexuality.
Furthermore, it is important that your community also respects you in all the same ways. Some religious communities will suggest support for homosexuality but condemn the act of sex between two males. This is, in my opinion, not acceptable and an unhealthy community for the gay man to be in. Sex is a beautiful thing for many people - especially, more often than not, religious people - and sex between two men should just as celebrated (on a private level) as a wonderful, loving, and intimate act between two people. To see it is a sin strikes me as leading towards self-hate/deprecation. This is where many religious communities still need work - accepting not just homosexuality, but also permitting sex between two men in their moral and judicial code.
Ultimately, I believe that if you are LGBT and religious, as with most things, it comes down to "using it responsibly" so to speak. Does your religiousness fulfill you? Does it provide you with positive energy? Can you discover your own identity within this framework? ...Or does your sexuality clash and conflict with your religiosity in a negative spiral? These are the kinds of questions I would suggest thinking about.
If you can ask these questions, and build religion into your life in a way that is healthy for you, go for it! Religion is not for everyone, but some people seem to flourish in it (just as some people flourish without religion). It is up to you to decide who you are, and it is my place here only to suggest that whatever you seek should grant you with positive energy and encourage you to be happy with the person you are.
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