homosexualityI’m supposing that the removal of religion from the question of homosexuality and morality greatly reduces the number of anti-gay atheists. Are there notable exceptions?
We often hear religious people try to coach their discussions about homosexuality in secular, biological arguments. I don’t think I’ve ever heard any atheists make the same claims (i.e. that homosexuality is unnatural and/or that its unnaturalness makes it immoral).
I have heard several atheists (on the internet, where else?) make a biological arguments for homophobia:
Gays are unnatural because the natural order means that animals want to reproduce. Gays violate this natural order and are an aberration of evolution.
Somehow they deduce from that not only that gays are not normal, but also that gay-hating is OK – or even necessary.
Needless to say, this crass misunderstanding (1) of evolution and (2) of how evolution is a description rather than a moral imperative is nauseating.
I would say that these atheists are a minority, and besides a misunderstanding of basic biology they must also be quite stupid so they probably didn’t arrive at atheism through intellectual reflection. But such atheists exist.
Where do you think homophobia came from, as an atheist? Presumably not from God. It seems more reasonable to suppose that it’s an innate response shared widely among sexually reproducing animals (be-sexually-attracted-to-the-opposite-sex, don’t-get-confused-by-the-same-sex) that has been picked up and amplified through social factors. (“I find it unappealing” -> “it is evil”.)
Consistent with this, homophobia has been common (though certainly not universal) throughout history.
Once one identifies it as probably one of those things that humans instinctively do, and as not equivalent to theism, one pretty much has to conclude that some atheists do it too. (Of course, it’s still reasonable to go look for evidence–the anti-homosexual policies of communist nations are a good example.)
In the book "Suspicion & Faith" by Westphal, he lays out the following:
Ronald Dworkin calls our attention to the suspicion that motivates [Rawls' theory of the "Veil of Ignorance"], the perceived need to filter out the self-deceptive self-interest which otherwise co-opts out moral discourse... "[Our morals are handed down by] powerful men and women who, whether they recognize it or not, have more concern and respect for members of a particular class, or people with particular talents or ideals than they have for others." Needless to say, the principles of "justice" that legitimize such "political arrangements" will be rationalizations rather than genuine moral insights.
He continues by explaining Alasdair MacIntyre:
...a broad specturm of our moral concepts... can be labeled as moral fictions... the rhetoric of revolution is often the venting of hatred and resentment, the rhetoric of property rights is often a thinly veiled defense of economic privilege, and the rhetoric of family is often an ironic expression of racism or homophobia [emphasis mine]
I do not wish to paint with too broad a stroke, and exclude the homophobic, racist, sexist atheists their time in the sun. I would shy away from even saying that an atheist is more likely to rationalize homosexual behavior in animals or gender/transsexual identity issues as a justification of homosexual behavior. However, it seems to me that the qualitative tendency is toward less rhetoric of family from atheist camps. I do not say this because there aren't family values oriented atheists, but rather because as atheists they are not pre-determined to fall into that category.
More side notes, than answers, but in comments there are to few layout possibilities.
Religious people are organized, while Atheists are mostly not. Therefore you’ll find overall very few atheistic claims, I guess.
If we count a nationalistic, communistic party and government as atheistic, and compare it to religious groups, we’re comparing apples and bananas. Those dictatorships wheren’t first and foremost atheistic, and didn’t claim to act ‘in the name of Atheism’ - whichever that should be.
But I go with Rex Kerr: People make religion, and people make homophobia. We aren’t immune.
Sometimes religion may be the cause of homophobia. But sometimes both religious behavior and homophobia are caused by trying to appeal to masses before elections. At least that’s how it works in my country. I am pretty sure many public religious gay haters are neither religious nor gay haters. They are just collecting votes.
Most communist governments were after homosexuals although they were supporting atheism.
I’m afraid I am not able to find any correlation between their atheism trumpeted around and the harsh measurements against homosexuals (and religions). I suppose it was just a sign of time. Today, the remaining communist governments are more comfortable with both religion and homosexuality.
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