who thinks that girls are gay because they can’t attract guys or guys are gay because- well, he never answered that one because I don’t think he has ever even met a gay man (at least not one who was out in front of him). Guess what dipshit- it is just as much of a “choice” to be homosexual as it is to be heterosexual.
Previous research had revealed the more older brothers a boy has, the more likely he is to be gay, but the reason for this phenomenon was unknown.
But a Canadian study has shown that the effect is most likely due to biological rather than social factors.
So is this why there seems to be so many gay boys that come out of large religious families? I wonder if we can use this little bit o’science to get the forced pregnancy wingnuts off our backs? “See I have to use birth control cause I don’t want to make a gay baby”*
*Not that I have any sort of problem with gay babies or gay adults- I’m just playing with the homophobes folks.
You’re going to find research on both sides of the fence constantly coming up. The articles you referenced just happened to be the lastest in an array of many, and since correlation doesn’t equal causation, it doesn’t actually prove anything.
That aside, if you come from the camp that suggests that homosexuality is caused by nurture (studies also show a disproportionate number of homosexual first-born males that come from homes with domineering asian mothers mothers)instead of nature, I think the nature of “choice” is difficult to pin down anyway. For the christian that views homosexuality as biblically defined sin (even though instructions to abstain from homosexual acts only pertain to believers, and not to the general populace, which is why legislation regarding homosexuality in the public sector is absurd), one might bring up the question about whether or not sin of any kind is really a choice.
Ask a Christian if they were born a sinner, or if they made a choice to be one. If a sinful nature, as scripture states, is not a choice, why would a particular sin (homosexuality, in this case) be a choice?
So what if it’s caused by nurture or nature or even if it is a choice- why are you putting your religious views on others? Why should someone like me- who does not identify as Christian and does not believe that the bible is the end all be all book of how to live your life and harrass other people- be forced to live as if your values were the only important ones?
And as far as the sinning as a chice thing goes- your ignoring the way it usually works. In fundamentalist ccircles- people are inately bad (original sin) and must choose not to sin. To get them to that point- punishment is not only ok, but encouraged because it is better to beat them and save their souls than to love them and let them sin. The point is not that it is a choice to be homosexual- it is that they are choosiing not to try and overccome it- and for that they must be punished.
I think you missed this part of my comment: “…even though instructions to abstain from homosexual acts only pertain to believers, and not to the general populace, which is why legislation regarding homosexuality in the public sector is absurd.”
The bible, by it’s own definition, doesn’t apply to non-Christians. A Christian can say to another Christian, “scripture says to us that we are to abstain from homosexual acts,” but a Christian should not say to a non-Christian the same message. It doesn’t apply. It’d be like me being justified spanking my own kid, but I’m certainly wrong in spanking yours. My rules apply to my children alone; Christian moral laws apply to Christians alone.
And yes — I understand what fundamentalists think. I’m also aware of the divide within Christianity regarding the nature of salvation, and how my camp strongly disagrees with the camp that suggests that we are saved by our own merit, by our own choice, and by our own will. I don’t believe in biblically-based behavior modification by way of fear of hell. The entire new testament speaks out against that message, so it’s weird how so many churches get away with such a teaching.
Generally speaking, we agree. The things you hate about the church are the same things I hate about the church.