WESTERN RELIGIOUS WARFARE
ON CULTURES AROUND THE GLOBE:
DESTROYING NATURAL VALUES

 

When European settlers began to travel and discover new lands, they made sure to bring their delusional religion along with them. Christianity forced its way into early societies of the world including the Roman Empire, and has since been on a mission to convert, control, and corner people all over the world. Romans then passed on Christianity to places like Britain. The British Empire, heavily influenced by Roman Catholicism, eventually erected the Church of England, which marked the start of a Protestant Reformation. Evangelicalism, a Protestant movement, found widespread success in both North America and the British Isles starting in the 18th century. Still a prevalent form of Christianity today that is still a part of Western society, its conservative influence on cultures worldwide has been nothing but destructive.

Britain, like several other European nations, invaded and conquered a number of other areas and countries and certainly engrained their Christian teachings into every land they set foot in. Britain, a Christian empire, managed to push their way religiously into places like India, Africa, and the Americas, not just after goods and wealth but on a religious rampage to convert the world's people into Bible-drones without any say in their personal lives. With their forced spread of the Christian religion also came the spread of ideologies that promote sexism, racism, and extreme, deadly homophobia. They have attempted to overthrow natural history with their false religion, pretending that homosexuality is some kind of abomination that did not occur in various parts of the world since the dawn of civilization.

 

PROGRESS (OR LACK THEREOF) IN THE UNITED STATES

Over the past decade, the United States has seen great improvements in the battle for equality and to end discrimination based on sexuality. But it's no secret that we have a long, long way to go before a true era of equality is reached. Currently, a total of 17 states, including the District of Columbia have the freedom to marry same-sex couples, while others at least allow civil unions or domestic partnership status (Freedom to Marry). It's an amazing leap forward, but it is dragged down by the reality that 29 states currently uphold bans on same-sex marriages and civil unions (Wikipedia). According to a Gallup poll from 2011, it was noted that 78% of American adults identified with some form of Christianity, a statistic that is undoubtedly connected to the number of U.S. citizens who continuously oppose gay rights with the only reason being the Bible. Christianity played a huge role in the formation of early America and in all of Western civilization, with Catholic and Protestant beliefs dominating the societies of the Americas and European countries. Two branches of Christianity that are not even sex-friendly when it comes to heterosexual relationships had the power to shape and control early civilizations with ideas that still dominate today's society, so it is no wonder why the equality movement is never on a consistent, progressive path.

 

WESTERN-BORN HOMOPHOBIA IN AFRICA LEADS TO DEADLY LEGISLATION

In many African nations, being gay is exactly the same as being a mercenary. Many assume that the West pushed homosexuality to Africa, but the reality is that prior to Christianity infecting the continent, gay and lesbian relationships were normal part of the culture. What the West did bring to Africa was something much more diabolical: the view that gays were sinful, demonic people, and that they deserved no rights and no mercy. Donna Smith, a member of the Coalition of African Lesbians, was quoted in 2006 saying, "What is un-African is homophobia. Some people believe homosexuality is an idea brought here by the white man. But it has always been here. What the white man brought was homophobia clothed in religious doctrines that we did not have before. (Fox News)"

 

PRE-CHRISTIAN TOLERANCE OF HOMOSEXUALITY IN AFRICA

Though many hyper-religious characters in Africa take offense when it is mentioned that homosexual relationships were once a part of the continent's ancient history, the truth remains that they were, and gay culture was not forced upon Africa by any outside influence.

 

CURRENT CRISIS IN UGANDA

In Uganda, gay men and lesbian women of the country have been completely overwhelmed with terror and death, following the very recent decision by Ugandan president Yoweri Museveni to sign into law an anti-gay bill. While conditions were already dangerous for Uganda's LGBT community, things have taken a turn for the absolute worse with the introduction of the new law. Originally proposed in 2009, the bill included a death penalty for any person deemed to be gay. When Britain and several other nations threatened to put a stop to Ugandan aid, the bill was pushed to the side, only temporarily (CNN). After replacing the death penalty clause with something a little more humane - life in prison for displaying "aggravated homosexuality" - the law was passed in December 2013. This year, the new bill is a lot more barbaric. The new Anti-Homosexuality Bill toughens the punishments for Ugandan citizens found to be gay, and also includes punishments for Ugandans who engage in same-sex relationships outside the country (Wikipedia). When did human understanding take such a sickening turn? From where did an entire country get the idea that being homosexual is equivalent to being a criminal subhuman? Oh, yeah... American Evangelicals. And the reach of the American religious lunacy has not just infected Uganda, but other African nations as well.

