HOMOSEXUALITY AND RELIGION:

POLICIES OF NON-JUDEO-CHRISTIAN RELIGIONS

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Topics covered in this section:

• Faith groups described below:
  • Traditional Native American groups
  • Neopagan groups
• Links to essays on the beliefs of other religions towards homosexuality:
  • Baha'i Faith
  • Buddhism
  • Islam
  • Scientology
  • Theosophy
  • Unitarian Universalist Association
  • Zoroastrianism

Traditional Native American groups

In many aboriginal traditional faiths, homosexuals are held in high regard as having received a special blessing. They often became the shamans (healers) of the community. They are referred to as the berdache or "two-spirited" people.

Asatru, Druid, Wicca and other Neopagan groups

These religions are almost completely decentralized in organization, so no one person or organization speaks for an entire faith tradition. Many, perhaps most, Neo-Pagans are solitary practitioners. Others are organized into Covens, Groves, Kindreds, etc. Many Wiccan and some other Pagan groups attempt to achieve a roughly equal number of males and females in their rituals. 

However, they generally accept homosexuality and bisexuality as natural and unchangeable orientations for a minority of adults. Most groups welcome people without regard to their sexual orientation. Most regard sex as a gift of the Goddess to be enjoyed responsibly, and in accordance with one's sexual orientation. That is, sexual orientation is morally neutral. Sexual behavior -- whether between two persons of the same sex or of opposite sexes -- only becomes immoral if it is unsafe, manipulative or non-consensual.

An individual Wiccan generally acknowledges that female and male energies permeate the universe. The sun is regarded as male; the moon female. The rain is male; the nurturing earth is female. They also contain both both female and male energies within themselves. Their beliefs and rituals help them sense these energies and achieve an optimum balance.

There are also a few exclusively gay and exclusively lesbian Neo-pagan groups.

Reference:

1. Rabbi Gershon Caudill, "A Heterosexual Jewish Rebbe's View on the (Supposedly) Homosexual Texts in the Hebrew Bible," at: http://www.affirmation.org/
2. "Social Action Resolutions," Congress of Secular Jewish Organizations, at: http://www.csjo.org/

Copyright © 2000 to 2005 by Ontario Consultants on Religious Tolerance
Originally written: 2000-OCT-25
Latest update: 2005-JUL-03
Author: B.A. Robinson

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