A Wisdom Archive on Homosexuality and Spirituality

Homosexuality and Bahá'í Faith - From the United Kingdom 1996. The NSA distributed a statement [1] prepared for a London UK education group about the teaching about homosexuality within the school system. The Assembly stated that "...the statement does not claim to be exhaustive, but it can be used with wisdom as part of a response to questions." Some excerpts from their statement are: "...the sexual impulse is a God-given one... The appropriate circumstance for this is w ...

Read more here: » Homosexuality and Bahá'í Faith: Encyclopedia II - Homosexuality and Bahá'í Faith - Letters from National Spiritual Assemblies

For references of these views, please review the quotes in the last section of this page. Homosexuality and Bahá'í Faith - The Bahá'í View of homosexuality. The Bahá'í Faith teaches that the only acceptable form of sexual expression is within a marriage between one man and one woman. Therefore, homosexuality is seen as something an individual must reconcile with, one of the many conflicts between the "higher" and "low ...

Read more here: » Homosexuality and Bahá'í Faith: Encyclopedia II - Homosexuality and Bahá'í Faith - Summary of Views

This letter from the Universal House of Justice in 1995 specifically addressed the issue of homosexuality in detail. The following are quotes from Shoghi Effendi and the Universal House of Justice on homosexuality. These comments are considered authoritative to Bahá'ís, and are not presented in any particular order. "Bahá'í law restricts permissible sexual intercourse to that between a man and the woman to whom he is m ...

Read more here: » Homosexuality and Bahá'í Faith: Encyclopedia II - Homosexuality and Bahá'í Faith - Letters from Shoghi Effendi and the Universal House of Justice

Many religious establishments welcome homosexual individuals, either on a footing of equality with heterosexuals (such as the Unitarian Universalist congregation or the Anglican congregation in North America) or even according them special status as possessing enhanced spiritual abilities (as many Native religions do). At the same time, some moralists and religious groups view homosexuality to be a sin. John Boswell argued that church stance has varied over time, and that during several periods in European Christian history homosexual ...

Read more here: » Societal attitudes towards homosexuality: Encyclopedia II - Societal attitudes towards homosexuality - Religion and morality

Unregulated sexuality, as a part of unregulated sensuality, has often been viewed as an obstacle to achievement or the notion of "progress." Religious sects over the course of history have generally held unregulated sexuality to be an obstacle in the spiritual quest (a small minority, typically led by a charismatic leader, have gone the opposite route, and encouraged free love). Monastic traditions of all faiths generally require sexual abstention from their adherents, though this has been variously interpreted and sometimes poorly enforced ...

Read more here: » Criticisms of sexual behavior: Encyclopedia II - Criticisms of sexual behavior - General criticisms

Homosexuality
Sexual relations between members of the same gender. Religious traditions place both negative and positive value on homosexuality as a boundary-crossing activity.
 
For some, the power to invert culturally sanctioned relations is a mark of, or a means to acquire, supernatural power; for others, it is a forbidden activity.
 
Until recently, homosexuality was regarded merely as a choice of sexual activity and not as indicating a particular type of personality.

 
(See also: Homosexuality, New Age Spirituality, Body Mind and Soul )

Criticism and regulation of sexuality has historically been one of the major aspects of human society. Criticisms of sexual behavior have addressed human sexuality in general as well as its individual practices. Because sexuality is a fundamental aspect of human identity, every criticism of sexuality fails one or more logical tests, and can never rise to the level of a scientific thesis. Nevertheless, it is educational to examine each criticism as well as its flaws. Criticisms of sexual behavior - General criticisms. ... Including:

