Hari Aum.
I'd like to share my views on homophobia and spirituality. In the past few years, I have met some people who have told me that they developed severe mental health issues, particularly depression, because their families were strongly against them due to their being homosexual/gay/lesbian.
In some cases, these people even felt their life was being threatened due to the strong religious opposition to their sexual preferences. They were socially isolated and experienced great mental suffering as a result of the negative reaction from their families and society. Some of them were forced to marry people of the opposite gender against their wish. This lead to even greater misery.
I find it extremely sad that people who are gay are judged and criticised by those who are 'straight' (heterosexual) to varying degrees in all countries in the world. So many people, both religious and atheistic, seem to have strong negative opinions on this subject.
The fact is that sexuality is not a choice. People are naturally attracted to a particular gender (whether the same or opposite gender).
The scriptures of some religions strongly condemn gay people and advise violence against them. Other religions do not comment on the subject, but many of their followers still have negative views of gay people. This is very sad and completely against the principles of religion which is meant to promote love between people, with the understanding that all is divine.
I would like to share my views on being gay or straight, from a yogic perspective. Part of yogic discipline involves control of the senses. This includes gradual, mature transformation of sexual energy to spiritual energy (tejas).
From the yogic perspective, excessive sexual thoughts are counterproductive to spiritual progress. This applies equally regardless of whether one is gay or straight. There is nothing superior about having sexual straight thoughts versus sexual gay thoughts. Obviously sex needs to be between consenting adults, and should involve some respect between partners. Without this, it would be unethical from a yogic perspective. Also while it is true that straight sex is needed to conceive children naturally, there is nothing inherently superior about this- it is a biological fact, that is all.
These days it is unacceptable to be openly racist, sexist or against any religion in many countries.
However, unfortunately, it seems it is still fairly common, even in liberal Western societies, to openly make fun of people who are gay.
When I was at university in the UK about ten years ago, it was not unusual for the male students (who always seemed more homophobic than the women) to use the phrase "that's so gay" when they wanted to indicate their contempt for something.
Imagine saying "that's so black" or "that's so Hindu/Muslim/Jewish/Christian" as an insult. It would be regarded as absolutely outrageous. Nobody uses those phrases. But saying "that's so gay" is still not unusual today. This is absolutely disgraceful.
We need to be sensible about this. Gender, race, sexuality, height, eye colour etc are not choices. They are part of our natural physical-mental design. We are pretty much born with these features and they cannot be changed by force.
We would not like other people to treat us badly based on these, so we should naturally avoid being judgemental towards other when it comes to these factors.
We cannot change our natural physical-sexual characteristics. But what we can control is our character. And this is what really matters in spiritual life.
There is nothing wrong with being gay, from a spiritual perspective. But there is everything wrong with being homophobic, with disliking people because of their natural sexual preference, with being superior and judgemental towards others. These are very unspiritual attitudes.
Let us remember that one God resides in all beings, whatever the physical or mental characteristics, whatever the sexual preferences of a person. Let us therefore give all living beings the respect that is their due as divine beings, whether gay or straight.
I hope, one day, gay people all over the world are treated well by the straight majority and with the respect that they deserve.
I certainly believe that no spiritual progress is possible for those people who are cruel and judgemental towards others based on sexual preferences, race, gender etc. Straight people who look down upon gay people are sadly ignorant and will not be able to make any serious spiritual progress due to their negative attitude (a form of 'himsa' or violence towards others).
If one feels superior to other human beings, for any reason, one has a serious spiritual problem. Because one has forgotten that one God exists in all beings. And that God alone is the origin of whatever we are proud of in ourselves, and whatever we look down upon in others.
Let us reflect upon this well, and treat everyone with the respect they deserve.
Hari Aum Tat Sat
I'd like to share my views on homophobia and spirituality. In the past few years, I have met some people who have told me that they developed severe mental health issues, particularly depression, because their families were strongly against them due to their being homosexual/gay/lesbian.
In some cases, these people even felt their life was being threatened due to the strong religious opposition to their sexual preferences. They were socially isolated and experienced great mental suffering as a result of the negative reaction from their families and society. Some of them were forced to marry people of the opposite gender against their wish. This lead to even greater misery.
I find it extremely sad that people who are gay are judged and criticised by those who are 'straight' (heterosexual) to varying degrees in all countries in the world. So many people, both religious and atheistic, seem to have strong negative opinions on this subject.
The fact is that sexuality is not a choice. People are naturally attracted to a particular gender (whether the same or opposite gender).
The scriptures of some religions strongly condemn gay people and advise violence against them. Other religions do not comment on the subject, but many of their followers still have negative views of gay people. This is very sad and completely against the principles of religion which is meant to promote love between people, with the understanding that all is divine.
I would like to share my views on being gay or straight, from a yogic perspective. Part of yogic discipline involves control of the senses. This includes gradual, mature transformation of sexual energy to spiritual energy (tejas).
From the yogic perspective, excessive sexual thoughts are counterproductive to spiritual progress. This applies equally regardless of whether one is gay or straight. There is nothing superior about having sexual straight thoughts versus sexual gay thoughts. Obviously sex needs to be between consenting adults, and should involve some respect between partners. Without this, it would be unethical from a yogic perspective. Also while it is true that straight sex is needed to conceive children naturally, there is nothing inherently superior about this- it is a biological fact, that is all.
These days it is unacceptable to be openly racist, sexist or against any religion in many countries.
However, unfortunately, it seems it is still fairly common, even in liberal Western societies, to openly make fun of people who are gay.
When I was at university in the UK about ten years ago, it was not unusual for the male students (who always seemed more homophobic than the women) to use the phrase "that's so gay" when they wanted to indicate their contempt for something.
Imagine saying "that's so black" or "that's so Hindu/Muslim/Jewish/Christian" as an insult. It would be regarded as absolutely outrageous. Nobody uses those phrases. But saying "that's so gay" is still not unusual today. This is absolutely disgraceful.
We need to be sensible about this. Gender, race, sexuality, height, eye colour etc are not choices. They are part of our natural physical-mental design. We are pretty much born with these features and they cannot be changed by force.
We would not like other people to treat us badly based on these, so we should naturally avoid being judgemental towards other when it comes to these factors.
We cannot change our natural physical-sexual characteristics. But what we can control is our character. And this is what really matters in spiritual life.
There is nothing wrong with being gay, from a spiritual perspective. But there is everything wrong with being homophobic, with disliking people because of their natural sexual preference, with being superior and judgemental towards others. These are very unspiritual attitudes.
Let us remember that one God resides in all beings, whatever the physical or mental characteristics, whatever the sexual preferences of a person. Let us therefore give all living beings the respect that is their due as divine beings, whether gay or straight.
I hope, one day, gay people all over the world are treated well by the straight majority and with the respect that they deserve.
I certainly believe that no spiritual progress is possible for those people who are cruel and judgemental towards others based on sexual preferences, race, gender etc. Straight people who look down upon gay people are sadly ignorant and will not be able to make any serious spiritual progress due to their negative attitude (a form of 'himsa' or violence towards others).
If one feels superior to other human beings, for any reason, one has a serious spiritual problem. Because one has forgotten that one God exists in all beings. And that God alone is the origin of whatever we are proud of in ourselves, and whatever we look down upon in others.
Let us reflect upon this well, and treat everyone with the respect they deserve.
Hari Aum Tat Sat
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