Can one be against homophobia, sexism and religious intolerance?

Recent discussions on this forum have reminded me of the dichotomy of tolerance.

I'm heterosexual but I feel compelled to support the rights of homosexuals to be treated as true equals in our society.

I'm a man, but I feel very strongly that it is essential that women are treated as full equals.

I'm an atheist, but I feel compelled to support the rights of people of faith to follow said faith. I tend to extend this to non-religious belief systems as well.

When a person of faith tells me that their god(s) demand either that homosexuals are evil and should not be tolerated, or that women are not our equals and we are entitled and required to apply different rules to them than we do to ourselves I feel stuck.

When cornered I find myself compromising religious tolerance in favour of the other 2, but that compromise always makes me feel like I have failed. Looking back, I have sometimes avoided such debates so as to avoid that awkward choice.

Perhaps the time has come to set minimum criteria for tolerance in order to be tolerated.

After all, if I show too much tolerance to the intolerant am I not automatically being intolerant myself by endorsing said intolerance by my silence.

Things get even more confusing when dealing with religious people who are themselves, on the basis of their religion, guilty of religious intolerance.

However, since anybody reading this has probably now developed a decent headache, I'll leave it there.

 

I'm heterosexual but I feel compelled to support the rights of homosexuals to be treated as true equals in our society.

I'm a man, but I feel very strongly that it is essential that women are treated as full equals.

I'm an atheist, but I feel compelled to support the rights of people of faith to follow said faith. I tend to extend this to non-religious belief systems as well.

 

I'm with you on all three points, the only difference being that I vacillate between believing in God and not.

I confront people on being wrong on all accounts. I had a muslim friend who found out the hard way that making sexist jokes was not on. When people post about anti-gay or anti-islam on my FB they hear about it. My belief is tolerance in equal measures.

I confront people on being wrong on all accounts. I had a muslim friend who found out the hard way that making sexist jokes was not on. When people post about anti-gay or anti-islam on my FB they hear about it. My belief is tolerance in equal measures.

How do you deal with somebody who justifies anti-islamicism on the basis that they see Islam as sexist and homophobic?

How do you deal with somebody who justifies anti-islamicism on the basis that they see Islam as sexist and homophobic?

If that is their opinion, than so be it, I will tell them that being anti-islamic is just as bad as muslims being sexist or homophobic (in my experience few are by the way).

If that is their opinion, than so be it, I will tell them that being anti-islamic is just as bad as muslims being sexist or homophobic (in my experience few are by the way).

And if such a person (let's say for the sake of argument, a lesbian) were to tell you that by refusing to denounce Islam, you're endorsing it's stance on homosexuals and the role of women?

I don't want to get too far down the road with this idea that I'm targeting Islam specifically. It's not hard to find quotes in either the old or new testaments of the bible which are sexist or homophobic.

---------- Post added 04-07-2015 at 21:14 ----------

Follow up:

I've been thinking and I realise I have no problem at all denouncing the BNP outright because I find their ideas racist and sexist.

Why is it then that I feel uncomfortable, to the point where I honestly can't bring myself to do it, with the idea of denouncing a religious sect for exactly the same thing?

And if such a person (let's say for the sake of argument, a lesbian) were to tell you that by refusing to denounce Islam, you're endorsing it's stance on homosexuals and the role of women?

 

I don't want to get too far down the road with this idea that I'm targeting Islam specifically. It's not hard to find quotes in either the old or new testaments of the bible which are sexist or homophobic.

 

---------- Post added 04-07-2015 at 21:14 ----------

 

Follow up:

I been thinking and I realise I have no problem at all denouncing the BNP outright because I find their ideas racist and sexist.

Why is it then that I feel uncomfortable, to the point where I honestly can't bring myself to do it, with the idea of denouncing a religious sect for exactly the same thing.

Because you have very likley been conditioned to feel like that.

Intolerance of intolerance is intolerance, Intolerance of Islam is however more understandable than intolerance of BNP. One group has killed millions over opinions, gender and sexuality and the other hasn't.

i smell yet another islamophobic thread

i smell yet another islamophobic thread

Really?

I think you should have your GP check out your nose.

I don't suppose there's any chance that you'll respond to the actual points we're making rather than making inferences.

And if such a person (let's say for the sake of argument, a lesbian) were to tell you that by refusing to denounce Islam, you're endorsing it's stance on homosexuals and the role of women?

 

I don't want to get too far down the road with this idea that I'm targeting Islam specifically. It's not hard to find quotes in either the old or new testaments of the bible which are sexist or homophobic.

 

---------- Post added 04-07-2015 at 21:14 ----------

 

Follow up:

I've been thinking and I realise I have no problem at all denouncing the BNP outright because I find their ideas racist and sexist.

Why is it then that I feel uncomfortable, to the point where I honestly can't bring myself to do it, with the idea of denouncing a religious sect for exactly the same thing?

I'm not endorsing any discrimination, people are people. Some need more educating than others and I do not back off from a discussion (as you know ).