BEEP! BEEP! IT'S ME.

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Monday, February 05, 2007

"Gay Music For Gay Ears"


I came across this website the other day. A religious website which claims that certain groups or artists are to be treated with suspicion because they promote homosexuality. From the website: - "One of the most dangerous ways homosexuality invades family life is through popular music. Parents should keep careful watch over their children's listening habits." Some of the artists and groups listed include: Ravi Shankar, Bjork, Cole Porter, Marilyn Manson, The Doors, Queen, Metallica, The Village People, The Rolling Stones, David Bowie, Frankie Goes to Hollywood, Depeche Mode, Ani DiFranco, George Michael, Madonna, Elton John, Melissa Etheridge, Eminmen, Nirvana and Boy George etc etc. It is quite a long list and many of the individuals and groups listed don't seem to have an obvious connection with homosexuality, so perhaps they are listed "just in case."

How do you promote homosexuality through music? Well, you could sing about your sexuality I suppose. Do many musicians sing about being homosexual? I can't think of one song where someone sings explicitly about their homosexuality. There are probably some out there, but I don't know of any. But then, I have never really understood the freak-out that many religious groups have with homosexual people. Perhaps the origin of this phobia is based on the religious notion that men should sow their seed where it can produce fruit, a theory I have discussed previously, as it is inevitably homosexual men with whom religious groups have a problem. Rarely do they come out with such ferocity concerning homosexual women. Nonetheless, I don't have a dog in this fight as I am neither a homosexual male nor a homosexual woman. But what I do have is a desire that people are accepted on their merits regardless of their homosexuality or heterosexuality.

Everytime a religious person speaks out vehemently against homosexuality, they are in essence, demanding that everyone's sexual life comply with their religious faith. Do people have the right to demand this? Not if they live in a secular society they don't. What they have is the right to live according to their personal religious beliefs, NOT the right to demand that everyone else comply with their religious beliefs. So the right to live and act according to one's personal religious beliefs is protected, and so it should be. But there is NO right to demand societal compliance BECAUSE of one's religious beliefs.

I think that Oliver Holmes best expresses this idea of rights with this quote: - "The right to swing my fist ends where the other man's nose begins." In other words, your right to a religious belief ends before it smacks me in the nose. As soon as my nose gets bloodied, you have overstepped the mark. And the converse is true also. Secular laws which protect homosexuals from harrassment and violence do not require religious groups to approve of homosexuality. What the laws DO require them to do is to desist from terrorising homosexuals because their sexuality does not comply with the antagonist's religious faith. For your right to a religious belief does NOT include the right to demand that everyone else's actions must comply with your religious belief.

So let's get back to these artists and musical groups which supposedly are a "danger" to the morality of religious people and their children. These groups obviously promote the "gay experience" simply by existing and producing music which 9 times out of 10 says absolutely NOTHING about their homosexuality anyway. This "propensity for gayness" must be transferable by auditory means to the helpless ear canals of innocent children in ways in which science is unfamilar.

The reality is somewhat more simple. It isn't the music which offends religious people. It isn't the song which offends these people. What offends them is the fact that these homosexual people exist and that they are successful. Afterall, if you believe that your book tells you that homosexuality is a sin and therefore should be punished, these people have NO right to be successful, wealthy, healthy or happy. Everyday there are homosexual artists who break this tenet of religious belief. How dare they be successful when god says their actions are sinful? Successful homosexuals fly in the face of religious people's expectations and desires for them. Their success sticks in the religious craw and they can't stand it.

Don't we admire successful people in our cultures? Sure we do. But religious people only admire people whom they deem worthy of success according to their religious beliefs. Well, today we are going to celebrate those groups and artists which are successful regardless of their homosexuality or their heterosexuality. I am going to celebrate their right to expression, even if what they express isn't what YOU want to hear. That's right, ALL music doesn't have to comply with your religious tastes. Get used to it. Say hello to some gay musical icons.

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Homophobic Christian Rock

I just had to add this video to the post. Thanks to Five Public Opinions for bringing it to my attention. The song is openly anti-gay and openly pro-christianity. The lyrics comprise this little gem: - "Cause being gay is nothing but a choice."

If sexuality is a preference which we choose, that means that not only do people choose to be gay, but that people choose to be heterosexual. Try telling Billy Bob from Alabamy that he is just choosing to be heterosexual and that he might really prefer to be gay, and see how many teeth you have left afterwards. Another lyrical gem is "God hates fags." and "If you're a fag, he hates you too." This is exactly what I was talking about when I said that religious people do not have the right to terrorize other people because their actions do not comply with their religious beliefs. But this is exactly what those words do. Christians should be ashamed of this video.

"Keep Your Jesus Off My Penis"

This seems like a suitable reply.

Link

20 Comments:

Blogger Greg said...

The continuing bigotry openly shown toward homosexuals is astounding. I hope someday these establishments that propogate bigotry and prejudice are forced by their own shame to hang their heads and admit their mistakes. If not in my lifetime maybe in my son's.

5/2/07 2:07 pm  
Blogger The Old Stooge said...

I've often said that I can't be gay, as none of those musicians appeal to me, and some downright make me want to give up on music entirely.

5/2/07 2:57 pm  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Sex, sex, sex. While I have no proof, it seems to me that we all go through that awkward "icky" stage regarding sex. The theist seems never to grow out of it. "Regular" sex is bad enough; homosexual sex, yikes! It must be wrong. Lets consult the babble?..... Yyyyep it's wrong alrighty. It is so difficult to understand theists.

