Four facts about religion and homosexuality

What is the relationship between religion and homosexuality?
What the major religions say about same-sex unions.
4 religions and their views on LGBTQIA+ rights.

Four facts about religion and homosexuality! Throughout the centuries, homosexual people have been persecuted because of their identity, gender or sexual orientation.

Ignorance has led to people’s rights being violated, often in the name of religion.

Currently, the most predominant faiths of the East and the West hold sometimes conflicting views regarding the integration of the LGBTQIA+ community into organized religion.

Learn how Catholicism, Judaism, Protestantism, and Islam have changed their views of homosexuality over the years.

Religion and Homosexuality: Catholicism

In January 2023, Pope Francis declared that homosexuality was not a crime and that, as children of God, people who are part of the LGBTQIA+ community deserve the same support, love, and acceptance as heterosexual people.

However, the position of the Catholic Church regarding the issue has not always been the same. At some point in its history, homosexuality was considered a moral sin that had no place in religion.

Although the Catholic Church currently does not recognize the spiritual value of same-sex unions, it has made a call to respect the dignity of all people, strongly condemning the persecution and discrimination of the LGBT community.

Some activist groups have encouraged a more constructive dialogue between the Church and the LGBT community.

Christianity and Protestantism

There is still a long way to go to achieve acceptance by all members of an organized religion.

In many religions, same-sex relationships are not only unrecognized, but are seen as a shameful, something that puts LGBTQIA+ people who want to be members of a church in a vulnerable position.

In religions like Mormonism, homosexuality is recognized as a part of people’s identity.

Mormons don’t consider identifying as part of the LGBT community a sin, but acting on it is.

Islam and homosexuality

However, they strongly reject any type of persecution, discrimination or conversion therapy, recognizing that people do not choose their same-sex attraction.

Of all the religions, perhaps Islam has the harshest view of homosexuality.

It is seen as a sin and as a taboo subject that must be condemned with various punishments, including the death penalty. This varies in different cultures.

In various parts of the world where Islam is the predominant religion, there is persecution of people who identify as LGBTQIA+, and certain practices are punishable by death. Although homosexuality is condemned, gender transition is not.