Are Christians Culpable in Gay Teen Suicides?

Posted by Kevin Farrell on Sep 25, 2011 in Separation of Church & Prostate | 14 comments

Now that you’ve had a few days to cry your eyes out over the suicide of 14-year-old Jamey Rodemeyer after years of bullying (and one heartbreaking It Gets Better video in hindsight), it’s time to put some thought into a serious question:

Are Christians culpable in gay teen suicides?

(via John Shore)

http://www.facebook.com/bmzambrano Brayan Zambrano

In one word, yes. Without intending on offending anyone, I have to point out that many of the “morals” that people say their religion gives them are morals of the modern world. Their the interpretation of a 2000 year old text by a 21st century culture. If people did what their religion literally mandated them to do, situations like these would be the least of our worries by today’s standards.
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1548519117 Anthony John Woo

As a Christian who is an Ally, fully in support of LGBT rights (including, but not limited to, marriage) and a member of a Christian sect that openly supports, marries, and ordains people who are gay, women, or both (that would be the Episcopal church), I’d argue that the Christianity that you’re talking about is of the conservative “fundamentalist” brand that has little to do with the actual teachings of Christ.

While I won’t disagree that there are many high profile people out there using their “Christianity” to promote a bigoted, homophobic agenda that is hateful, horrifying, and dangerous, not every Christian is like that, and there are, in fact, entire denominations that actively and publicly work against that kind of hate crime, including, but not limited to the Episcopal Church, the United Methodist Church, and the Lutheran Church. Yes, there are “Christians” who are culpable in the deaths of these children, but that doesn’t include everyone who identifies themselves as a Christian.

Anonymous

Isn’t this the same tack we hear about Islam? Word for word. The problem here Anthony, and I mean this with all respect, is that it is then up to the rest of you to make some noise and get your house in order. Because quite frankly, “those” Christians think you’re the crazy one not following the “true” teachings of the bible. Where is the outrage over this? Where is the outrage over Catholic priests abusing children? Where are the thousands of “real” christians yelling and marching and taking back their religion? It’s not enough to just say they’re reading it wrong, because quite frankly, they are not. The bible is full of whatever each person wants to take away from it. From love and peace to bloodshed, rape and slavery. Just saying they’re not the “Real” Christians doesn’t get us anywhere. That’s just a pass down the field.
http://www.facebook.com/people/Joey-Mitchell/1406675470 Joey Mitchell

“Some Christians are and some Christians aren’t…” Respectfully, is this really a viable argument? People believe what they believe because of many different factors, including (but certainly not limited to) several facts… Fact 1 – our country, while not a “theocracy”, has a majority belief in Christianity so deeply embedded in our culture that even those non-believers still have this “feeling” that it’s wrong. For centuries, Christianity has further instilled a “fear of the different” mentality into the masses. Fact 2 – So-called “extremists” ARE the ones with all of the money and power. Joyce Meyers, Joel Osteen, Ted Haggard, James Dobson, etc… They have the money, they have the power, and they have THEIR interpretation of the “word of god” – full of hatred and bigotry – which is more dangerous than anything. Especially considering those looking into Christianity are given these people’s books as references! I could go on-and-on about this, but there is a point where you have to start acting as a cohesive unit and take responsibility for other member’s actions within your own group… While “your church” supports, “their churches” don’t – and yet both “sects” preach from the same book?
http://www.facebook.com/smileyeagle1021 Michael Smiley Gawthrop

Really, the United Methodist Church supports equal rights for gays and lesbians? That must explain why their ministers are telling congregants that it isn’t so much that God hates gays, but that gays are incompatible with God’s love, that God, an all powerful God, is incapable of loving gay people… I’m so glad that never actually happened, I must have just hallucinated sitting through that sermon (the last time I ever went to any Christian church).

http://www.facebook.com/people/Erica-Cook/100000628613592 Erica Cook

Not all, its extreamests. just like not all muslems go onto plains and crash them into buildings. One of my very good friends is a christian and is very accepting of me. She’s even tried to help me find someone and has said she is very much for same sex marriage.

