<p>The facts won’t change no matter how many opinions you get on CC or how many religions make a declaration. Current medical thinking acknowledges biological sexual orientations including homosexuality. Bothersome to me is assumptions people make about homosexuality. Too many people presume that homosexuals always behave promiscuously and heterosexuals monogamously, resulting in displaced discrimination. I would worry more about the heterosexual predator than the monogamous or nonactive homosexual. I also question any church that can forgive heterosexual sinning but can’t get beyond someone’s innate sexual orientation, regardless of their behavior. Remember the goal of any church is ultimately the continuation of the species, preferably with the mindset of the religion espoused; therefore those not oriented towards procreation are unacceptable. Think about your religion and others- the emphasis on family, never the individual, rules about marriage…</p>
<p>“Remember the goal of any church is ultimately the continuation of the species, preferably with the mindset of the religion espoused; therefore those not oriented towards procreation are unacceptable.”</p>
<p>I actually read somewhere that thinking along these lines is what started the Catholic Church’s opposition to homosexuality eons ago. Although historically it had something to do with increasing the population of Christians so they could stop being martyrs (ie, a need to outnumber the oppressors).</p>
<p>Anyway, my 2 cents is that homosexuality is either genetic or created in utero due to stuff like hormone imbalance, age of the mother, drugs taken by the mother (things like meds to prevent miscarriage and even gamma globulin shots for RH negative reactions), plus there is even a correlation to soy based formula. All of these affect brain development both in utero and the first year of life.</p>
<p>Ironically, the same brain development that contributes to homosexuality contributes to the development of musical and artistic ability, which could account for why there is a much higher % of gays in the art/music world than the general poplulation.</p>
<p>jmho, but I think sexual orientation is a continuum and not a discrete phenomenon, like dyslexia. Also, as for “choosing the lifestyle”, try reversing the situation and imagine yourself a heterosexual in a twilight zone world dominated by gays. What if you had to either forego a love relationship altogether or force yourself to marry someone of the same sex to conform. Is that really a choice? For all the completely straight folks out there, if you think about your own self in that situation, it does take you aback and make you start to rethink your opinion, no?</p>
<p>ps - I meant that dyslexia is also not a discrete phenomenon. While only a small % of the poplulation is dyslexic as in warranting a diagnosis, it’s not like someone just to the other side of the line has perfect reading ability. A person just the other side of the line has better reading ability than the diagnosed dyslexic, but it’s not as great as someone further down the ability line and farther away from the diagnostic criteria. It’s the continuum aspect of sexuality that explains bisexuality.</p>
<p>I think there is also some historical stuff about the Romans or Greeks getting so into self pleasure and homosexuality that the upper classes were not having as many babies as the people they were ruling, so they started having a push for heterosexuality as well. That there have always been homosexuals throughout the ages, even before fertility drugs and soy formulas, is most likely due to the genetic side of it and the fact that there have always been gays who marry and have kids to conform with the pressures of society or whatever. Plus there are probably highly intellectual people who fall in love with someone’s mind and form a marital union for that reason.</p>
<p>The current accepted belief in the psychological community is that homosexuality exists on a continuum, with about 90% of the population being exclusively heterosexual and 1-3% (depending on the study and biological sex) exclusively homosexual. There is also definite evidence showing a variety of factors are involved: twin studies show a much higher incidence of two identical twins being gay than two fraternal twins, indicating a genetic link, but the fact that there isn’t 100% correlation would indicate that there are environmental factors. Other possible factors are prenatal in nature- the prenatal environment, hormone levels, etc. Interestingly, a study done at Columbia University about a year ago led to estimates that around 3% of gays and lesbians (the focus of the study, so I can’t comment on heterosexuals) could change their orientation, although many aspects of this study have been ripped apart, so who knows?</p>
<p>There must be a geographic influence as well. I mean, after all, there are no gays in Iran. Or maybe it is the water, or maybe the sand, or maybe …</p>
<p>Isn’t This A Repeat Of A Currently Debated Thread, By A Similar Name, By The Same Op? Why?</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lj2-_tFXXT4[/url]”>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lj2-_tFXXT4</a></p>
<p>This youtube video is from the Award-Winning documentary “For the Bible Tells Me So.” It’s a fascinating documentary that deconstructs what’s in the Bible and how its misinterpretations have been used to target homosexuals for quite some time now. I’d highly recommend watching it for anyone interested in the Christian church’s view of homosexuality. I’ve seen it multiple times and learn something new every time.</p>
