Stonewall's latest report, Love Thy Neighbour, sheds some interesting insight into the attitudes of homosexuality amongst the religious faithful.  According to the new research, based on interviews with Jewish, Muslim, Hindu and Christian participants from across the north of England, many faith leaders inadequately reflect their followers' religious objections to lesbian and gay sexuality. 

Image courtesy of Flickr user kudzu attack.

Researchers from the Univesity of Leeds, who conducted the research, found that normal, everyday religous followers believe that the "perceived tension" between faith and sexual orientation is primarily dominated by aggression and sensationalism when discussed in public.  In addition, many participants felt that levels of respect between faith communities and gay communities are overlooked.

Ben Summerskill, Stonewall Chief Executive, said: "Witnessing the saddening divisions in the Church of England demonstrated at this week's Lambeth Conference, it's telling that so many people of faith say they actually live, work and socialise with lesbian and gay people, and that significantly reduces negative ideas about difference.  Many Chrisitans, Jews, Muslims and Hindus are clearly markedly more moderate than we are often allowed to believe.  The stark conclusion to draw when it comes to religion and homosexuality is that it may be time to start listening to the voices of the many people of faith in Britain which have until now not been heard enough."

New legal protections for lesbian and gay people, such as civil partnerships, are having a 'civilising effect' on British society.  It was also suggested that the increased acceptance of gay people on a national and political level has also had a positive impact on attitudes at a local level.  This statement goes hand in hand with the findings of Living Together, a YouGov survey of 2,000 people published by Stonewall in 2007, which found that 84 per cent of people who identified as religious disagreed with the statement 'homosexuality is morally unacceptable in all circumstances.'

Participants of the research made a number of recommendations to the interviewers.  They included acknowledging that gay people of faith exist and listening to the quieter voices from within fatih communities, rather than just those who 'make the most noise'.  They also suggested that organisations working towards community cohesion should make more effort to listen to all people of faith, not just claimed religious leaders.

Interviewees also suggested that a more pro-active approach to teaching respect in schools was needed.  Stonewall's School Report in 2007 found that 75 per cent of young lesbian and gay people currently attending faith schools have experienced homophobic bullying - ten per cent higher than the figure for non faith-based schools.

Further details of the report can be found here.

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Article by Eleni Henderson