There have been several posts recently calling homosexuality a choice, which is yet another head-scratcher for me. Could I choose to be gay? Not possible, even with the perks.

5/2/07 3:42 pm  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

There seem to be many prejudices that come standard with theists and the bible, but this one stands out at the top of the list by a long shot.

5/2/07 3:58 pm  
Blogger Krystalline Apostate said...

Gah! I hate this sorta garbage...
It reminds me of that nincompoop who tried to sue Ozzie Osbourne, 'cause he claimed his son committed suicide after listening to his music.
Bloody hell. If your kid is so easily swayed by listening to music, I'd say you're not doing your job as a parent.
Pathetic it is.
Theists'll bloody well say anything to justify their bigotry.

5/2/07 5:33 pm  
Blogger Arthur_Vandelay said...

Can you promote homophobia through music?

5/2/07 8:40 pm  
Blogger Rev. BigDumbChimp said...

I think this guy was shown to be a Parody.

6/2/07 1:37 am  
Blogger Larry Gambone said...

After reading about Ted Nugent and his breech clout, and having Frank Sinatra on the list, I am convinced that it is a parody. Here are two other parody fundie sites for a laugh.
http://www.geocities.com/vcmtalk/ANTISEXLEAGUE.html
http://www.angelfire.com/on4/calebhamer/

6/2/07 4:27 am  
Blogger Buzz Stephens said...

Speaking of Judy Garland, there is a popular new group on Yahoo called JUDY GARLAND EXPERIENCE. They have amazing audio files, photo's lively discussions, and more!
The membership is incredible. It features Judy's family members, her biographers, old and new fans, people who saw her perform, people from all walks of life!
http://movies.groups.yahoo.com/group/thejudygarlandexperience/

6/2/07 4:52 am  
Blogger pissed off patricia said...

This has got to be some kind of joke. It just has to be. Even if it isn't, how the hell did I remain straight after listening to Queen as many times as I have?

6/2/07 7:40 am  
Blogger Coffee Messiah said...

The OWHolmes quote says it all! ; )

6/2/07 8:01 am  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Parody or not, it perfectly sums up the attitude of the vast majority of people I used to attend church with...

6/2/07 8:41 am  
Blogger beepbeepitsme said...

RE: parody

Yes, if it is a parody, unfortunately it does express the beliefs of many of the people who call themselves christians.

I have heard many christians say that sexuality is a choice and if that is so, it doesn't only apply to people "choosing" to be homosexual. It means that it also applies to people "choosing" to be heterosexual.

And as I said in the post, try telling the most overtly heterosexual man you know that he is only choosing to be heterosexual and that he might really prefer to be gay, and see what an expensive dental bill looks like.

6/2/07 9:28 am  
Blogger Simon said...

Hi Beep! Thanks for a beautiful post.And thanks for the gay selection :) I don't know about Prince...but I love K.D. Lang and Dusty Springfield!! I was very happy to see the British government draw a clear line in the sand over the Catholic adoption issue. Making it clear that in a secular society equality rights trump religious rights any old day. And equality for me also means living my life without EVER having to think of these superstitious hatemongers or their backward baloney.I willing to tolerate them as long as they don't enter into my airspace in any possible way. If they do of course I'm not shy about shooting them down... I can't help feeling that if these churchy bigots had stuck their noses into politics by going after any other group but us, they never would have been allowed to take up such a huge space in the public arena.Oh well....I just hope that list really is a parody...coz I just sent off an e-mail to my parents accusing them of making me gay by forcing me to listen to too much Ravi Shankar. Even if it didn't make me gay I can never forgive them for that...

6/2/07 1:33 pm  
Blogger Arthur_Vandelay said...

I think this guy was shown to be a Parody.

Rev, I've heard the same, but I can't find anything conclusive.

6/2/07 3:01 pm  
Blogger beepbeepitsme said...

As I mentioned, if it is a parody, it still expresses what many christians believe. They don't have the right to impose their religious beliefs on other people.

7/2/07 12:03 pm  
Blogger Dikkii said...

In this weird, post-structuralist world, it's hard to really develop an opinion on some stuff.

Particularly where the gay community are concerned - you have a small group who actively ape the stereotypes, another small group who actively parodies the stereotypes, and yet another small group who actively bag both of the previous groups for perpetuating the stereotypes. Then you have the vast majority in between.

Having said that, I'm going to go out on a limb and point out that this is too obvious to be for real.

The song is too ironic, the singer is far gay to the point of parody and the song too over the top. The bit about Jesus being the only man I love would be the clincher...

...if it weren't for Donnie's MySpace page.

And this blurb.

Nothing to be ashamed of if you fell for it - my ex-housemate was conviced that Landover Baptist was for real up until a couple of months ago.

8/2/07 9:39 pm  
Blogger beepbeepitsme said...

RE dikki

I am kind of relieved if it is a parody.

And of course, it is only a successful parody because there are christians and muslims who think exactly like the guy donnie suggests.

Thanks for adding some clarification to this issue.

9/2/07 8:54 am  
Blogger Dikkii said...

And of course, it is only a successful parody because there are christians and muslims who think exactly like the guy donnie suggests.

Exactly. Although, it might have been too successful, which can cause problems.

If we've been discussing whether this is legitimate or not, the fundies are probably lapping it up and thinking that it's totally for real.

I think I prefer my parody obvious - subtlety is lost on some people.

9/2/07 3:07 pm  
Blogger beepbeepitsme said...

RE dikki:

It would be hilarious if it was played at some church meeting for real, and then they found out that it was takin' the piss.

9/2/07 4:43 pm  

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