Gay sex is banned in 38 out of 54 of Africa's countries (Washington Post). So while it's no surprise that homosexuality is not widely accepted in those regions, the extent of hatred and the media circus surrounding the issue has roots that extend far outside of Africa. The impact of American Evangelicals is massive and deadly, not just in the States but abroad. The work of Western-bred Evangelicals has fueled the fire of homophobia to an extent that nobody saw coming. It is not uncommon for a gay male or lesbian living in Uganda to have their name, place of work, and address published in a local tabloid, a signal for the "straight" citizens of these areas to go beat, harass, or kill the named individuals (USA Today). Had American Evangelicals kept their views here in the states, it is safe to say that the amount of homosexual intolerance in these African countries would be nowhere near as intense as it is today.

 

 

SEVERE PENALTIES IN NIGERIA AND BEYOND

In Nigeria, the highest punishment for being convicted of gay sex is death by stoning. Is that what their God truly believes is the best answer? In January 2014, Nigerian president Goodluck Johnathan signed the Same-Sex Marriage Prohibition Act. The law contains harsh punishments for unmarried gays as well, threatening a 14-year prison sentence for anybody caught in a homosexual relationship (Washington Post). Scorned by the United Nations and the European Union, the terrible new law has been praised by Nigerian citizens. Cheering on death, harassment and violence, many Nigerians who approve of the law say that it "reflects the religious and cultural preferences of the Nigerian people (Al Jazeera)." Many claim that the new law is part of an ongoing battle to keep Western culture out of Nigeria, even though they are obviously embracing the gay-hating views of their American Evangelical colleagues.

Zimbabwe's view on homosexuality is not much friendlier, although their constitution claims to promote equality and non-discrimination (Inter Press Service). Same-sex relationships between males have been outlawed by legislation dating back to British colonial times, and the government has been carrying out campaigns against both gay men and lesbians since the early 1990s. Sexual relationships between either two men or two women are both deemed criminal in Zimbabwe, under their anti-sodomy laws. Any act that they see as "unnatural" can be punished. Their president, Robert Mugabe, has no mercy toward the gay community, as he has publicly declared that homosexuals should be rounded up by police and submitted for prosecution (Washingon College of Law). Since 1987, he has lead campaigns against the gay community in Zimbabwe. In 1989, Mugabe made it known that he views gay individuals as sick creatures who are more barbaric than animals: "It degrades human dignity. It's unnatural, and there is no question ever of allowing these people to behave worse than dogs and pigs. If dogs and pigs do not do it, why must human beings? We have our own culture, and we must re-dedicate ourselves to our traditional values that make us human beings. … What we are being persuaded to accept is sub-animal behavior and we will never allow it here. If you see people parading themselves as Lesbians and Gays, arrest them and hand them over to the police! (Wikipedia)"

 

WESTERN INFLUENCE PUSHES A ONCE-TOLERANT INDIA TO REINSTATE A BAN ON GAY SEX

India, a country known historically for its wide embrace of different religions and cultures, shocked the world when its Supreme Court revived an antiquated ban on gay sex that originated in 1861. The law, created during British rule of India, includes a ten-year prison term for gay intercourse - - or what the law itself described as "carnal intercourse against the order of nature with any man, woman or animal (New York Times)." The Indian Supreme Court has also rejected several appeals to the ban, including those proposed by their government and gay rights groups.

In December 2013, the court overturned a Delhi High Court judgment from 2009 that decriminalized homosexual relationships, stating that only parliament had the right to adjust section 377 - the law that now plagues India's gay community with fear and injustice (TIME). The law banning homosexuality was previously not enforced, though it is said that police would often use it as an excuse to harass gay men and women. Though it is a country that upholds high (and very specific) standards when it comes to marriage and roles in society, India has a history of encouraging its people to embark on their own journey, personally, spiritually and religiously. So why is it now that outdated anti-gay laws are being reinforced? Western culture is, again, the culprit.

