Phobias are common in our society. There’s a phobia term for nearly every fear that exists. We’ve all heard of Arachnophobia which is the fear of spiders. Another common phobia is Chemophobia, the fear of chemicals. There are quite a few people who are affected by Clithrophobia, the fear of being enclosed in a tight space. And, there’s quite a number of lesser known phobias. Nevertheless, we can easily identify with them. There is Tomophobia-The fear of surgical operations, Glossophobia-The fear of speaking in public, Altophobia-The fear of heights, Isolophobia-The fear of being alone, Scelerophobia-The fear of burglars and other bad men, Lygophobia-The fear of darkness, Toxophobia-The fear of being poisoned, Dentophobia-The fear of dentists, and Brontophobia-The fear of thunder and lightning. There’s a phobia term for virtually every fear that exists. For a more complete list of phobias, look at http://www.phobialist.com/.
There is one interesting phobia however, that deserves your close attention: Homophobia-The fear of homosexuality or of becoming homosexual. “So what?” you may say. “I don’t fear homosexuality, and I certainly don’t fear that I’ll become a homosexual, therefore I’m not homophobic.” This all sounds perfectly logical, so what’s the problem?
It’s a bigger problem than you might think. Look up homophobia in the dictionary and you might find a different definition. First, let’s try Merriam-Webster. Go to http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/homophobia and see what it says about homophobia. The dictionary seems to add a little bit to the meaning of homophobia. Instead of simply fearing homosexuality, the dictionary suggests that homophobia is an irrational fear of homosexuality, an aversion to homosexuality, and discrimination against homosexuality. So, if you happen to think of homosexuality in a manner that some would consider to be irrational, you are homophobic.
Another modern viewpoint of homophobia is offered by Wikipedia. Go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homophobia and see what it has to say about the fear of homosexuality. This definition of homophobia suggests that it is an irrational intolerance of homosexuality which is outside the bounds of traditional gender role expectations. Wikipedia expands even further beyond the simple fear of homosexuality. It suggests that homophobia covers a full range of negative attitudes and feelings toward homosexuality, including antipathy, contempt, prejudice, aversion and finally an irrational fear. Still not through, it states that homophobia is not unlike racism, anti-Semitism and bigotry.
Suddenly, according to modern definitions, you may qualify as a homophobe. If homosexuality is adverse to your way of living, or if you believe only in the traditional gender role of heterosexuality, or even if you are prone to publically express arguments that heterosexuality is the right and proper lifestyle, then you are a homophobe. You are no better than such low-life’s as racists, anti-Semites and bigots.
What is wrong here? Dozens and dozens of listed phobias refer to a simple fear of some particular situation. But when it comes to homophobia, virtually anything outside of love and promotion of the homosexual lifestyle is considered to be homophobia. Not being able to express your own position against this lifestyle is like not being permitted to state your position against drug abuse.
This is a good time to sit up and take notice of the shows on TV, and of those people who are reporting on homosexuality. You will find the term, Homophobe used rather frequently. If you pay close attention to the context of these statements, you will discover that anything short of complete acceptance and support of homosexuality is labeled as homophobia. We as a society, are being indoctrinated to accept a new and evolving definition of homophobia.
“Well, it’s not me,” you might say. “I’m not accepting those new definitions, and I’m not about to support that lifestyle.” Are you sure? Are you making your voice heard?
In the news today, is talk of repealing of the military’s Don’t ask—Don’t tell policy. First, let’s go back to the history of this policy. Since the early 1900’s service men have been discharged from the military if it was found that they were homosexuals. Later, the discharges were differentiated. In the 1940’s, service men who were found to be homosexuals, were discharged as undesirables. If those homosexual men happened to be actually be engaging in homosexual activities, they were dishonorably discharged.
Then in 1993, President Clinton signed the Don’t ask—Don’t tell policy into law. Under this new law, homosexuals in the military became acceptable. The Pentagon’s new policy guidelines stated that: Sexual orientation will not be a bar to service unless manifested by homosexual conduct. The military will discharge members who engage in homosexual conduct, which is defined as a homosexual act, a statement that the member is homosexual or bisexual, or a marriage or attempted marriage to someone of the same gender.
With the stroke of a pen, our nation began its trip down the road toward acceptance, sensitivity and finally promotion of the homosexual lifestyle. “But that policy still did not permit open homosexuality in the military,” you might say. That’s true, but there’s still a big problem with that policy. Our nation would not have stood for outright opening the doors to homosexuals. So, this was one of Shadow Truth’s baby steps toward the promotion of homosexuality. People’s opinions cannot change overnight, but over time, anything is possible. For many years, homosexuality was outright denied access to the military. However, intolerance gradually evolved into acceptance. By the year 1993, 44 percent of Americans supported the idea that homosexuals could openly serve in the military. By 2008, a whopping 75 percent of Americans approved of that policy. What about Christians? What do they think? In 2009, the Don’t ask—Don’t tell policy was favored by 60 percent of weekly churchgoers. In the short 16 years since President Clinton signed Don’t ask—Don’t tell into law, a new generation of Americans has been raised in an atmosphere of greater acceptance. Even among older Americans, views of homosexuality have softened. So, with the support of favorable polls, and to standing applause by his listeners, President Obama promised the Democratic National Committee to abolish “don’t ask, don’t tell.”
Little by little, step by step, and inch by inch, we have redefined homophobia. Political Correctness has singled out one phobia among dozens of other phobias, and changed its definition. The Christian majority has given its implied approval of such redefinitions. Had they not done so, they would have voted for more conservative leaders who in turn, would not have changed our laws as they have done.
