"With or without religion, good people will do good things and evil people will do evil things. But, for good people to do evil things, that takes religion."

Steven Weinberg

So true.

agree

"With or without religion, good people will do good things and evil people will do evil things. But, for good people to do evil things, that takes religion."

Steven Weinberg

I can respond to your question but it will not be in the form you might expect. I will need to lay some important ground work in order to make my answer clear.

Research:
In social psychology a relatively small portion of the research is done in a lab setting, much of the ‘research’ can only be accomplished through direct observation in real situations, while a large portion of the research is accomplished through large representative surveys (Q & A of individuals) and then studied.

It’s possible to collect the data from these various forms of research and make inferences that would not be possible without combining the previously and separately collected data. There is a large body of research, that when combined has yielded theories related to bullying. From these theories we have learned how to identify bullying, and predict the characteristics of the bully, the target, and the passive participants.

Bullying:
Briefly – what we know about bullies is that they want to have control or power over others and to assert that power within a chosen peer group.

Bullies will determine the means of gaining their power in one of two ways. The bully may use the strategy of taking cues from peers that he or she wants to impress.

For example, if one of the group makes comments about particular characteristics of another and the rest of the group, laughs and joins in, the bully will pick up on those cues and use that strategy on the target.

The other strategy is to initiate comments here and there to determine which ones would work the best and to have a choice of strategies to make finding the right target easier.

For example, it may not always be possible to find an easy target if the characteristic belongs to a strong, self-assertive, or well connected target, an alternative strategy may be employed.

The target:
kids with disabilities, physical differences like race, body size or shape, and sexual orientation. It’s also very important to realize that these kids are commonly inhibited, insecure, have low self-esteem and tend to be anxious and somewhat isolated.

>>>>> Those are facts concluded from a large body of research and you should have no problem finding references to these facts, although much of the actual research (raw data) is a bit more difficult to find on the open web<<<<

Other Research:
Surveys conducted over the last ten years about bullying in schools can be found on the web, though only a few examples posted here.







As you have already noted, gender orientation does not consist of any distinct physical characteristics. So at this point there are two possible descriptions of the target, aside from displaying qualities described (inhibited, insecure, low self-esteem, anxious and somewhat isolated).

Either the target is old enough to understand the complexities of gender orientation, and to have self-identified and made that identity known – or – the target chosen is simply an easy and available mark.

Now, all the targets have the types of qualities (inhibited, insecure…) and all the strategies (choosing a physical or mental characteristic) match the targets with one except the strategy of sexual orientation may not match the target, more often than other strategies would not match the target.

NOW, we get to the question:



So what is it about sexual orientation in this age group that makes it a dominant bullying strategy?

Here is where the research becomes the most obvious.
Since we now understand all the basic elements of bullying and since the particular strategy of a bully to use sexual orientation where no visible characteristics are necessary to match the target, we need to look around to find out what is happening in society that makes using sexual orientation as bullying strategy the most dominant and preferred choice of the bully seeking to gain the approval of his particular peer group.

Religious Propaganda the Connection:
Most people can make an almost immediate association with religion and it will only take me one example to demonstrate:

Quite obviously (to some) the Gays of this country have an AGENDA:

According to Concerned Women for America, Decades ago, homosexual activists decided to burst forth from their closets with a propaganda campaign.





The “Gay Agenda” also includes:



A Contrasting Religious Link:
some Christians & Christian Groups accept partial responsibility



SUMMARY:
Research is often a matter of making connections between facts, the question of … “where is the research thats going to PROVE that a majority of any type of bullying is due to religious propaganda”
Can be answered by following a logical progression beginning with ‘research’ collecting the data for projecting inferences and finally - direct observation within the social settings of which the inferences are widely and consistently known to take place.

In the case at hand, the social setting is consistent encompassing our entire culture. Given the tools to analyze the quesiton properly it would be impossible not to recognize the link between religion, religious propaganda, and the bullying of individuals based on sexual orientation.

So true.

That has to be one of the dumbest quotes I have ever heard.Atheist countries like China who have the worst human rights records in history and are only getting worse? We could talk for years about how much good Christianity has brought the world.The homeless shelters,the food banks,orphanages,feeding people around the world,helping the poor,charity work in every country in the world and asking for nothing in return.Christians have spent more money and more time than any other religion caring for people they have never met.

Yet Atheisms role in bettering society and the world has resulted in hundreds of millions dead due to War,genocide,greed,and power.

When your looking for answers what does Atheism offer?Nothing.

When you are homeless and starving out on the streets what does Atheism offer you?Nothing.

When you have questions about where you go after you die what does Atheism offer you?Nothing.

