If being gay is involuntary, then shouldn't atheism be involuntary, also?

Question

I am an atheist, and it was a concious desicion.

However, if I had a dime for every time someone told me that being a homosexual is innate, something you're born with, I'd be a millionaire. I'm not against homosexuals at all, but it baffles me how people can call it involuntary. I can make a decision to be straight, and I believe people decide for themselves their sexual preference.

Answer 1

i think what you believe is what you believe and even all these answers that you are getting arent going to change ur views!

Answer 2

You made a decision to be straight? So...you CAN decide to find other women sexually / romantically attractive? If you're innately bisexual, and choosing to be straight, then fine and good for you. But that doesn't mean that that's how it is for everyone else. Your experience is not going to be the same as mine.

Incidentally, I don't necessarily say people are "born" gay, but I think that to put that into a dichotomy of either "born" that way or else it's a "choice" is over fallacy.

Answer 3

If you have a choice in pursuing your same and opposite sex attractions, then you fall somewhere in the bi-sexual part of the sexual orientation continuum. You are someone who innately has a choice. Those who are totally or close to the 100% straight or gay ends, really don't. It's not a response to the world, but just the way you are. The proper anology is not to a learned or reasoning process like religion. It is to things like being a lefty or having blue eyes or just plain old breathing.

Answer 4

why do so many str8 ppl ask non-gay questions here. are you trying to tell us you are gay and its your way to start coming out? you asked a question and than answered it your self and really if you got a dime for every time some someone told you that you would just have a lot of dimes. you did not make a decision to be str8, it was made for you. no, not by god or any crap like that, its just the way you are. being gay is not like trying to decide what to have for lunch. you just take what is given to you. its not a choice, its just life.

Answer 5

There is significant evidence that female sexuality is in fact more fluid than male sexuality.

However, if you honestly are equally attracted to males and females and made a conscious choice to be heterosexual -- then you are bi not straight, no matter how long you go with your choice.

I (I'm male) certainly never made a choice. On the other hand, I did choose to embrace who I am and be happy with it -- rather than hate myself and be self-abusive as so many deeply closeted gay men are. So while I made choices, they surrounded my sexual preference, they did not determine it.

I hope that helps, if you have additional questions, feel free to contact me directly at the email address in my signature block.

Kind regards,

Reynolds
http://www.rebuff.org
[e-mail]

Answer 6

Are you straight?
If so.....

Then can you make a decision to be gay?
If you can, then you have homosexual tendencies inside of you that you were born with.

If you deny having homosexual tendencies inside your being, then you were born straight.

If you are straight, does the thought of having gay sex turn you on?
Probably not....cuz you were born that way.

If you are gay, does the thought of having straight sex turn you on?
Probably not....cuz you were born that way.

I never made a consious decision as to what sexual preference I was. It just evolved....I was born that way.

Answer 7

Your ignorance is understandable but accepting God or not accepting his existence is a cognitive act. Accepting your orientation is not a cognitive act. You do not choose to be straight you are straight. You choose not to engage in an act that would be seen as homosexual you choose to engage in straight sex. Because you are attracted to the opposite gender, this is not a problem for you. Bisexuals can choose not to follow their natural inclinations to be with their own gender or they can choose not to follow their natural inclinations to be with the opposite gender but it doesn't change the attraction they feel. Likewise a 100% homosexual can choose to deny his sexuality and choose to like you engage in straight sex or a straight lifestyle. It will not change his attractions it only means he is making a cognitive decision to not follow his natural inclinations.
You could choose to engage in a homosexual act but you would not be attracted to the same gender as you and you would not enjoy it. So you are advocating that we all live the way you want us to in order to make you more comfortable. Good luck on that.

Answer 8

People do not decide their sexual preference, they decide whether or not to engage in sexual intercourse.
A sexual act has a nature(ie homosexual or heterosexual) but an attraction to either the same sex or opposite sex is not a conscious decision.

Answer 9

you have a right to believe whatever the heck you want, we're just getting awfully tired of people telling us that it has to be choice, not something innate. I know I never made any concious decision to "become" lesbian...I just always have known I was.

Answer 10

so you're telling be you had gay feelings and sudenly decided to be straight? I don't think so. You just openly said you consciously decided to be an athiest. I didn't have that choice with my sexuality, nor do any of the rest of the gay community

Answer 11

religion and sexuality have no direct connect...... if there is any connect at all .. it is a direct result of the homophobic "christians" who go out of their way to judge us, make those judgements know and try to tell us we are doomed to hell.... even IF their intentions are good... they are tainted... when a group of people are constantly targetted by another group of people... its only natural for the one being targetted to become defensive and even rebellious. Many rebel to the point of becoming agnostic..