Before answering this is what the APA says on the matter:
No, human beings can not choose to be either gay or straight. Sexual orientation emerges for most people in early adolescence without any prior sexual experience. Although we can choose whether to act on our feelings, psychologists do not consider sexual orientation to be a conscious choice that can be voluntarily changed
2007-06-12 08:10:58 · 43 answers · asked by CHEESUS GROYST 5 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
I would like to point out that it's not my experience that I am shunned by society for being gay and I wouldn't want anyone to be fooled into thinking this is so. gay people are as much society as any other plebs out there.
2007-06-12 10:50:46 · update #1
It can't be a sin if there is no choice. God calls it sin.
2007-06-12 08:13:41 · answer #1 · answered by Fish <>< 7 · 3⤊ 10⤋
They think the Bible says something "against" homosexuality and as you know, the Bible is always the "trump card". Many either don't know what the Bible ACTUALLY had to say or just don't care about proper translation and understanding. The Bible does NOT condemn homosexuals and does NOT consider homosexual sex a sin. The passages in Leviticus (18:22 and 20:13), understood IN THE CONTEXT of the time and place, are not an admonishment against loving sexual relationships between people of the same sex but instead against sex as a form of domination and control. Besides, these passages are part of the Holiness Code which is not binding to modern day Christians (or anyone else for that matter). The story of Sodom and Gomorrah was a warning against rape, inhospitality and xenophobia. The reason for Sodom's destruction is made clear in Ezekiel 16:48-50. According to Ezekiel, the sins of Sodom were pride, laziness, being inhospitable, neglecting the needs of the poor, greed, and idolatry (the worshiping of idols). Nothing about homosexuality is mentioned. If Jude 1:7 describes anything about the sexual immorality and perversion in Sodom and Gomorrah, it's describing RAPE. 1 Corinthians 6:9 was a mistranslation of the word "malakee". It's used elsewhere in the Bible to mean someone who lacks discipline or one who is morally weak, and never is it used in reference to sexuality or gender. 1 Timothy 1:9-10? Also a mistranslation. 1 Timothy was an admonishment against male prostitution, not committed, loving same sex relationships. The words "physin" and "paraphysin" in Romans 1:26-27 have also been mistranslated. Contrary to popular belief, the word "paraphysin" does not mean "to go against the laws of nature", but rather implies action which is uncharacteristic for that particular person. An example of the word "paraphysin" is used in Romans 11:24, where God acts in an uncharacteristic (paraphysin) way to accept the Gentiles. When the scripture is understood correctly, it implies that it would be unnatural for heterosexuals to live as homosexuals and for homosexuals to live as heterosexuals.
2016-05-18 02:50:43 · answer #2 · answered by ? 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's not a choice. It's just a way the person is. Some people have red hair, some people have blue eyes, and some people are gay. Human sexuality is a spectrum with gays on one end, straights on the other, and some people in between. Why would anyone choose to be discriminated against? I never chose to be straight, it's just what I am. I assume it's the same way for gays and lesbians.
2007-06-12 08:26:12 · answer #3 · answered by Graciela, RIRS 6 · 4⤊ 0⤋
I strongly agree that homosexuality is not a choice. Homosexuals don't choose to be gay any more than heterosexuals choose to be straight. I think most of the Christians are going to pick apart the statement above and reference the part where you stated "...Although we can choose whether to act on our feelings..." Their argument will be that people should not act on homosexual urges. This is easy for them to say since they do not understand that it is not a matter of just not acting on sexual urges. A homosexual person would never be happy living a lie in a heterosexual lifestyle. They could never be truthful to a hetersexual marriage because those feelings would always be there. Therefore it's not fair to say that they simply "shouldn't act on it."
2007-06-12 08:16:33 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 7⤊ 0⤋
No matter how much proof, or pychological studies backing you, in no way, no how, are you going to convince someone who is religious that homosexuality is a choice. NO matter how reasonable you make it sound, are you going to convince someone religious, any different. That is the thing I don't like about religious zealots.. If it contradicts the bible in anyway, then it isn't possible. Fossils....Doen't matter what proof you have. Anyway, my point is. I wouldn't bother asking them this. Because you are not gonna get what you want and that is for them to have an open mind and think rationally. That's like saying.. Okay, i have a fetish.. NOw. I have a choice of not enjoying that fetish.... NO I don't. There is nothing I can do to not like this particular fetish when im in bed. Now I don't have to indulge in it.. but I would not appreciate sex as much.. I am not gay by the way. I am just saying. People who have fetishes can't help but like whatever fetish they are into. And I believe the same is for people that are homosexual. No one grows up, hoping to be homosexual.. err. People are ignorant.
2007-06-12 08:25:03 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 4⤊ 1⤋
I believe you are born the way you are...straight or gay. Doesn't matter. However I also believe that you can choose your sexual partner depending on a whim...so to speak. If one day I wake up and decide to try sex with another man for whatever reason then I've made a conscious choice to try a homosexual act. So, although my sexual orientation is to be straight, as you can see we also can make choices.
2007-06-12 08:21:56 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 1⤋
Homosexuality is present in almost every animal kingdom, it is a fluke of nature. Nature is imperfect.
I do not believe sexual orientation to be a choice, Before I even understood gender at the age of three I liked boys. I don't believe at that point I made a conscious choice to be heterosexual, it was just an instinct that I had.
I also believe that it is God's place, and God's place only to judge so whether i agree with homosexuality, or disagree I have no place condemning it.
2007-06-12 08:20:49 · answer #7 · answered by smedrik 7 · 2⤊ 2⤋
It is not a choice. I used to have dreams that I was kissing my girlfriends on the lips when I was as young as six. Once I hit puberty, the veritable "s**t hit the fan" because most of my sexual urges went toward girls. Actually, it was then that I realized I also liked boys. For all anyone really knows, I chose to live a heterosexual life (I'm married to a man) due to religious influences. But I'm sure I was born attracted to both genders.
2007-06-12 08:16:55 · answer #8 · answered by Some Lady 6 · 4⤊ 0⤋
No, it's not.
I think they're actually in the discovery stages of DNA proof; a gene that affects your sexual orientation.
Also, more personally... who would willingly choose to be gay, shunned and insulted by society?
2007-06-12 08:21:23 · answer #9 · answered by pamiekins 4 · 5⤊ 0⤋
I don't think that intelligent Christians still think it's a choice, in the face of overwhelming evidence that it isn't, but that one can choose not to practice and still be cool with God.
And even more enlightened ones think that it doesn't make any difference.
I am pretty certain that the fundemental Christians who express the biggest outrage at homosexuality do so as they recognise homo erotic thoughts in themselves.
2007-06-12 08:21:10 · answer #10 · answered by hog b 6 · 3⤊ 0⤋
I dont believe sexual orientation is a choice.
Conservative Christians just cant stand the thought of human sexuality. The idea of one man sticking something in another man or some girl squeezing another girls boobs. Itgets them all heeby jeeby so they made up some half assed 'moral reason' to hate homosexuals.
2007-06-12 08:15:33 · answer #11 · answered by Anonymous · 6⤊ 0⤋