Posted on 07/12/2006 2:07:22 PM PDT by carlo3b
No scientific basis for 'born gay' theory By David Clarke PrudenAlthough the simple "born gay" theory has faded from the science scene, activists continue to misrepresent scientific findings. When you assert that individuals are born gay and cannot change, people naturally jump to the conclusion that same-sex marriage is the only rational choice for same-sex attracted individuals.
However, the innate-immutable theory of homosexuality has no basis in science. The simplistic biological theory has been dismissed by all of the researchers whose studies have been cited to support the notion that homosexuality is so deeply compelled by biology that it cannot change.
Let's examine the words of just one of those often incorrectly cited as providing evidence for a "gay gene." Simon LeVay notes, "It is important to stress what I didn't find. I did not prove that homosexuality was genetic, or find a cause for being gay. I didn't show that gay men were born that way, the most common mistake people make in interpreting my work."
A new research study by a University of Illinois team, which has screened the entire human genome, reported that there is no one gay gene. Writing in the journal Human Genetics, lead researcher Dr. Brian Mustanski noted that environmental factors were also likely to be involved.
Of the innate-immutable argument, Dr. Richard C. Friedman and Dr. Jennifer Downey, noted, "At clinical conferences one often hears . . . that homosexual orientation is fixed and unmodifiable. Neither assertion is true . . . The assertion that homosexuality is genetic is so reductionistic that it must be dismissed out of hand as a general principle of psychology."
And the fluidity of homosexual attractions is well-established. Dr. Ellen Schecter of the Fielding Institute studied women who had self-identified as lesbian for more than 10 years and who after age 30 were now in intimate relationships with men lasting a year or longer.
Even more prominent was the research by Robert Spitzer, the very psychiatrist who led the charge to remove homosexuality from the psychiatric manual. His study of 200 gay men and lesbian women who had undergone re-orientation therapy concluded: 44 percent of the women and 66 percent of the men had arrived at what he called "good heterosexual functioning" and 89 percent of the men and 95 percent of the women reported that they were bothered slightly or not at all by unwanted homosexual feelings.
Mainstream gay-affirming publications like The Advocate are changing their terminology to embrace the concept of fluid sexual attractions. Matt Foreman, of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, summarizes what the gay movement has done.
"We as a movement can take pride that we opened the door for young people to be much more fluid about sexuality, gender, gender roles, orientation and sexual behavior than any other generation in history. That's what the gay movement has contributed to society, and that's a tremendously good thing."
But is it? If the innate-immutable theory of homosexuality has no basis in science then why do so many activists still insist that individuals are born gay and cannot change? LeVay provided the answer. He notes " . . . people who think that gays and lesbians are born that way are more likely to support gay rights."
This is not to say that anyone chooses homosexual attractions nor do most of us choose many of the other challenges we face in life, but we do choose how we respond.
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David Clarke Pruden is the executive director of Evergreen International, a nonprofit Latter-Day Saint organization that provides resources and educational services for same-sex attracted members.
Theoretically that makes sense. I suspect that some combination of genes makes someone a little more or a little less likely to be gay, but it's the cultural/environmental factors that really bring it out.
Thanks -I will ping it out.
I believe there are gay people who have children who hope their children are not gay because of how hard a road it is.
How do they manage that since 2 of the same sex cannot procreate?
Many people are born with mental disorders.
I doubt anyone would dispute that.
However, many mental disorders can be treated and "cured" or at least managed.
Homosexuality, is a disorder, or mental illness, but it does not need to be accepted, treatment can and should be explored.
Its like being born bipolar, you don't sit there and say, "thats the way we are, why should we change?".
Artificial insemination or surrogate mothers.
I do not accept the premise that there are "gay" people. Nor do I accept the premise that the undeniable fact that people who feel predisposed toward and or choose to engage in homosexual sex positively function and contribute within our society as a result of their predisposition toward or actual choice to engage in homosexual sex.
There are many human beings who are predisposed toward or actually choose to engage in any number of activities who ALSO positively function and contribute within our society -so what?
Discussing "gay" without discussing homosexual sex is missing completely the only thing differentiating "gay" from the rest of humanity...
As such, your use of the "gay" term to refer to males suffering the homosexual disorder does imply you have perhaps unwittingly bought into the homosexual agenda propaganda party line (people are like animals, captives to their urges and not able to choose what they do or do not do) hook line and sinker. This being the case -your ability to rationally discuss the topic is severely flawed from the outset. There is a BIG difference between discussing human beings that always merit respect and dignity versus discussing human behavior(s) -you seem to attempt conflating the two and in essence necessarily imply any human behavior is acceptable -is this your rationale?
homosexual: Definition, Synonyms and Much More From Answers.com
homosexual
adjectiveOf, relating to, or having a sexual orientation to persons of the same sex.
noun Usage Problem.
A homosexual person; a gay man or a lesbian.
USAGE NOTE: Many people now avoid using homosexual because of the emphasis this term places on sexuality. Indeed, the words gay and lesbian, which stress cultural and social matters over sex, are frequently better choices. Homosexual is most objectionable when used as a noun; here gay man and gay woman or lesbian and their plural forms are called for. It is generally unobjectionable when used adjectivally, as in a homosexual relationship, although gay, lesbian, or same-sex are also available for adjectival use. See Usage Notes at gay.