• Criticisms of sexual behavior - General criticisms
• Criticisms of sexual behavior - Mental disturbance
• Criticisms of sexual behavior - Spiritual obstacle
• Criticisms of sexual behavior - Impure
• Criticisms of sexual behavior - Criticisms of heterosexuality
• Criticisms of sexual behavior - Disrupts natural equilibrium
• Criticisms of sexual behavior - Causes overpopulation
• Criticisms of sexual behavior - Promotes sexual slavery
• Criticisms of sexual behavior - Lowers the intellectual level of society
• Criticisms of sexual behavior - It is an impediment to fulfilling one's sexual potential
• Criticisms of sexual behavior - Criticisms of bisexuality
• Criticisms of sexual behavior - Masks homosexuality
• Criticisms of sexual behavior - Dissipation of vital force
• Criticisms of sexual behavior - Endangers propagation of the species
• Criticisms of sexual behavior - Argument of confusion
• Criticisms of sexual behavior - Criticisms of homosexuality
• Criticisms of sexual behavior - It is against nature
• Criticisms of sexual behavior - It contravenes religious teachings
• Criticisms of sexual behavior - Causes epidemics
• Criticisms of sexual behavior - It subverts the young
• Criticisms of sexual behavior - Sources

Read more here: » Criticisms of sexual behavior: Encyclopedia - Criticisms of sexual behavior

Criticisms of sexual behavior - Masks homosexuality. This concept starts with the assumption that homosexuality is something that should or could be masked, and claims that bisexuality is merely a cover for it. It subtly advances a homophobic agenda merely by its existence. It is not uncommonly held by homophobic individuals who wish to extend their prejudice to include self-declared bisexuals. Criticisms of sexual behavior - Dissipation of vital force. As abo ...

Read more here: » Criticisms of sexual behavior: Encyclopedia II - Criticisms of sexual behavior - Criticisms of bisexuality

Most criticisms of heterosexuality address not heterosexuality itself, but its compulsory aspect in those societies that privilege it to the extent of suppressing alternative sexualities. Criticisms of sexual behavior - Disrupts natural equilibrium. This argument is based around the concept that there is a natural ratio of homosexuality to heterosexuality, and that strict cultural codes deny a natural balance. This hypothesis lacks falsifiability: there is no way to construct an experiment that would prove or deny that human beings would fall into a natural ratio. ...

Read more here: » Criticisms of sexual behavior: Encyclopedia II - Criticisms of sexual behavior - Criticisms of heterosexuality

Criticisms of sexual behavior - It is against nature. This argument appeals to feeling or emotion rather than logic and is impossible to falsify. Criticisms of sexual behavior - It contravenes religious teachings. This argument appeal to tradition and faith and is impossible to falsify. Criticisms of sexual behavior - Causes epidemics. This argument stems from the early history of the AIDS crisis, in which the high promiscuity of gay men led ...

Read more here: » Criticisms of sexual behavior: Encyclopedia II - Criticisms of sexual behavior - Criticisms of homosexuality

While studying under Alan Watts at the American Academy of Asian Studies after graduating from Pomona College in 1956, Eugene discovered the writings of René Guénon. Through Guénon's writings, Eugene was inspired to seek out an authentic, grounded spiritual faith tradition. Gregerson, a practicing Russian Orthodox at the time, introduced his friend to Orthodoxy. As Gregerson was choosing to abandon his Orthodoxy, Eugene, instead, was inspired to learn more about the faith. This culminated in Eugene's decision to en ...

Read more here: » Seraphim Rose: Encyclopedia II - Seraphim Rose - Orthodoxy

The idea that temporal affairs must submit to Christianity appears in the papal bull Unam sanctam of 1302. This document reasserted the Church's authority over European kings as the supreme political power in Europe. Today Christian supremacy more typically means that politics and culture must submit to Christian principles, rather than to spiritual leaders personally. This view remains widespread in the United States, under the slogan, "the United States is a Christian nation." In its most extreme strains, Christian Supremacy takes the form of Christian Reconstructionism, also called Hard Dominio ...

Read more here: » Christian Supremacy: Encyclopedia II - Christian Supremacy - Christian supremacy and society