Just watching the old 'Prayers for Bobby' film with Sigourney Weaver as mother of gay son set in 1970.

Lots of stereotyping:  Bobby is skinny guy rather than a hunk, drives a little Metropolitan rather than a Chevelle 396, friends are TG Goths.

one scene: mother argues with father: he's going to burn in hell.   
another scene: maybe he's in heaven? 
another scene:  God didn't heal Bobby cos there was nothing wrong with him.
another scene:  homosexuals are doomed to spend eternity in hell.
Is this what Americans think?

I know Hollywood has to make a fast buck but this nonsense must really confuse the great unwashed.

maybe not 'just' Americans, but society in general too.. in all walks of life all over the world. Perhaps also depends on how conservative their views are on such things and how they believe in their Bible..

It isn't how Americans think.

It's how some people in America think. It should not be a blanketed statement that America feels this way. According to a recent poll, Only 59% of Americans believe in hell. 29% of Americans believe homosexuality is a sin.

So I would not say that is how Americans think.

58% of American Christians do not believe homosexuality is a sin.

According to a recent poll, Only 59% of Americans believe in hell.

6 out of 10 approaches 3rd World standards of superstition.  10% would still be 10% too much.

I just watched that film... idealistic nonsense personally, I've spoken to enough Christians of that type to know exactly what they would say.

"Hollywood is a conduit for gay indoctrination, This film is just encouraging perversion." They would then go onto explain how their perspectives are begin demonized and how they are the perscitued 'Minority'

Maybe I'm just too cynical and embittered but I've never seen them change or admit to any responsibility for anything that happens. I'm convinced that Christian culture will never accept us or anyone who doesn't meet their expectations. There views are locked and so vindictive that they will exclude anything that even threatens them to re-interpret mistakes they knew.

Example On the issue of "dose god make people gay?" the pervading view is that the idea of someone begin born or irreconcilably pre-disposed to begin gay or transsexual for that matter is impossible.

I did what I usually do. Science.
I explained firstly that homosexuality dose exist in nearly all sexual species, which is an obvious one I then went onto explain what "Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia" was. Basically it's an inter-sex disorder that occurs in XX individuals that exposes the fetus to an unusually high level of testosterone. And how an unusually high number of individuals with this condition were homosexual and transsexual (By a factor of 2-10) depending on the study.

First they scoffed at me as talking jibberish when I corrected their mistakes I was banned from the forum and the entire thread was deleted.

They won't let anyone even get close, Notions of co-existence with such persons let alone understanding is laughable, I've given up trying myself. It's like trying to teach a wasp to not sting.

I was talking to someone at my local GLBTI support group tonight and concluded that while Transphobia in the US seems to have an origin in religious attitudes, here in Australia it is more an outgrowth of Homophobia and Sexism. 
That may have to do with the sort of people who first settled our respective countries and their setting the paradigm that they then developed under. 
Not a total answer, but could go some way towards explaining the persistence of it in the US.  It seems that once people here can grasp that being Trans doesn't mean you are gay, then they are less anxious.
The differing responses to Chaz Bono and Paige Elliot Phoenix coming out, seem to bear it out.  Also Aussies love a 'battler' and Paige has certainly been that.

Karen.

Quote from: justmeinoz on March 16, 2012, 06:59:33 AM
I was talking to someone at my local GLBTI support group tonight and concluded that while Transphobia in the US seems to have an origin in religious attitudes, here in Australia it is more an outgrowth of Homophobia and Sexism. 

Interesting. My take on it as someone who grew up in the U.S. is that Homophobia and Transphobia have their roots in sexism. I've always just seen religion being used as a contrived excuse for bigotry.

Quote from: pebbles on March 15, 2012, 08:16:07 PM
I'm convinced that Christian culture will never accept us or anyone who doesn't meet their expectations. There views are locked and so vindictive that they will exclude anything that even threatens them to re-interpret mistakes they knew.

yeah, that's why I am transgender and in a Christian Seminary....also explains why I am transgender and working in a church right now.



Disciples of Christ
Episcopal
Lutheran Church of America
Lutheran Church of Canada
Some Mennonite churches
In a year, Methodist
The Presbyterian Church
United Church of Christ
Metropolitan Church
United Church of Canada
Unity School of Christianity
Waldensian Church
Evangelical Anglican Church
Baptist Peace Fellowship
Christ Catholic Church
Orthodox Catholic Church
etc etc etc etc etc etc accepts, embrace, and ordains lgbt people and about 3 denominations a year is added to this list.

Stop assuming Christianity as a whole condemns LGBT people.

When you do that, you are no different than other people who condemn LGBT people because you stereotype. You make blanketed accusations and assume "Christianity" is like this...especially with your cute comment, "you can't teach a wasp not to sting."

Quote from: pebbles on March 15, 2012, 08:16:07 PM
Maybe I'm just too cynical and embittered but I've never seen them change or admit to any responsibility for anything that happens. I'm convinced that Christian culture will never accept us or anyone who doesn't meet their expectations. There views are locked and so vindictive that they will exclude anything that even threatens them to re-interpret mistakes they knew.

I have the full support of the clergy at my church, the Congregational Church of San Mateo (United Church of Christ). On 29 January I spoke to the entire congregation about my experience as a transgender person, and they gave me a standing ovation.

There is also a sizable percentage of the congregation that is queer in one way or another.

So, it depends on what sect of Christianity you're talking about. But the church and denomination to which I belong are quite the opposite of what you describe.

I'm not going to "burn in hell". 

I'm Christian have been for over 30 years, I've been TS all my life.  All Christians and All Christian demoninations Do Not hate us.

My sister is a Lay Pastor for her Lutheran church, she has no problems with me and has introduced me to her pastor and church.

I have worked in upper management for three different Christian groups with No Problems.

Quit trying to put all Christianity in one basket.

And definately quit trying to box in God.

Fifty-nine percent of Americans believein hell!
Oh dear.

we don't believe in hell

wow..what's up with all these thread resurrections??