In Oregon it was just on the news they were interviewing a 4th grade teacher that had been fired.

This teacher says the only reason he was fired is because he is gay.

He was fired he said when a 4th grade student of his asked him if he was married.

here is the link and story...


http://www.kgw.com/news/Beaverton-Student-Teacher-Booted-Speaks-Out-On-Camera-105158199.html


BEAVERTON, Ore. -- A student teacher who was fired at a Beaverton school after letting students know he was gay told KGW in an exclusive interview that the district discriminated against him.

Seth Stambaugh, 23, wanted to be a teacher his entire life.

"It's the energy I get when I walk into a classroom. It's joyous beyond belief," said Stambaugh.

He grew up in New Mexico, where he was bullied and felt sheer terror by the notion of "coming out."

"When I came out at 16, I felt like it was a huge relief," he recalled.

He visited Portland and felt the city was very welcoming of gays and lesbians. He couldn't wait to move here.

The Lewis and Clark grad student felt compelled to teach students through a program for teaching education. But he never thought that he would be tossed out of a school after he said he just told a student the truth.

It was September 10th, when a fourth grader asked him the question.

"The student asked me if I was married, I responded 'no.' He asked 'why?' I said it was illegal for me to get married. I said 'it's because I want to marry a man.'"

Days later, Stambaugh was fired and he said no one told him exactly why.

He told KGW he suspected that it was because of his conversation with that 4th grader.

"I felt extremely hurt and discriminated against. Everyone in the school is free to talk about their marital status as long as they are heterosexual," he said.

In a statement, the Beaverton School District wrote, "We understand this action has resulted in the student teacher alleging discrimination. The concerns were about professional judgment and age appropriateness. While the details of this issue remain confidential, the district's policy and practice is non-discrimination."

So what do parents say?

"He or she should not be fired," said parent Paul Chen.

"I don't think anybody should be fired for giving a well though-out articulate answer to a kids' question, " said parent Mike Speer.

But some parents wonder why Seth would reveal his gay marital status to a 4th grader?

"I think that 4th graders know that gays exist, they hear it on the playgrounds," Stambaugh said. "To say this guy, meaning me, came out and should disappear sends a negative [message] to a gay child who could be questioning their own sexuality."

The superintendent was reviewing whether to reinstate Stambaugh. In the meantime, he's student teaching at a Portland Public School.

.... personally i see this as another attempt to use sexuality for poor job performance.

Why tell a 4th grade student about he is not because it is illegal for him to marry a man?

Looks to me like he could of just said no.. that someday he hopes to be.

A 4th grade student does not understand this escecially if his parents are not for it.

He planted a seed of contention possibly with this child and his parents and should of known this was possible.


The news is all over this so is the ACLU.

If the child would of asked Do you believe in Hell and the teacher would of said Yes and he said why and the teacher would of said what his beliefs were then all the non believers would of said this teacher was spreading religion in school.

Which also i believe a quiick short answer of I just do would suffice.

But if that teacher would of been fired for saying that it would not be in the news except maybe in a negative conotation if the teacher complained and anyone listened..


The only reason this is in the news at all is him being Gay and everyone hates the Gay people.

This is a form of brain washing our children and has no place for the ACLU or anyone else to be making a big deal out of this except to brainwash the public and send a clear message.

Do anything to a Gay person and u will pay for it buddy..Huh? Shalom....Miles

Here we go. Homosexuality is not immoral.

My children were raised to believe all sexual orientations are normal and okay, be it gay, bi or hetero.

My children are all hetero.

So letting the poor children know that being gay is okay doesn't brain wash nor does it harm the children in any way.

Telling people it is not okay to be gay is harmful.
Telling children who are born gay that being gay is wrong is extremely harmful.

Gay people need the religious to stop torturing gays with a threat of hell.

Gay people need to be able to tell the children on their job that they are gay and have the children understand that it is just as normal as heterosexuality.

Until we are fair and just in our treatment of people in this country, the fight will continue and it will be news.

Sweeping hatred under the rug is just what the bigots want done so make sure we shout it out when hatred is about.

I made a rhyme

Homosexuality is immoral for quite a few reasons. We try to teach our children sexual actions are for reproduction... to try to keep them from just sleeping around with their boyfriends/girlfriends while still in school, and or tell them to wait for marriage.

Homosexual sex is purely a physical lustful action. Nothing good comes of it, no reproduction or anything. That is what sex is for, creation.

Bull!

:o bulls can procreate with homosexual sex? :o

wouldn't homosexual sex fall in the catagory of population control?

wouldn't homosexual sex fall in the catagory of population control?

wouldn't homosexual sex fall in the catagory of population control?