Discussion Is Reading Yaoi a Sin?

[Assymilum]

Well, a lot of people have been argumenting and debating whether liking or reading yaoi is a sin. ... Okay, so at least a few of my friends. I, myself, have been wondering about this for a while as well. I'm not really into it, though - I prefer het pairings rather than yaoi or yuri. But I have been reading a few yaoi fanfictions up until now, albeit some of them really didn't make sense and are just too... OOC.

Some said that it's not a sin, some said it's terrible, and some said it really doesn't matter since we're now living in a world of sins. XD

It's obvious enough to see that some people are against yaoi/yuri, but I just wanna know - is it a sin for reading or liking it? (Reason can be religious or non-religious; it doesn't matter.)

P.S. If there was a thread like this, please delete this one.

 

[Kazu-kun]

yes it's a terrible sin. You should feel ashamed and guilt ridden every moment that you think of Yaoi pairings.
*absolute sarcasm*

srsly what kind of question is this? You mine as well ask: Is it a sin to like ******? It's erotica and it's the 21st century, yeah it's sin, but who cares?

 

[redcometfm]

Youre reading something, not causing harm to another person. Sins usually lead to harm.

 

[LadyHatake]

If yaoi is a sin then so is yuri :/ Don't try to single out those who read yaoi, because surely yuri is the same. And no, I don't think it's a sin. Then again, I'm not exactly a strict person when it comes to religion. I think there's worse things out there that people need to worry about, like physical abuse, murder, etc etc. Why should it be bad for me to read about a relationship between two people? It doesn't matter if it's between two guys/girls, it's still just a relationship when you break it down to the basics.

Also, I don't know if everyone understands this, but let me make it clear: Not all yaoi is pure ******, like people seem to think. More often than not it has a full plot, character development, etc, than just having M/M ******.

 

[hikachi]

Even if it's a sin. I find no harm for other people (or even for me). Except some raised brows and shrugged shoulders when they found out about it. It's similar with when someone see a boy reading ****** publicly. They'll just shrugged it off, and think it's not as a big matter.
As for me, it's just see... and resulting on 0 harm. So, why not? sin? who cares.

 

[natli]

The real problem is this: if I made a thread asking if reading het is a sin I would be either laughed out or ignored. but yaoi/yuri is seriously discussed.

And God only knows what religion we're talking about (oh look, a pun!).

 

[geassman]

Well, a lot of people have been argumenting and debating whether liking or reading yaoi is a sin. ... Okay, so at least a few of my friends. I, myself, have been wondering about this for a while as well. I'm not really into it, though - I prefer het pairings rather than yaoi or yuri. But I have been reading a few yaoi fanfictions up until now, albeit some of them really didn't make sense and are just too... OOC.

Some said that it's not a sin, some said it's terrible, and some said it really doesn't matter since we're now living in a world of sins. XD

It's obvious enough to see that some people are against yaoi/yuri, but I just wanna know - is it a sin for reading or liking it? (Reason can be religious or non-religious; it doesn't matter.)

P.S. If there was a thread like this, please delete this one.

I'm really not sure...I liked yuri and yaoi for a while(I said yaoi) but I quit.(The male pregnancy stuff=really got on my nerves)
Again, I am really not sure. Sorry.

 

[Onomatopoeia]

Is it ironic that half of the posts on this thread that deals with Yaoi are girls? But seriously liking or reading Yaoi is not a sin in anyway shape or form.

You are not harming anyone are you? Of course not. And I'll say it right now I don't find being gay a sin either but thats a totally different matter which I'm not going to get into. It's like thought crime, is liking the idea of overthrowing the goverment a crime? Is reading an account of murder a crime? No to both of them. I don't like Yaoi but I still think about it every once and a while because one of them girl friends loves Yaoi(I know what uke and seme means now >>). Heck she even writes Yaoi, but she's a Catholic and goes to church every mass. And believes in God. I don't consider her very sinful.

 

[Digital_Eon]

But I have been reading a few yaoi fanfictions up until now, albeit some of them really didn't make sense and are just too... OOC.

Had to post this despite not being a fan of it myself - THAT, I would say, is... well, not a 'sin' in the traditional sense but I would say it isn't right for the reason you mentioned: OOC. The mangaka had an idea for something and people steal and corrupt it; it's pretty darn disrespectful. Same goes for anything else, gay or straight, that's just so blatantly wrong for the individual story. It has nothing to do with homosexuality, though...

In terms of liking to read about two gay guys falling in love and/or doing it, on its own, no. Sure, it depends on the story (shotacon = bad), but if it's two fictional teenagers or adults who like each other, who cares?

Well, okay, I'm sure it's a crime to like some stories if they're really bad.

 

[kaylee]

Is it ironic that half of the posts on this thread that deals with Yaoi are girls?

Not really, since the yaoi genre is aimed towards females. I am surprised to see so many males posting about it though. But it's all good.

Had to post this despite not being a fan of it myself - THAT, I would say, is... well, not a 'sin' in the traditional sense but I would say it isn't right for the reason you mentioned: OOC. The mangaka had an idea for something and people steal and corrupt it; it's pretty darn disrespectful. Same goes for anything else, gay or straight, that's just so blatantly wrong for the individual story. It has nothing to do with homosexuality, though...

