Posted on 04/20/2015 5:01:58 PM PDT by xzins
“I don’t believe that your sexual preferences are a choice for a vast and enormous majority of the people. The bottom line is I believe that sexual preference is something people are born with.” ~ Sen. Marco Rubio, April 19, 2015
Marco Rubio has become the latest GOP presidential candidate to stumble badly over the issue of homosexuality. Sen. Rand Paul hurt himself by saying that gay “marriage” is okay, as long as it’s a matter of private contract, a view which will satisfy no one.
Dr. Ben Carson hurt himself by asserting that people do change their sexual orientation (correctly using prison as an example) and then retreating under fire and promising never to talk about homosexuality again.
Sen. Rubio is now the victim of a self-inflicted wound, by saying something that is politically correct but scientifically, medically and genetically wrong. Our public policy on homosexuality should be based on the best in scientific research, and Sen. Rubio’s position isn’t.
As I have written before, it’s time to send the “born that way” myth to the graveyard of misbegotten ideas, buried in the plot next to the myth that the sun revolves around the earth.
Psychiatrists William Byne and Bruce Parsons wrote in Archives of General Psychiatry (March 1993) that, “Critical review shows the evidence favoring a biologic theory to be lacking … In fact, the current trend may be to underrate the explanatory power of extant psychosocial models.” In other words, nurture plays a greater role in sexual preference than homosexual activists want you to believe.
As Peter Sprigg of the Family Research Council points out, rigorous studies of identical twins have now made it impossible to argue seriously for the theory of genetic determination. If homosexuality were fixed at birth, as the misguided thinking of homosexual activists goes, then if one twin is homosexual, the other should be as well. The “concordance rate” should be 100%.
But it’s not. One early proponent of the “born that way” thesis, Michael Bailey, conducted a study on a large sample of Australian twins and discovered to his chagrin that the concordance rate was just 11%.
Peter Bearman and Hannah Bruckner, researchers from Columbia and Yale respectively, looked at data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health and found concordance rates of just 6.7% for male and 5.3% for female identical twins.
They determined that social environment was of far greater significance, and their research led them to reject “genetic influence independent of social context” as an explanation for homosexuality. They concluded, “..[O]ur results support the hypothesis that less gendered socialization in early childhood and preadolescence shapes subsequent same-sex romantic preferences.” In other words, post-birth experiences shape sexual orientation, not genes.
Bearman’s and Bruckner’s research is born out by no less than eight major studies of identical twins in the U.S., Scandinavia and Australia over the last two decades. They all arrive at the same conclusion: gays aren’t born that way.
As Sprigg observes, “If it was not clear in the 1990’s, it certainly is now -- no one is ‘born gay.’”
Strikingly, honest homosexuals agree. In an astonishing column published in the winger-left publication, “The Atlantic,” openly “queer woman” (her words) Lindsay Miller says flatly, “In direct opposition to both the mainstream gay movement and Lady Gaga, I would like to state for the record that I was not born this way.”
Tellingly, she argues that saying people are “born this way” is a form of condescension, and she resents it mightily. “I get frustrated with the veiled condescension of straight people who believe that queers ‘can’t help it,’ and thus should be treated with tolerance and pity.”
Ms. Miller concludes her piece by saying, “The life I have now is not something I ended up with because I had no other options. Make no mistake -- it’s a life I chose.”
The implications, of course, of this simple truth are far-reaching. If homosexual behavior is a choice, then our public policy can freely be shaped by an honest look at whether this behavioral choice is healthy and should be encouraged or unhealthy and dangerous and consequently discouraged.
The elevated health risks associated with homosexuality are by now so well established that not even homosexuals pretend otherwise. The Gay and Lesbian Medical Association warns that active homosexuals are at elevated risks of HIV/AIDS, substance and alcohol abuse, depression and anxiety, hepatitis, a whole range of STDs such as syphilis, gonorrhea, chlamydia, pubic lice, Human Papilloma Virus, and anal papilloma, and prostate, testicular and colon cancer.
Bottom line: this is not behavior that any rational society should condone, endorse, subsidize, reward, promote or sanction in domestic policy or in the marketplace. It’s a choice, and a bad one at that. It’s long past time for our culture - and our presidential candidates - to say a simple and direct “No” to homosexuality and the homosexual agenda.
Social conservatives need and deserve a candidate who will base his social policy agenda on genetics, science, biology, the best in health research, and on biblical morality. Sen. Rubio has failed that test.
(Unless otherwise noted, the opinions expressed are the author’s and do not necessarily reflect the views of the American Family Association or American Family Radio.)
You’re confusing two separate things. Saying that people aren’t born that way is not the same as saying that homos make a voluntary choice to be attracted to the same sex. If a child were molested by a homo, for example, that could trigger the sexual disorder later in puberty because it imprints a disordered sexual identity. The studies cited only indicate that the disorder is not genetic
Thank you. I would agree, that would impact the kids.
I agree that it is unnatural...a violation of the law of nature’s God written on our hearts. I imagine 2 means of introduction: (1) some form of molestation or shaping of a child by an adult or an occult religion, and (2) a narcissistic personality that begins simply to experiment with pleasure with no regard for anyone or anything else other than personal satisfaction. The worship of self by the individual.
Thank you JudyInCanada. I agree that differential treatment can affect the kids.
Bookmarked and pinged.
