Why religious people shouldn't be Gay
The doctrines of Christianity, Islam and most other religions, hold negative views about homosexuality and homosexual acts. Most people don't think about the subject much at all, but some religious adherents consider homosexuality an outright sin against God.
Religious people therefore, are instructed not to be gay.
Yet in all religions there is a growing number of people who consider homosexuality favourably, encourage relationships to grow, and even condone same-sex marriage.
How can this be permitted if homosexuality is a sin?
Why religious people shouldn't be Gay
Christianity
As discussed in our page Why Christians should not be gay, Church doctrine still views homosexuality in a negative light. Even so, the tide is turning and for the majority of Christians, tolerance is increasing.
Meanwhile, there are a squad of gallant die-hard conservative Christians who are increasingly adamant that homosexuality is a sin and that gays must be kept out of the priesthood and same-sex marriage kept outlawed.
Islam
The Muslim Al-Fatiha Foundation accepts homosexuality as natural, but most Muslims believe that Islam forbids both homosexual acts and homosexual orientation. Illegal in many Islamic countries, where punishment can include the death penalty. This has scriptural justification (for example, the story of Lot found in Qur'an 7:80–84; 26:159–175).
Judaism
Orthodox and Hasidic Jews similarly believe homosexual acts are sinful, citing the Holy book of the Torah (Lev. 18:22; 20:12-14). Conversely, Reformed Judaism is quite liberal and considers homosexuality as a biological sexual orientation, based on the current scientific understanding of the nature of homosexuality - knowledge that was not available at the time of Moses.
Non-Abrahamic religions
Outside of Christianity, Islam and Judaism, homosexuality seems much less of a sin.
For Buddhists and Jains it is not outlawed but homosexual acts are generally considered 'wrong'; the rationale being that sensual pleasures are a hindrance to enlightenment. Sexual relations between male and female in marriage have the excuse of reproduction, but gay relationships are considered to be in the realm of extramarital sex and therefore carnal.
Sikhs believe that marriage is the blending of the human soul with God, rather than merely marriage between a man and a woman. However, only marriage between male and female is written about in the Holy book of Sri Guru Granth Sahib, ergo same-sex relationships are not permitted. One essence of Sikhism is that we exist to procreate. It is a duty to conceive children thereby perpetuating God's Creation. Any activity that thwarts this mission is against God and a sin.
And for Hindus, the much larger Indian group... well, Hinduism probably contains more diverse views on the subject than all the other religions lumped together. Hinduism is further complicated by the existence of tritiya-prakriti - the 'third gender', recognised since Vedic times. Homosexuality in India is illegal, although the 'crime' is hardly ever discussed and almost never punished. Hinduism and Indian culture, both ancient and modern, are bursting with examples of all variations of sexual relationships and behaviour. Eventually the old laws will be repealed. Hindu nationalists, however, believe their duties (Dharma) include a marriage to produce children. Their stance will ensure it is a long time before same-sex marriage is legal in India.
What started this repugnance of homosexuality?
The reasons are pretty much the same for all religions and we give a few more details in Why Christians should not be gay