patrick.net

“The link between intelligence and religion can be explained if religion is considered an instinct, and intelligence the ability to rise above one’s instincts.”

------------

Well put

TwoScoopsMcGee says

Homosexuality was criminalized in 1933

And decriminalized in 1993 while Russia was still almost completely atheist. After the religious resurgence, homosexuality was recriminalized. Putin, a devote Christian, has a long history of violating basic human rights of homosexuals. Thus, we can tell that reintroduction of Christianity caused homophobic laws to be reinstated.

Dan8267 says

And decriminalized in 1993 while Russia was still almost completely atheist. After the religious resurgence, homosexuality was recriminalized. Putin, a devote Christian, has a long history of violating basic human rights of homosexuals. Thus, we can tell that reintroduction of Christianity caused homophobic laws to be reinstated.

Homosexuality was not recriminalized. The only thing criminalized was LGBTQABC123 marketing to minors.

You're much safer holding hands as a Gay in St. Petersburg than in Lodz, Poland. Those who attack gays get put in prison. In Poland, the cops kinda never catch Gay Bashers for some reason.

Found this interesting, don't know what the metrics are behind it:

"GAYS DON'T EAT POTATOES LIKE NORMAL PEOPLE!" - Baltic States

TwoScoopsMcGee says

The only thing criminalized was LGBTQABC123 marketing to minors.

A catch-all that made being gay in public a criminal offense. This is the old adage "will somebody please think of the children", the battle-cry of all oppressors.

Yes, things have gotten far worse for gays in Russia since Christianity made a comeback.

Do you think they'll suspend Latvia from the EU or NATO?

Dan8267 says

A catch-all that made being gay in public a criminal offense. This is the old adage "will somebody please think of the children", the battle-cry of all oppressors.

No, it makes handing out gay, genderqueer, transsexual, etc. materials to minors illegal. Homosexuality itself is perfectly legal.

TwoScoopsMcGee says

Do you think they'll suspend Latvia from the EU or NATO?

This homophobia is also caused by religion, not atheism.

If you want to make the point that the bad things that go on in Russia also go on in Europe and the U.S., then you are breaching to the choir. I was refuting P N Dr Lo R 's assertion that the lack of religion is what made the Soviet Union bad, and religion therefore makes post-Soviet Russia good. That's a load of crap.

TwoScoopsMcGee says

No, it makes handing out gay, genderqueer, transsexual, etc. materials to minors illegal. Homosexuality itself is perfectly legal.

Chechnya Police Arrest 100 Suspected Gays, 3 Killed: Russian Report

A respected Russian newspaper says it has uncovered information that police in the southern Russian republic of Chechnya have rounded up more than 100 men suspected of homosexuality and that at least three have been killed.

The report was denied by Chechen President Ramzan Kadyrov's spokesman, who suggested there are no homosexuals in the Muslim-majority region. Ali Karimov said, according to the state news agency RIA Novosti, "it's impossible to persecute those who are not in the republic."

The Kremlin-backed Kadyrov is widely accused of extensive human rights violations. He has brought Islam to the fore of Chechnya's daily life, including opening what is called Europe's biggest mosque.

Reports of ‘concentration camps’ and torture for gay men in Russia

Around 100 men have been apprehended in the region and put in the first camps for LGBT people since the Holocaust. Some are believed to have been killed.

Gay Chechen men tell of torture, mass arrests

Amid reports of a brutal crackdown on gay men in the Russian republic of Chechnya, a number of witnesses and victims are now bolstering allegations of mass arrests and torture.

Speaking to CNN on condition of anonymity, one man who recently fled Chechnya after being arrested said hundreds of gay men like him are being rounded up by the authorities and held in appalling conditions in least three detention centers.

Gay couple arrested in Russia after expressing solidarity with Orlando shooting victims

“Thing is, policemen there tried not to let people use any LGBT symbolics and when the guys came to the embassy and put down their banner they were immediately arrested and brought to Prenenskiy police station,” he added.

Gay rights demonstrations are banned in Russia, where homosexuality was a criminal offence until 1993 and it was categorised as a mental illness until 1999.

In May, an estimated 20 people from St.Petersburg’s LGBT community were arrested for taking part in the city’s annual May Day parade without permission.

The Fear of Being Gay in Russia

Putin's state has allowed violence against the Russian LGBT community to spike.

In most of the West, gay rights has seen startling breakthroughs in the last decade. Russia has not just been left behind, but has become demonstrably worse and more dangerous, according to more than two dozen individuals we spoke with in five Russian cities over six weeks of reporting. On the local and national level, a series of so-called anti-gay propaganda laws were passed that made it illegal to discuss LGBT themes with minors or to distribute such information to them, even if it dealt with health issues.

I could go on and on, but I think I've made my point. Russia is not the good guy in this situation.

TwoScoopsMcGee says

Do you think they'll suspend Latvia from the EU or NATO?

