Spirituality and Religion

Spirituality, like love, is a term that often brings a smile to men’s faces. The truth is certain spiritual practices have a positive influence on health whether they are linked to religious belief or not. Being able to see a meaning for one’s life, or dedicate one’s self to a cause or practice some type of meditation for example are all activities which can greatly increase one’s well-being.

Gay men draw a clear distinction between religion and spirituality and are much more attached to the latter.  The high turnout at the gay meditation group in Dialogai for some years now is just one example of that.  The fact that religions of all types continue to condemn homosexuality and exact discrimination and violence on gays no doubt plays a role in this negative view on religion.  Children of very devout families often have great difficulties accepting their homosexuality and often suffer from mental health problems.

In Geneva, some gays organize to practice their religion with dignity.  This is the case of the C+H group, founded in 1988. Most recently, the Protestant Church of Geneva opened an LGBTI section in one of its organizations called Lab.