<p>Anyway, this is a 5 minute clip that (in addition to being hilariously funny) describes an answer to the question posed by this question. If you have the time, you should watch it! </p>
<p>The cartoon begins at 1:20 and lasts until the end. </p>
<p>WATCH IT!</p>
<p>-Kristin</p>
<p>
Genocide can deal with homosexuality quite effectively. Just ask the Nazis.</p>
<p>All we can say is that there are few gays in Iran who would admit to it.</p>
<p>i wanted to see the difference of opinions btw parents and teens</p>
<p>“Homesexuality” was an invention of Havelock Ellis in the late 19th Century. Prior to that, there was same gender sexual behavior going back at least as far as Sparta (where it was enforced) and as far forward as Abraham Lincoln. But the social construction of homosexuality is a quite recent development.</p>
<p>During WW2 the military experimented with shock treatment for homosexuality. It was a failure. Frankly, I’ve always figured that if the threat of shock doesn’t do it, it must be an inborn choice.</p>
<p>However, I also know women who happily loved a man but are now with another woman–and vice versa. In those cases, it seems to be more about the person than about the sex of the person.</p>
<p>There is growing scientific evidence that it is biological (after all, there are other species which engage in homosexual activity - tho, that is usually a bit different).</p>
<p>Nonetheless, there may also be environmental factors such as a same-sex sexual abuse at a young age - which often trigger the same impulses of abusing youngsters (but this isn’t quite the same since it involves pedophilia/seeking helpless victims in order to obtain a feeling of control/power - which has nothing to do w/ homosexuality).</p>
<p>Think of it this way.</p>
<p>Why would anyone (particularly boys) choose to be gay when that just involves a childhood of ABUSE and taunting by other kids (at that age - kids desperately want to “fit in”).</p>
<p>how can you in the uterus choose to be gay? i suppose our sexuality is determined through innate qualities such as homeostasis and reflexes? we are born with a blank slate and our world views shape us, or are aliens zapping into our amniotic fluids, and creating world views in the uterus. being gay or whatever is not wrong, it is just a decision we choose to make once we are of enough experience. if you were to ask a young boy why he was playing with girl clothes, he would not say because he is gay, he would say because he is having fun. it is only when we with our own experiences put our own sterotypes in and attemp to make an excuse for those who do not want one.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>You don’t - homosexuality seems to be caused by the level of certain hormones in the womb.</p>
<p>Well said. I agree. BTW, my d is openly gay, happy, loved and beautiful both inside and out.</p>
<p>my response was to variousparent’s answer.</p>
<p>donsauga, it is a choice to use the “gay” appellation. The feelings that those who use that appellation feel, however, are certainly not a choice.</p>
<p>
Mini, I think the correct statement is that he invented homosexuality for the West. It has not yet been invented in Iran. Too bad Ellis didn’t patent his invention, otherwise, he could have made millions. :)</p>
<p>mercy mom said:</p>
<p>“Anyway, my 2 cents is that homosexuality is either genetic or created in utero due to stuff like hormone imbalance, age of the mother, drugs taken by the mother (things like meds to prevent miscarriage and even gamma globulin shots for RH negative reactions), plus there is even a correlation to soy based formula. All of these affect brain development both in utero and the first year of life.”</p>
<p>Yes. Here is something interesting I came across when studying DES (I am a DES daughter). The incidence of gay females born to mothers who used DES (an estrogen) while pregnant is something like 3 times higher than females born to mothers who did not use DES.</p>
<p>“Mini, I think the correct statement is that he invented homosexuality for the West. It has not yet been invented in Iran. Too bad Ellis didn’t patent his invention, otherwise, he could have made millions.”</p>
<p>Yes. Ahmadinejadad repeated three times, in exactly the same formulation (and was translated correctly each time), “We do not have gay people LIKE YOU HAVE HERE.” He is quite aware that they have gay folks. (I lived in Iran, and know they have gay folks, and if you go to the right sections of Tehran today, and ‘make yourself available’, you will be cruised.) Just not gay folks LIKE WE HAVE HERE.</p>
<p>Gay folks have been killed in Iraq under the so-called surge by the dominant ISCRI militia, backed by the U.S.</p>
<p>[Gay</a> Iraqis face death squads- from Pink News- all the latest gay news from the gay community - Pink News](<a href=“http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-889.html]Gay”>Gay Iraqis face death squads | PinkNews)</p>
<p>In fact, Section 111 of Iraq’s penal code, adopted under the U.S. Provisional Administration, protects murderers of homosexuals:</p>
<p>[Gays</a> flee Iraq as Shia death squads find a new target | World news | The Observer](<a href=“http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2006/aug/06/gayrights.iraq]Gays”>Gays flee Iraq as Shia death squads find a new target | World news | The Guardian)</p>
<p>[BBC</a> NEWS | Middle East | Gay Iraqis fear for their lives](<a href=“http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4915172.stm]BBC”>BBC NEWS | Middle East | Gay Iraqis fear for their lives)</p>