They are a reflection of homophobia. Any society that thinks it is their right to interfere in people’s private behaviours will inevitably produce such atrocities. (Looking at you, India, with your homosexuality laws)
Religion does play a role in these things. All Abrahamic religions (Judaism, Christianity and Islam) have been particularly homophobic throughout history. Islam, funnily enough, was the most tolerant amongst the three a few hundred years ago. Hindu homophobia is a relatively new phenomenon. There’s no denunciation of homosexuality in any scriptures that I know of. Enlighten if I’m wrong.
It is wrong to claim that Christians are overall better in this regard. West is better and doesn’t suffer from Homophobia. Eastern Christians are as homophobic as their countrymen. It is the Classic Liberal values of allowing each individual to choose what they want that’s the cause of freedom for LGBTQ community in the West.
The refusal of Left to place any blame on religion is exasperating. The suspect’s father said that religion has nothing to do with it, and that the suspect saw some men kissing and was disturbed by that and that led to this barbarism. Tell me one thing, how does two men kissing cause violent thoughts in a person without religious indoctrination about how it is evil? The father, a Taliban supporter, while refuting religious motivation, is giving us the root of motivation which happens to be religious. This is apparent to all logical people, and as usual Left is not a part of that cohort.
Equally wrong is the chest thumping and triumphalism demonstrated by Trump camp. He and his fans want to segregate the world into religious ghettos. This is not a path to peace. The resentment and distrust of “others” leads to less and less understanding and more and more misunderstanding and violence.
There is no time to wait for the Eastern and Middle Eastern mind-set to evolve by themselves. The violence is escalating. The divisions are deepening. The Left is getting its head deeper and deeper into the sand and the Fascists are getting more and more isolationist and confrontational. We need to stop the Saudis. I don’t know how but with the House of Saud in control of such enormous wealth the hope for reform in Islam is really slim.
The Left must take a stand against radical Islam the way they are only too happy to take against Hindutva and conservative Christians. The left must work to empower the voices fighting against radical Islam. The constant partnering with evil parties like Saudis and the various factions of Muslim Brotherhood must stop. If the Left doesn’t start acknowledging the very real threat of Islamism, it will push more and more people into the waiting arms of people like Trump.
Classic Liberalism is the only way forward. The idea of letting each person just be what they want to be. The idea that the society and state have no right to dictate the individual as long as they are not causing harm to others. The idea that the individual is supreme. The idea that making laws about individual non-violent behaviour is not just wrong but evil. And not acknowledging evil is itself evil.
India must lead the way here. Let’s renounce Homophobia, Let’s decriminalize homosexuality.