PS
Sorry for the spelling I’m not doing well tonight and just don’t have the energy to look them up
http://www.facebook.com/Hamilin89 Thomas David Hamilton

Allow me weigh in on this issue, I do believe that Christians have just as much blame as the parents who allowed their children to keep spreading hate and intolerance, And I say/type this with the same face I do with my vlogs. Here is my reasoning, If an “organization” like the Christians (cause we all know they care more about more business and less about religion, but keep spouting BS) are in it to spread fear and hate to the masses who give them money to run campaigns against what is right and what this country was founded on EQUAL rights; then its those parents (of the teens in this care) who believe in this mombo jumbo crap that deserve the exact same treatment that the little boy who took his life to escape it. I’m sorry I am sick and tired of people saying its GODS plan for people to commit suicide ITS NOT, its not GODS plan when a mother kills her kids and then herself HE WAS CRAZY and needed help. ITS NOT GODS plan when a gay teen hangs himself/herself because he/she can’t escape the pain and torture. Do you want to know why its not GODS plan cause GOD DOESN’T EXIST.

http://www.facebook.com/people/Joey-Mitchell/1406675470 Joey Mitchell

Respectfully, this country wasn’t founded on equal rights. It was founded by slave-owners and land-stealer’s who said “All men are created equal”… It was founded on hypocrisy!

http://www.facebook.com/Hamilin89 Thomas David Hamilton

Allow me weigh in on this issue, I do believe that Christians have just as much blame as the parents who allowed their children to keep spreading hate and intolerance, And I say/type this with the same face I do with my vlogs. Here is my reasoning, If an “organization” like the Christians (cause we all know they care more about more business and less about religion, but keep spouting BS) are in it to spread fear and hate to the masses who give them money to run campaigns against what is right and what this country was founded on EQUAL rights; then its those parents (of the teens in this care) who believe in this mombo jumbo crap that deserve the exact same treatment that the little boy who took his life to escape it. I’m sorry I am sick and tired of people saying its GODS plan for people to commit suicide ITS NOT, its not GODS plan when a mother kills her kids and then herself HE WAS CRAZY and needed help. ITS NOT GODS plan when a gay teen hangs himself/herself because he/she can’t escape the pain and torture. Do you want to know why its not GODS plan cause GOD DOESN’T EXIST.
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100001438481000 Mia Johns

Unfortunately, because of the socio-religious climate in this country, the main fundamentalist problem we see in our everyday life is Christian fundamentalism. But there are fundamentalists in any religion. Just as there are sane, tolerant, loving people in any religion. You can’t discriminate based on religion really any more than you can on race, gender, or sexuality. I was raised Christian, and have seen the whole scale from Jesus Camp fundamentalism to progressive Catholicism in direct relation to my life. While the Christian faith is not something I particularly believe in, I don’t think it’s right to be “Christian-bashing”. Not trying to offend or upset anybody, just throwing my two cents in. <3.

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=14813321 Ashley Daniel

Thank you. Very well-said, Mia.

http://www.facebook.com/adamelohey Sevak Kirakosyan

I must say that also closeted gays filled with hatred for themselves are responsible, too. They sometimes are those who shout “Gays shall be burned” (I know one) and it’s not OK to be gay… a latent gay is one of the most terrifying products of an artificial society speaking about ‘natural’ and ‘unnatural’ and keeping a false morality in matters of sexuality…
http://www.facebook.com/people/Heather-DeFabis/100000396101693 Heather DeFabis

Christianity was written by homophobic men over two thousand years ago. That sacrament which homosexuals will burn in hell for all still lives on to this day. It preaches hate, fear and ostracization of homosexuals. Some ‘devout’ Christians will continue to perpetuate that hate and fear. Until that line is striken from the bible, like many other of it’s ’deleted scenes’, it will continue cause direct and indirect harm of these people.

There are other religions out there that are causing just as much damage against homosexuals, but here in the US, Christianity is one of the main sources.
http://www.facebook.com/people/Emily-Phillips/848844856 Emily Phillips

Maaan, this animation was trying really hard to drive it home, wasn’t it? This is… what’s that word… what’s that word when you decide an entire group of people is bad just because of the actions of a few? Oh, right. BIGOTRY.

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