What is an opinion and how does this affect religious views on sexuality?

I would like to begin this blog entry firstly by defining what an opinion ( or having an opinion ) actually means. Having established this, I would like to move onto how opinions of ‘moral reasoning’ effect religious groups and their ‘opinion’ on sexuality.

I felt that an examination of religiously endorsed ‘moral views’ was needed after such an ill informed and bias argument against BDSM practioners was outlined in a blog post i discovered. (Please view my original post regards the topic here) AND also 'Dealing with ignorance within BDSM' by Krafted Khaos - @KraftedKhaos.

What is an opinion? It has been agreed since the time of Plato, that there is a difference between ‘an opinion’ AKA ‘common belief’ and ‘certain knowledge’. The two are very different in the terms of public discourse.An opinion has a degree of uncertainty, a subjectivity to it – an example can be an enthusiastic amateur disagreeing with the top scientists on carbon emissions and it’s affect on our planet.

Are we all entitled to ‘our opinions’?

There are two ways at looking into our right to an opinion. Let’s answer that question by examining an example:

“All gay people have red hair!”

1) No one can stop you saying “All gay people have red hair!”, no matter how many times that view has been disproved. Does having an opinion mean you can say whatever you want, whenever? Thinking and saying whatever you feel like?

or

2) Do your opinions need to be serious candidates for the truth?

The logical and accepted norm is, of course, number 2.

In the realm of accepted public discourse, you are NOT simply entitled to your opinion – based solely on what you think without the ‘science’.

You can only argue for what you can defend with hard facts. Constructing and defending an argument based on accepted facts (all the facts), entitles you to an opinion. An opinion which must then be taken as a serious candidate for the truth.

Far too often ‘I’m entitled to my opinion’ feeds and defends beliefs which should have been abandoned long ago.

Humanity has come a long way since the days of burning witches. But, no matter how much time has passed, there is one thing Christian groups – sorry – Religious groups can use to justify their actions: ‘It’s not the sinner we hate, it’s the SIN!’  It’s the SIN which offends – not the sinner, it’s the actions which are immoral.

Such is the view of BDSM.

As I noted earlier, an opinion needs to be based on ‘facts’. When the issue is of public ethics and acceptability, beliefs or opinions grounded on religious  faith  simply isn’t enough (on it’s own,) to forge an accepted public discourse on whether BDSM is morally repugnant.

I also find it shallow when religious groups refer to BDSM as a ‘lifestyle’.  To me, this implies that BDSM is seen as an inessential add-on to a person rather than a core defining feature of that person. It also implies that religious groups who view BDSM’ers as ‘mentally ill’ or ‘morally corrupt’ cannot see the inner lives, concerns, passions and core beliefs of BDSM’ers as being as morally significant as their own.

My final paragraphs: I do not in any way see religion as a ‘lifestyle’. It is a core belief, I support the free exercise of one’s religion. I do not deny the moral depth of religious people.

Being Christian does not affect job performance. Being gay does not affect job performance. Practicing BDSM does not affect job performance.

Being religious does not impede or increase moral reasoning or principles, nor does being gay, being into BDSM or kink. Let us view others as no less worthy of our regard on the basis of such differences as sexuality and religion.