Homophobia?

UGH. I am so sick of seeing people abuse the concept of homophobia.

For starters, the very word "homophobia" is misleading. A phobia is an irrational fear of something, when clearly that is not (usually) what homophobia is about. Wikipedia defines homophobia as not only an "irrational fear of, aversion to, or discrimination against homosexuality or homosexuals", but "unreasoning fear of or antipathy toward homosexuals and homosexuality" and "fear of or contempt for lesbians and gay men".

But my primary reason for posting is not to contend the word's meaning itself, but how it is abused.

Christianity is not homophobic. And Christians should not be. I cannot say Christians are not homophobic, because that's like saying Australians are not racist. Some Australians are racist, that doesn't mean Australia as a whole advocates racism. In the same way, I'm sure some Christians are homophobic - that doesn't mean Christianity as a whole advocates homophobia.

Yes, the Christian bible clearly forbids homosexuality. Any Christian who believes otherwise has not read their bible or is fooling themselves. But it does not advocate mistreating homosexuals, judging them as worse than any other sinner (and the bible is pretty clear that everyone is a sinner), or whatever else homophobia may lead to. The bible never treats homosexuality as worse than any other sin like lying, cheating, drunkenness, stealing, whatever. Our opposition to homosexuality should not be taken as a rejection of homosexual people, just like our opposition to lying isn't to be taken as a rejection of liars.

The fact that Christianity does not accept homosexuality as ok or right does not mean we are out to treat homosexuals as worse than anyone else. Groups that try to suggest Christianity is homophobic because it calls homosexuality a sin are completely off-base.

People also need to stop saying "end discrimination" in regards to the Christian church not employing gay ministers. Discrimination is often necessary. It becomes bad depending on how and why you are discriminating. If you're discriminating against someone by firing them due to their skin colour then that's wrong, because skin colour does not affect a person's ability to do their job. But if a "Christian" is blatantly rejecting the laws established by the bible, then that suggests some pretty obvious inability to correctly interpret and teach the bible. Telling the Christian church they should allow homosexuals to become ministers - when their religion clearly says it's wrong - is like telling Jews they should allow an uncircumcised, bacon-eating guy to be a Rabbi, or telling Muslims they should allow an alcohol-drinking guy who rejects the Sharia to become a Sheikh. It's ridiculous.