Well we've had similar anecdotal experience, although it's been considerably more than two. I'm in the garment industry, plenty of gay guys. It's not a subject that comes up often but when it has, every single one has admitted some same sex activity at a young age. Either from an older man or some friend. Not much of a stretch to assume that another older man was involved with exposing the "friends" to the behavior.
You have every reason to feel that way.
Parents are put in a very hard place, when it comes to abuse.
Do you drag your kid through it in court. Is that better than talking to them about it and hoping you can cope with it on your own?
I know of a family that had a child molested by an adult. It was reported to the police. The child was then forced into a room with adults he didn’t know, and asked a bunch of questions. That right there was abuse IMO.
The molester was a transient, in between his family’s homes. He disappeared. The police couldn’t find him.
He was never called to justice for it. The kid turned out fine, but that was pure luck IMO.
His father was a strong adult figure, but understanding. That may have helped. The father and mother displayed affection for each other, so a very strong man/woman model was there for the kid to observe.
It’s tough.
D1, my FRiend, I could tell plenty of life stories but will not. The post made by G Larry in #29 is a damn good start.
Thanks Houeto. I appreciate the mention.
the FACT?!?
Wow!
I wanted to further understand what makes some people turn to homosexuality so I searched the web for answers. I found those in the form of testimonials of people who’d been in the lifestyle or had been drawn near to it for one reason or another. Each of these testimonials is a kind of window into the world of the homosexual lifestyle through the eyes of someone who knows many others who dwell there.
The people in the candid accounts did not claim that they were born that way or that any others were born that way or destined for it. Instead, they assumed responsibility for their present behavior and most were able, through therapy, to account for why they became that way.
My summary of the situation is that there are family and other environmental factors that can lead a person, during the time their sex drive is forming, to become “separated” from their masculinity or femininity. That statement comes directly from some of the testimonials. If this happens, the person can look for another way to associate with their own sex that is not healthy. Boys crave being “one of the guys” and girls crave the same thing with female peers. Instead of normal associations, the social cravings become crossed with sexual urges that have gone unsatisfied in a normal way due to a confused self image.
It is psychologically complicated and unique depending on the personality type of the individual. Obviously, it is only a tiny minority of people who develop same sex attraction regardless of how many more people experience a less than ideal home and early social life, but I do believe that same sex attraction and sexual disorientation is entirely due to outside influences and how the individual internalizes and processes them.
Here is a link to one of many sites where I searched for answers to my questions.
Yes, recruitment. That’s how I view it. Until they find a “gay” gene, I won’t be convinced that it has a biological beginning for more than a teeny tiny percentage. I believe the vast majority are recruited. It’s the only way the homosexuals can “reproduce”.
It’s heartening to hear a good outcome. Thanks for sharing that much with me. My son’s friend’s situation still bothers me greatly. I haven’t been in touch with him or his mother in many years, but I think about them and keep them in my prayers.
Thank you for your comments. Good idea. I’ll use your link in the next few days.
I am sure you did all you could. Some choices need to be made by the parents, so I respect what you did and what you accepted. It’s tough, but we can’t just do things because we mean well.
I appreciate your response. Take care.
I don’t get the fixation on both sides with the “born that way” question. It’s a mental illness. Whether it’s congenital or not (and in a great many cases it appears to be so) is irrelevant as far as public policy should be concerned.
I wouldn’t hold my breath on anyone even looking for a “gay gene”, because there would be a huge demand for an amniocentesis test with the expected results from an unfavorable result.
What strikes me most in the material above is the “distant” father aspect, and it’s possible role. Definitely food for thought with so many fatherless homes and the whole “born that way” narrative.
[[Why are Republican presidential candidates expected to weigh in on issues of homosexuality and sexual orientation in the first place?]]
Because the next 4-8 years you ARE going to see a massive onslaught by gay activists as they attack EVERYONE who doesn’t agree with hteir lifestyle- We’re noly just seeing the beginning of it now with gays attacking businesses- but we are beginning to see gay activists attacking churches now, and going after more and more people- They are ‘just asking the questions now’ BUT, after the elections, if a republican wins, the gays are going to be furious, and launch an all out attack on EVERYONE but especially on Christians and republicans who didn’t cave to their Nazi intimidation tactics
Things are going to get very ugly in America in the following years with islam infiltrating this country, global warming thugs extorting money from Americans on a massive scale, and the gay agenda taking over, and the MSM is responsible for all three of these by aiding and abetting the agendas and embracing them with open arms because they KNOW it will destroy America, and they will have their news bites set for the next few decades
Born homo, born stupid etc... Ain’t liberals just loving people!?
For those who do not believe it is inborn, there are lots of other theories. I once led a therapy group that had 3 members who were one of a pair of identical twins. How rare is that? At any rate, each was the non favored twin of the pair, which was why they were in this group. I have known several gay men who were rather clear about their choices. One was sexually and physically abused by his mother who hated her philandering husband and took it out on his favorite child. Another had an alcoholic mother and was sexually tortured by an older brother. A third was the youngest son in a family with 5 older sisters. He liked women, but felt the incest taboo too strongly to feel sexy with one. A rather small young man told me that when he was about 7 and admiring photos of pretty women in clothing catalogs, members of his family made fun of him a lot. I don’t think any of these men thought they were just born that way. On the other hand their choices were not hard to understand. I agree, why would politicians spend so much time and energy on the topic unless it is to keep our minds of real issues, like poor job opportunities, bridges and roads that are falling apart, a military that is loosing strength, etc.
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