Influence of Western civilization on India began in the early 19th century when the British established a colony in their country (Srikanth Reddy). While it does not dominate or replace core fundamentals of Indian culture, Western influence does push India's society to acknowledge ideas and values that it previously may not have encountered. Homosexuality was never considered a "good" thing in Indian culture, though the country's growing hatred for the LGBT community is no coincidence.

 

DELIVERING ANTI-GAY VIEWS AS "PRO-FAMILY" TO RUSSIA

In the summer of 2013, President Vladimir Putin of Russia signed a law that bans the "propaganda of nontraditional sexual relations to minors (Policy Mic). In basic terms, it is illegal to teach children about homosexuality. They believe this is a way of keeping Christian family values intact. A mainly conservative country, Russia has long been an opposing force for the LGBT community. There have been numerous bans on gay pride parades in cities like Moscow, and gay rights groups in Russia have been charged with acting as a "foreign agent." In order to keep up the promotion of good old family values, the country enacted a ban in early 2014 stating that same-sex couples are banned from adopting children (CNN).

As with many anti-gay oppressors of African countries, the surge of homophobic legislation in Russia is said to be linked to efforts to refuse the culture of the West, ironically. Some Russians feel that pro women and pro-gay groups are Western inventions that should not be imposed on Russian society (The Nation).

 

NATIVE AMERICAN ACCEPTANCE OF HOMOSEXUALITY:  A NATURAL VIEW

The early tribes of Native Americans in the United States forcibly had Christianity imposed upon their lives by European invaders. Previous to any Western ideologies of Christ of the Bible, the indigenous religions of the American Indians flourished and many still do today, as a result of many tribes refusal to adapt to the foreign religion. Their religions centered mainly around the natural world and the supernatural. However, after Europeans forced many tribes to embrace their imported, unnatural religion, some staples of Christianity soon found their way into Native American religion. For example, depictions of Jesus Christ often appear in peyote rituals of the Native American Church (Wikipedia). However, Native Americans have successfully blocked one key aspect of Western Christian spirituality from blemishing their earthly traditions - - homophobia.

Traditionally, Native Americans have always been open to non-binary genders and LGBT relationships. Instead of focusing on the sexuality of an individual, the focus lies instead on the spiritual gifts of a person. Contrary to Christian propaganda, a person who lies outside of the gender norm is considered a gift in many Indian cultures. People who do not fall directly into either a male or female category but are androgynous (including transgendered) are considered blessed, not as inhuman animals like the Christian Church would like you to believe. The native belief is that a person who is androgynous is a two-spirit person, containing both male and female energy. Over the years, the term two-spirit came to mean more than just an androgynous or transgender individual, also describing gays and lesbians as well (Wikipedia).

Evidence of male two-spirits has made it clear that such people were associated with over 150 Native American tribes. There were also female two-spirits, and both have always been highly respected in indigenous American tribes (Huffington Post). With Western culture ever-looming, however, there have been a few cases in which two-spirit people have been disrespected or harassed in Native communities. With growing anti-gay campaigns in the country serving as roadblocks to progress, it seems now that even a culture that has always embraced sexual equality is now apart of the wave of people that must continue to fight for their basic human rights.

 

PROMOTING DELIBERATE HATRED UNDER THE VEIL OF "GOOD CHRISTIAN VALUES"

On television, Americans see these religious groups overseas that are apparently building houses, funding the poor and cleaning water for people who would otherwise have no access to it. This is an absolute cover-up for the true motivation of reaching out to outside countries. While not all Christian groups are to blame for the wave of inhuman violence taking place in African countries, the Evangelicals are indeed to blame for speeding along the spread of such violent, criminalizing views against gays. A documentary film titled God Loves Uganda debuted in 2013, a ploy by Evangelical groups to "bring Jesus" to Uganda (Humanosphere). The film did much more than simply talk about the Garden of Eden and rapture. What it did succeed in was furthering Africans' discomfort and anger surrounding the gay issue. It seems as though Evangelicals realized that they were wasting their breath in trying to convince the entire United States to follow suit and obstruct efforts to legalize gay marriage, so they branched out to countries that previously had no other influence on the issue in attempts to plant the seed of their backwards, bigoted thinking. This ongoing crusade to demonize gay people and LGBTQIA culture is not just a deep-rooted hatred of gays, but also an attempt to divert the attention away from issues that truly matter such as the economy.

 

 

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