USA, October, 2010 (by Ramdas Lamb): In the August, 2010 ruling which overturned California’s Proposition 8 banning same-sex marriage, a witness asserted, ‘Religion is the chief obstacle for gay and lesbian political progress.’ Why does religion play such a central role in debates about homosexuality?
The first question that should to be addressed is ‘What functions do sex and sexuality play in our lives?’ For many people, these have central roles that influence nearly every other aspect of their lives. For many others, they are relatively minimal. The second question is the more problematic one, at least for religious minded people, ‘What determines if and when sex is a good or a bad activity?’
Within the Hindu tradition, two of the key criteria for determining whether or not an activity is right or wrong are: 1) Does the activity cause anyone harm? and 2) Can the activity bring one closer to realization of the divine?
Add to this the belief that most Hindus hold in the concept ‘live and let live.’ The result is a general tolerance for a wide range of lifestyles and forms of loving and living. Of course, not all Hindus are unanimous on this point. Nevertheless, most Hindus understand that focusing on one’s own lifestyle and actions is far more important and necessary for spiritual growth than worrying about what others are doing. There are far more important issues and individuals with which religious minded people should be concerned, such as those who choose to hate and perpetuate violence.
See also Aseem Shukla’s post on this subject here.