Jibs Claudie D.

Pasinabo
The aim of the study is to know the challenges and
perceived benefits of Gays engaging in religious
groups in General Santos City. This study seeks to
answer the following:
 1. What is the socio-economic profile of the
respondents?
 2. What are the challenges the respondents
encounter in engaging to religious activities?
 3. What are the perceived benefits of the
respondents in engaging to religious activities.
 Socio-economic
profile
Christian Challenges

Gays Encountered

Perceived Benefits
 According to Hirschi (1969), human behavior do
not conform naturally, but we are all considered
as animal beings and thus, we are capable of
committing sinful acts is natural to human
behaviour that a group of people agreed through
interaction between an individual and the society.
This interactions, as concluded by Hirschi results
to four major elements; attachment,
commitment, involvement and belief. Moreover,
Hirschi focuses between the elements of
attachment and commitment, commitment and
involvement and attachment and belief.
 This paper will focus on the construction of
Social Control Theory through defining the
relationship between attachment and belief.
Attachment denotes the mutual relationship
between an individual and society. Individuals
with strong and stable attachments to
community institution (e.g. religious institution)
are assumed to control their deviant behaviour.
Belief denotes the level of individual social moral
values and norms. Hirschi argued that individual
who strongly obey this belief are less likely to
perform deviant behavior.
 Religion as stated by French Sociologist,
Emile Durkheim, is the “unified system of
belief and practices related to sacred things”.
He considers religion as extraordinary,
something that is inspired by the concept of
divine. Durkheim also believe that religion is
an institution that binds people together. It
gives people purpose and more meaning to
life.
Religious doctrines dictates the social norms
regarding the acceptable patterns of sexual
relationship. These doctrines also define that
relationship must be between male and female.
For homosexual whose belief of affection,
intimacy, partner choices, and sexual identities
challenge conservative norms of religious
communities. Thus, religious institution often
have argumentative statement regarding this
issue that leads to conflict between religion
and homosexuality (Halkitis et al., 2009)
 This combined identity has always often led to
struggles for those homosexual who practices
Christianity (Rodriguez & Ouellette, 1996).
Traditionally, the teaching of religious institution
promotes heterosexuality and does not support
for acceptance of homosexuality. Arguments
regarding this case has been debated for
centuries, a debate that does not provide any
clear conclusion in the near future. Thus, this
conflict, reinforces homosexual men to choose
between their faith and religiosity by rejecting
church or by supressing their homosexual
attitudes (Wagner et al., 1994).
 With regards to individuals sexuality having a
religious conflict is not an easy process. Study
conducted by (Schuck and Liddle, 2001) resulted
that homosexual recognized their homosexual
friends in terms of helping them in solving their
religious conflict. In addition, sharing their
problem to family members, partners or seeking
professional help are also considered. Getting
wisdom on books related to homosexuality and
religion also gives them idea that enlightens
them (Nkosi and Masson, 2015)