Well, I see nothing wrong with taking an existing story and putting your own spin on it. It's done all the time with movie remakes, music covers, etc. That aside though, there's much more to yaoi than just fanfics and doujins. In other words, it exists as a real genre with original stories. And like others have said, yaoi != pornography, although it seems to be a common misconception.

As for whether reading it is a "sin"... well, I think the issue of what defines a "sin" in general is a very personal question. It's something that shouldn't be defined by the masses or by any organization, but is something that each person must come to terms with individually. My own view is that it's not a sin though, as it doesn't harm anyone.

 

[Kyrie Eleison]

Try asking the pope? Well I don't really see why it should be perceived as a sin. There are much graver sins such as hurting someone else, masturbating drinking alcohol and such. I personally enjoy good yaoi (and yuri too) but then again putting my fascination with Christianity aside, I'm no real devout so I'm kind of biased. But seriously, it shouldn't be a sin if you just see it as art.

 

[Digital_Eon]

Well, I see nothing wrong with taking an existing story and putting your own spin on it. It's done all the time with movie remakes, music covers, etc.

And if done with no respect towards the original, it's bad. It's one thing to try and make a movie remake/cover a song accurately, but often, people care more about making money than accuracy... which is still a huge complaint people have.

That aside though, there's much more to yaoi than just fanfics and doujins. In other words, it exists as a real genre with original stories. And like others have said, yaoi != pornography, although it seems to be a common misconception.

Hence the second part of my post (if this is referring to me): for original stories, I - and many others, I'm sure - could care less. Mostly. But it'd have more to do with the fans than with the content itself.

 

[Sexy Randal 105]

Oh my god...Do what ever the hell you want. Why would you let an ignorant religion like Christianity guide your life? Live your life the way YOU want. If you want to look at porn, do it. Why would "God" make people have desires if it was a sin. Hippo critical if you ask me.

I will leave this website as a parting gift.

http://www.exitmundi.nl/bible/

 

[RiotGrrrl]

I guess that the first thing you should do is figure out what is by definition a "sin" from the theological standpoint of your religion. For what its worth - not much, since everyone has an opinion - I throw my lot in with the camp that says that there's nothing sinful about reading or enjoying yaoi. But I also don't think that there's anything sinful about homosexuality. If you have moral issues with homosexuality then most likely you are going to have problems with yaoi. Yaoi is harmless entertainment for fujoshi, and I don't think people should get too worked up about it.

 

[ffaprince]

Come on!Yaoi is only to describe a different type of shojo (or girl's) manga that focuses on romantic relationships between two men,don't worry about it,it's normal

 

[Roflkopt3r]

I think that this is the point where religion is going too far and incompatible with modern epics and human rights.
1. Homosexuality usually is not a choice, but an innate feature
2. It doesn't cause harm per se
Two reasons why considering homosexuality "a sin" (="bad", "unnatural", incompatible with a pure soul), is futile as well as misanthropic and intolerant.
So, if homosexuality is neither unnatural nor harmful, why should the display of it be bad then?

Thus people not tolerating (if they like it or not isn't important, I myself personal am no fan of such) Yaoi are incomprehensible and rude in my opinion.
Rather I think that Yaoi might potentially help some people accepting homosexuality (well, probably not, but it's a slight hope) as normal, while there is no "danger" that it could convert someone... (as sexual orientation is usually genetic, and even if it could go so far to some unstable individuals, that wouldn't be "harmful" for the above stated reasons)

I don't know exactly which religions and subgroups of religions would consider Yaoi a sin.
I guess catholic and orthodox christianity in general, some christian subgroups specifically extreme and the vast majority of interpretations of Judaism and Islam.
About protestant christianity I'm uncertain - probably it's a very devided opinion there - as well as about Buddism and Shintoism, but just by guess I think that latter two are fine with it.

 

[Josef]

I don't think religion and manga should be mixed, it is like mixing art and religion, it is like saying that all of those pictures of naked women that the Impressionists draw are considered a sin, and like the statues who are naked that were made in the 15th century are also a sin. Religion and art should not be mixed, but of course if the topic is(which is not the case here) about homosexuality then there is also no room to mix them. Because Yaoi is drawn even if does have homosexual things in it, what it is in reality should not be mixed with what is drawn.

I would not get much into it, but getting religion into everything is just silly, sure there are many religious people out there that might think it is I don't know some may just not be bothered, but I hardly believe that it is a written thing that art is a sin.

 

[digitaldude]

NO, but fapping to yaoi is(just kidding).....I guess it all depends on your moral code, but even as a spiritual and theistic person such as myself, I don't have any problem with Yaoi or Yuri.

 

[Roflkopt3r]

NO, but fapping to yaoi is(just kidding).....I guess it all depends on your moral code, but even as a spiritual and theistic person such as myself, I don't have any problem with Yaoi or Yuri.

It would make sense to add the religion to the just theistic part, after all many religions have different points about homosexuality and display of love or sexuality.

 

[Jaymie]

Come on!Yaoi is only to describe a different type of shojo (or girl's) manga that focuses on romantic relationships between two men,don't worry about it,it's normal

Yaoi is far from shojo... And it's BL that focuses on romantic relationships. Yaoi is a lot more explicit and mindless than BL is.