Demonstrating for/against something is perfectly legal and no one will be kicked out of NATO/EU for that. The general feeling in E. Europe against gays comes from (1) religion - Catholics and Eastern Orthodox believers are usually the most intolerant, and (2) residual propaganda from Soviet times, when being gay was punishable.

Also, President Putin has aligned himself with the Russian Orthodox Church, to increase his own power, while the most visible gay rights organizers have tended to align themselves with opposition to President Putin. In America, the successful effort to win marriage equality was non-partisan, and included prominent representation from both major parties. I think a non-partisan effort in Russia would have better prospects than an effort that creates the appearance of being anti-Putin or foreign.

Dan, you make good points, but the worst of your links are about Muslim Chechnya, not Christian Russia.

"In 2013, Russia enacted laws banning "propaganda of non-traditional sexual relations" and blocking same-sex couples from adopting children. A 2014 Human Rights Watch report documented an uptick in anti-gay violence and harassment in Russia since the laws were passed.

In Russia, Putin adds, "We have no persecution at all. People of non-traditional sexual orientation work, they live in peace, they get promoted, they get state awards for their achievements in science and arts or other areas. I personally have awarded them medals.""

Additionally from the transcript on the Kremlin website, via SOTT:

"I think that a person cannot be criminally or otherwise prosecuted, his or her rights cannot be infringed upon the grounds of nationality, ethnicity or sexual orientation in the modern world. It is absolutely unacceptable. And it is not the case in Russia. If I am not mistaken there was Article 120 in the Penal Code of the former RSFSR that prosecuted homosexuality. We have abolished this provision; people aren't prosecuted for it anymore. Homosexuals in Russia live in peace, work, are promoted, receive national awards for their achievements in science, art or any other sphere. Medals are awarded to them, I have awarded them myself."

Being anti religion isn't same as simply not believing.

Dan, none of the links have anything to do with homosexuals being punished for practicing homosexuality, except in Chechnya which is Muslim.

I'd remind folks that US Prosecutors were charging people and getting convictions or guilty pleas for Sodomy at least in the 90s if not later. Marv Alpert, anyone?

drBu says

Demonstrating for/against something is perfectly legal and no one will be kicked out of NATO/EU for that. The general feeling in E. Europe against gays comes from (1) religion - Catholics and Eastern Orthodox believers are usually the most intolerant, and (2) residual propaganda from Soviet times, when being gay was punishable.

In Latvia, Same-sex couple child adoption & same-sex marriage is banned - the latter in a new law passed in 2006 that clarified marriage like Hillary's preferred stance, only between a man and a woman. It's legal to discriminate Gays except for employment. Gays can be refused Service, entry to a business, inc. restaurants and bars, all can freely not serve the HomoGay.

TwoScoopsMcGee says

same-sex marriage is banned

Same in Germany, Austria

TwoScoopsMcGee says

Dan, none of the links have anything to do with homosexuals being punished for practicing homosexuality, except in Chechnya which is Muslim.

I'd remind folks that US Prosecutors were charging people and getting convictions or guilty pleas for Sodomy at least in the 90s if not later. Marv Alpert, anyone?

"...After tests proved that the bite marks were his, he pleaded guilty to misdemeanor assault and battery charges, while the sodomy charge was dropped.[19][24] Albert was given a 12-month suspended sentence"

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marv_Albert

Yes, but Marv WAS charged with Sodomy, which was dropped when he pleaded guilty to a lesser charge.

There were Sodomy prosecutions in the 80s and 90s.

Sodomy as a crime in the USA wasn't invalidated until 2003.

curious2 says

Dan, you make good points, but the worst of your links are about Muslim Chechnya, not Christian Russia.

Yes, because the most grievous attrocities are committed by Chechnya President Ramzan Kadyrov, who was hand picked by Putin to control Chechnya.

In any case, there are examples of gays being political prisoners in Russia itself, but either way, it goes right back to Putin and his cabinet.

Ok, sorry to disappoint but the anti-gay rally photos are a retouch job. I know they are selling it on Shutterstock... I'm a graphics expert and the warping of the type to conform to the perspective of the original card held up is a one-button-click pitfall of photoshop. The original rally may have been anti-gay but the original signs have been wiped and more precise, readable, coherent messages have replaced them. Come to think of it why would you make english signs in Latvia? Notice the bibles are not called The Bible, but written in Slavic HOBbIÑ 3ABET (New Testament)

See? This is where free thinking comes in handy.

junkmail says

but written in Slavic HOBbIÑ 3ABET (New Testament)

About 1/3 of Latvian population is Slavic which explains the Russian version of Bible, and they are by no means the most "tolerant" part of society.

But I agree that the first sign looks like it is photoshopped on.

Edit: an article in Russian with non-photoshopped pictures: http://www.russkiymir.ru/media/magazines/article/183675/

I agree, doesn't look very pro when bibles are involved. I just get suspicious when people photoshop signs in general.