Do Christians think sexual orientation is acquired or genetic?

Question

Medical opinion says that sexual orientation whether gay, straight, bisexual or trans-sexual is caused partly by genetics, partly by the hormonal environment in the mothers womb and a myriad other influences none of us can choose, certainly sexual orientation does not appear to be a choice...but what do you think, did you choose your sexuality and when did you first make this choice if you did?

ZERO COOL: What!... all sexual orientation is an abomination to them? surely not, what about asexuality?

Answer 1

No, I've always been this way. There was no decision making.

Answer 2

I am christian. I grew up in a very small town. There are three girls I know whom I always suspected could be homosexual. One of them I babysat from the time she was just a few months old and even when she was very very small she said she was a boy. Dressed in boy clothes, etc. Another I grew up and went all the way through school with. She was a very good friend. I and my best friend were the people she relied on when she had to tell her parents. It was HELL for her and her parents both. I don't envy the people I know who have had to somehow break the news to their loved ones. Based on the experience I've had with homosexuality, I am convinced that it is present at birth. I believe we are predisposed to certain things at birth. Some people are predisposed to being homosexual. Others are predisposed to being alcoholics. I believe that it's our responsibility to resist these predispositions. My father is a raging alcoholic to this day. He hasn't gone a day without a drink for I'd say 50 years. I however, drank like a fish when I was in my 20s but walked away from it without even so much as a second thought. I just lost interest. I believe he had a predisposition to becoming an alcoholic, but I did not. It was something he would have had to fight against whereas I didn't. I have heard my homosexual friends liken their desire to the desire I have for men..... no difference. My feeling is that I have never had such a strong sexual desire for anyone that I lost control of my faculties and was unable to say no. Based on that, if my attraction to a man is the same as a woman to a woman's, why can't they say no? I certainly can. I have the will of a bulldog though. If someone told me I could never have sexual relations with a man again, I would somehow charge through it. Why can't a homosexual person do the same? It has been stated to me that they "can't resist it" or they can't "live this life of heterosexuality". Why? I could do it as a heterosexual so why cant they?

Answer 3

Hush, In answer to your question, I made a choice to be heterosexual at 17, before I realized that you just can’t decide about your orientation and expect it to happen.

I’d like to take up Mahal’s challenge, if I may.

First, you can’t argue against a genetic influence, and then say that Nature is breeding out gay genes. You seem confused about this.

Secondly, you can’t say all humans are heterosexual by definition. It’s as valid an assertion as all humans are right handed by definition. To argue that valid sexuality is determined only by the capacity to reproduce, you would have to argue that the only valid reason for having sex is the intention to produce a pregnancy. This excludes about 99 per cent of the sex people have.

Thirdly, group selection is a probable mechanism by which “gay potential" genes are selected for by natural selection. You seem to have a simplistic notion of how genotypes are selected in social animals such as humans. I suspect that genes predisposing to homosexuality could improve fitness in males because they reduce reproductively expensive competition between genetically similar brothers. There are possibly other reasons why such a genotype would be fayoured by natural selection.

There is almost certainly no single “gay gene”. However the evidence for a significant genetic influence is strong, based on twin studies.

Answer 4

It's genetic like being prone to anger or alcoholism is genetic. We all have behaviorable traits that make us more prone to certain behavior than others. It's also, like other behavioral traits, a lifestyle issue. Not everybody with homosexual impulses end up living the homosexual lifestyle.

I have no doubt there are genuine impulses and emotions that result in homosexuality. However, most of us have impulses that are very strong which can also hurt us. Do we follow them or do we resist? The consequences tend to speak for themselves sooner or later.

Imagine when we find the "murderer" gene in the future. Are there going to be any Million Murderer Marches declaring equal rights for murderers along with a demand to release all murderers from prisons because it's genetic?

Unfortunately, homosexuality has become more of a political issue than a health issue, so PC people are afraid to touch it from a medical and social standpoint. If you see the statistics, homosexuality has great risks, and people forget that homosexuals should be treated rather than touted as just being another choice.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gay_Men's_Health_Crisis

http://www.narth.com/

Answer 5

No not consciously as you are talking about. Giving into Satan's temptations is nothing new. It happens everyday to most people. You can tell Satan to get away and speak with the authority of God or you can give in to the temptation entirely. The thing is you must mean what you say with all your heart or Satan will have you in his grasp. God's Holy Spirit will gladly help you out of this situation if you ask. God Bless you. Satan has no power over Christians at all. That's not saying the Christians can't sin, they certainly can and do everyday. But it's their choosing and they know at the time it's wrong. Life is a struggle all the time. Pray to God to help you and He will if you have the resolve to keep your side of the deal.

Answer 6

I say that being gay is entirely behavioral (and I can almost prove it).

First, human beings are heterosexual by definition. We're born with the organs and hormones for procreation in a hetero manner. There has never been born a single human who could procreate in any other way. This limits homosexuality strictly to behavior, since it's certainly not biological.

Second, Mother Nature has added a cruel and sinister twist to the debate. She is breeding gay people out of the gene pool continually. Since gay people can't reproduce, they are authomatically excluded from passing on their genes. In order to have a baby, they MUST do it hetero, and when they do, they automatically water down whatever genes make them gay (if there actually are any).

I therefore challenge these medical professionals you speak of to produce evidence of any such gene. I don't buy it.

Answer 7

This is a choice, and nothing else. They are given over to a reprobate mind lusting after their own desires. Romans 1:28,29,30,31,32

"and even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a peprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient. being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness,covetousness, maliciousness, full of envy,murder, debate, deceit, malignity, whisperers, backbitters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventers of evil things, disobedient to parents. Without understanding, covenantbreakers, WITHOUT NATURAL AFFECTION, implaceable, unmerciful, who knowing the judgement of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not onmly do the same, but have pleasure in doing them"

Answer 8

Doesn't matter to them... it's an "abomination" regardless.

Yep, all sexuality is an abomination. Why do you think they discourage it so?

"NO sex before marriage! ALL of your sexual organs are shameful! NEVER touch your own genitals! DO NOT wear condoms! JESUS WILL HATE YOU if you get busy with the hanky panky and haven't exchanged vows!!!"

Answer 9

I don't think its a conscious choice.. i think its more psychological.

By the way, I have lots of gay friends... and I believe I am asexual.

Most people seem to think its a choice you conicously make though... I disagree completely!

Answer 10

I have no opinion on the matter. I assume that a good deal of it is genetic. My cousin is homosexual, and that fact was perfectly clear from the time he learned to walk.

Answer 11

I believe that most Christians believe that you become homosexual because you want to. I am a Christian and I don't agree