As far as I know the only thing that differentiates homosexuals from heterosexuals is SEX.
Perhaps you can provide insight beyond more than touting this 'gay' term and educate me on just what comprises the "cultural and social" differences which are exclusive to and encompass male homosexuals?
In other words -is there something fundamental that I am not aware of premising the term 'gay' OR is it simply as I suspect a leftist "usage suggestion" -propaganda parroted by both witting and unwitting tools of the left?
Even if there were a scientific basis, it would still be suicide to engage in that destructive behavior. So the best counsel a caring person could give would be: "Don't do it."
I know. I was looking for acknowledgement that "gay couples" can't procreate. They use other peoples kids to make a "family". Sometimes they adopt too. No matter how "normal" they try to appear, it is not. They are trying to distort normal to fit their abnormal lifestyle. And force everyone to accept a small minority of people with deviant behaviour.
"My brother in law tells me that he's never had any feelings of sexual attraction to women but has to men since he was in middle school. I'm sure more psychological study of this phenomena will reveal more as time goes on."
If you get really close to him as time goes on, maybe some day he'll tell you who molested him.
If you ask him too soon, he'll probably swear up and down that he wasn't molested.
Same-sex attraction disorder is a maladaptive response to a molestation or seduction in the pre-adult years.
I certainly agree that people can be born with effeminate or manly tendencies within their gender that is opposite of their sex.
You are confusing behavior with sexual identity
However, the innate-immutable theory of homosexuality has no basis in science. The simplistic biological theory has been dismissed by all of the researchers whose studies have been cited to support the notion that homosexuality is so deeply compelled by biology that it cannot change>
ALL human beings are heterosexual (a scientific term describing those sexually procreative by means of two sexes e.g. male & female versus asexual which is self procreative). The whole 'homosexual' (non-scientific term) innate identity thing is leftist propaganda. 'Homosexuals' are simply disordered heterosexuals -heterosexuals that feel predisposed to or actually choose to engage in homosexual activities.
Take note that 'sex' as it applies to the heterosexual term is scientifically premised in procreation while 'gender' as it applies to the disordered heterosexual (homosexual) term is leftist derived propaganda premised in the pursuit of recreational sexual activity that is objectively unnatural, unhealthy, and by default can not produce children...
As complex as homosexuality this above statement basically hit the bullseye on most of the causes behind it. Mpackard you ever think of going into psychiatry?
But even deeper than all the apparent peripheral reasons behind it there is a deep spiritual condition that must be overcome before there's a cure.
The only satisfactory nuts and bolts method that I've heard to successfully overcome this condition can be found here; LINK
"I don't accept the premise that there is something wrong with gay people."
There's your problem.
BTW, they're NOT GAY, that's a euphemism to hide a sick perversion. They're Homosexuals.
indefinite periods of prison incarceration with zero chance of parole? (part of that mythical 5% don't you know.....)
How about people who grow up into a weird sexual fetish.
The "born gay" BS is just delusion for people to deny they have learned to associate sexual gratification with the fetish.
Such anecdotal "my X [family member,friend,relative] is a homosexuals and they claim they were never straight" is not science it is propaganda. It is about as valid as saying "I was never attracted to Ford automobiles, I can only feeeeeeel happy driving GM automobiles" therefore you were born a ford customer.
For the most part those with this anecdotes are just trolls.
Middle school is the time when many boys are still feeling like "girls are yucky" and are alarmed over their feelings towards girls, especially if they have reason to feel conflicted, such as difficulty with either parent or with a troublesome quality of the parents' marriage or parenting. Some boys get "stuck" there if another boy shows too much interest or if a seduction by an older person occurs.
You forgot your sarcasm tag. This is a valid point: the gay movement has tried in vain to align themselves with the black struggle for civil rights, because they are not comparable. No one has been enslaving gays, nor lynching and firehosing gays to keep them out of movie theaters and restaurants.
This is self-deluding drama. Virtually everyone goes through mental pictures of loving their best friend forever when they are five years old and do not really have the information or ability to understand sex and gender roles. They also have lots of other thoughts; but these get edited out over time and the self-pitying "I can't help myself" theme becomes pronounced.
I don't think that telling anyone this would help at all. But I do think that telling them that Jesus will help anyone who sincerely seeks him; that it will take time, but the spiritual results of having a clear conscience when you stand before God at judgement, faced with eternity, will be worth the quest. True love is above physical urges and can lead the body to the correct physical urges. Many people don't give themselves a chance to love truly. It begins with loving God truly and trusting him completely. Then he will lead you to your place in life, whether it is with a marriage partner or not.
The young generation has been taught since the 60s that sexual gratification is a right and and obligation to oneself that must be satisfied. This has never before been the case in civilization; the advent of relatively foolproof contraception has fostered the idea that there can be relatively foolproof sex without consequences for men and women, and this idea has spread over to the gay community -- what the hell! It's not true for either group; sex has eternal consequences. Too many people want to think of God as Santa Claus or the Easter Bunny, and never listen to Jesus' stern warnings about the offenses we give to God by not following his rules, one of which is "do not commit adultery."
I believe that commandment also encompasses "do not adulterate." In this case, do not adulterate the natural order of the two genders established to perpetuate the species.
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