Don’t Ask—Don’t Tell is in the news today. Yet there are a host of other evolving changes going on in our society right under our noses. You owe it to yourself to read Shadow Truth: The Ultimate Deception by Larry J. Tate. Go to http://www.shadowtruthbook.com/ for ordering information. It may be the best decision you ever made.
There is one interesting phobia however, that deserves your close attention: Homophobia-The fear of homosexuality or of becoming homosexual. “So what?” you may say. “I don’t fear homosexuality, and I certainly don’t fear that I’ll become a homosexual, therefore I’m not homophobic.” This all sounds perfectly logical, so what’s the problem?
It’s a bigger problem than you might think. Look up homophobia in the dictionary and you might find a different definition. First, let’s try Merriam-Webster. Go to http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/homophobia and see what it says about homophobia. The dictionary seems to add a little bit to the meaning of homophobia. Instead of simply fearing homosexuality, the dictionary suggests that homophobia is an irrational fear of homosexuality, an aversion to homosexuality, and discrimination against homosexuality. So, if you happen to think of homosexuality in a manner that some would consider to be irrational, you are homophobic.
Another modern viewpoint of homophobia is offered by Wikipedia. Go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homophobia and see what it has to say about the fear of homosexuality. This definition of homophobia suggests that it is an irrational intolerance of homosexuality which is outside the bounds of traditional gender role expectations. Wikipedia expands even further beyond the simple fear of homosexuality. It suggests that homophobia covers a full range of negative attitudes and feelings toward homosexuality, including antipathy, contempt, prejudice, aversion and finally an irrational fear. Still not through, it states that homophobia is not unlike racism, anti-Semitism and bigotry.
Suddenly, according to modern definitions, you may qualify as a homophobe. If homosexuality is adverse to your way of living, or if you believe only in the traditional gender role of heterosexuality, or even if you are prone to publically express arguments that heterosexuality is the right and proper lifestyle, then you are a homophobe. You are no better than such low-life’s as racists, anti-Semites and bigots.
What is wrong here? Dozens and dozens of listed phobias refer to a simple fear of some particular situation. But when it comes to homophobia, virtually anything outside of love and promotion of the homosexual lifestyle is considered to be homophobia. Not being able to express your own position against this lifestyle is like not being permitted to state your position against drug abuse.
This is a good time to sit up and take notice of the shows on TV, and of those people who are reporting on homosexuality. You will find the term, Homophobe used rather frequently. If you pay close attention to the context of these statements, you will discover that anything short of complete acceptance and support of homosexuality is labeled as homophobia. We as a society, are being indoctrinated to accept a new and evolving definition of homophobia.
“Well, it’s not me,” you might say. “I’m not accepting those new definitions, and I’m not about to support that lifestyle.” Are you sure? Are you making your voice heard?
In the news today, is talk of repealing of the military’s Don’t ask—Don’t tell policy. First, let’s go back to the history of this policy. Since the early 1900’s service men have been discharged from the military if it was found that they were homosexuals. Later, the discharges were differentiated. In the 1940’s, service men who were found to be homosexuals, were discharged as undesirables. If those homosexual men happened to be actually be engaging in homosexual activities, they were dishonorably discharged.
Then in 1993, President Clinton signed the Don’t ask—Don’t tell policy into law. Under this new law, homosexuals in the military became acceptable. The Pentagon’s new policy guidelines stated that: Sexual orientation will not be a bar to service unless manifested by homosexual conduct. The military will discharge members who engage in homosexual conduct, which is defined as a homosexual act, a statement that the member is homosexual or bisexual, or a marriage or attempted marriage to someone of the same gender.
With the stroke of a pen, our nation began its trip down the road toward acceptance, sensitivity and finally promotion of the homosexual lifestyle. “But that policy still did not permit open homosexuality in the military,” you might say. That’s true, but there’s still a big problem with that policy. Our nation would not have stood for outright opening the doors to homosexuals. So, this was one of Shadow Truth’s baby steps toward the promotion of homosexuality. People’s opinions cannot change overnight, but over time, anything is possible. For many years, homosexuality was outright denied access to the military. However, intolerance gradually evolved into acceptance. By the year 1993, 44 percent of Americans supported the idea that homosexuals could openly serve in the military. By 2008, a whopping 75 percent of Americans approved of that policy. What about Christians? What do they think? In 2009, the Don’t ask—Don’t tell policy was favored by 60 percent of weekly churchgoers. In the short 16 years since President Clinton signed Don’t ask—Don’t tell into law, a new generation of Americans has been raised in an atmosphere of greater acceptance. Even among older Americans, views of homosexuality have softened. So, with the support of favorable polls, and to standing applause by his listeners, President Obama promised the Democratic National Committee to abolish “don’t ask, don’t tell.”
Little by little, step by step, and inch by inch, we have redefined homophobia. Political Correctness has singled out one phobia among dozens of other phobias, and changed its definition. The Christian majority has given its implied approval of such redefinitions. Had they not done so, they would have voted for more conservative leaders who in turn, would not have changed our laws as they have done.
Don’t Ask—Don’t Tell is in the news today. Yet there are a host of other evolving changes going on in our society right under our noses. You owe it to yourself to read Shadow Truth: The Ultimate Deception by Larry J. Tate. Go to http://www.shadowtruthbook.com/ for ordering information. It may be the best decision you ever made.
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