: Dogma as you so willingly spout in your post is not well appreciated and you would do well to offer something more than 'i do not like it because it is a perversion and a sin'. Absolutely right, Copenhagen, but there's even more to it than that. The whole concept is a prime example of circular reasoning, e.g.
A) I don't like it because it is a sin.
B) How do you know it's a sin?
A) Because it is a perversion.
B) What is perverse about it?
A) It is different from what I like.
The act of disliking someone else's behavior implies (as Karen suggests) a fear of that behavior. Since homosexuals interact (sexually) mainly with other homosexuals, there is no chance of "catching" homosexuality. Therefore, the practical result of societal acceptance of homosexuality is that homosexuals will not try to force themselves into het. relationships which would ultimately be unsatisfying for them and their partners. The upshot of which is that more het. folks are "on the market" who would otherwise be ensconced in unsatisfying relationships with closeted gays. So, the only reason for a het. male to fear gay men is that he also fears heterosexual women! (more likely, "het. homophobes" are probably not actually hets at all and are just repressing, as Karen suggested.) It's a logical connundrum that I have yet to hear a straight answer to...pardon the pun.
I don't know what I think of Karen's advice though. Even if Anon. wanted to overcome his fear by surrounding himself with gay friends, (which seems unlikely,) I suspect he'd have a hard time finding any gay people that would want him around. Homosexuals, in "Western" societies, are already consistently told that they are inferior and sick (therefore, IMHO, anyone who, in the face of all that oppression, is willing to be "out" must be among the bravest and most emotionally strong people alive!) and would probably be really uncomfortable having anon. around.
Frankly, I don't care if homophobes never try to broaden their horizons; that's nobody's business but their own. However, I do care, very much, when young men are beaten, arrested, and even killed simply because they don't fit someone else's notion of "normal".
Finally, anon. and others of his ilk say that homosexuality is not "normal", but for the life of me, I can't figure out what is "normal" about anon.'s fascination with what other people do with their genetalia. Is it "normal" to care what strangers do in their bedrooms? As far as I'm concerned, metaphorically "peeping into bedroom windows" to make sure people are not sexually "misbehaving" is a lot more perverse than anything homosexuals might be doing.
By the way, my own sexual preferences are NONE OF YOUR DAMNED BUSINESS!
None.