Homosexuality is a choice question?

Question

Why does it make a difference if homosexuality is a choice or comes naturally? Lots of sins come naturally, if you are a Christian, you know Bible says we are born into sin. Think about it, no one had to teach you to be selfish as a child, it just came naturally. I have the desire to have sex with someone I'm not married to, how is that any different than being born with the desire to have sex with someone of the same sex? Both are sins, one isn't any worse than the other, many sins are things we naturally desire and yearn to do. Why do people think that "it comes naturally" or "I was born that way" justify a sin? If you don't think homosexuality is a sin, than don't worry about it, but can someone explain this idea to me? The choice is whether we act on the sin or not, if you choose not to have sex with someone you're not married to or if you choose not to have sex with someone of the same sex? Maybe I'm missing something, but how does natural desire negate the sin?

Just because I believe homosexuality to be a sin doesn't mean I'm judging a person. Disagreement and judgement are not the same thing. I'm sorry if I offend anyone, but please try to be civil.

Tegarst, you're right, I did mean to post this in the Religion section.

Answer 1

The question as you asked it should be addressed in the Religion section.

Keep your religion to yourself and I will keep my thoughts on your religion to myself.

http://www.religioustolerance.org/hom_bibl.htm

Answer 2

"Why do people think that "it comes naturally" or "I was born that way" justify a sin?"

I think the real question is, "is homosexuality itself a sin?" Because if it is, as your question suggests, then the discussion of whether or not it comes naturally or someone is born that way, versus it being a lifestyle is a moot point. It wouldn't matter in the grand scheme of things if it's a sin. It couldn't be justified either way. You're right, natural desire doesn't negate a sin.

However if the question is whether or not homosexuality is a sin, then the question of homosexuality being a lifestyle versus it being natural in some individuals becomes a valid discussion. It's my opinion that homosexuality is indeed not a sin. And if you would like to continue the discussion from there, feel free to email me at: [e-mail]

Answer 3

Starbrite, first of all, do you really understand the context of those verses against homosexuality in the Bible? Do you? I doubt it...unless you know ancient Greek and Aramaic. Also, being gay is TOTALLY separate from having sexual desire for someone outside of your marriage or having some strong need to steal or choosing to hurt someone's feelings by slandering them. Sin can be rectified...one's identity, sexual orientation, race, height, etc. cannot be changed. It is not merely about sexual desire. There are many gay couples in which the two partners truly LOVE one another...and this goes so far beyond sex. It is part of who they are, pure and simple. Sin is also part of who we are just as love is part of who we are. To group same sex love and evil into the same category is just wrong. I believe the Bible is an arrow...it's nice to look at, but you have to focus your attention on where it's pointing. I believe the Christian faith teaches love and tolerance as well as justice and peace. There are verses in the Bible that justify slavery, but we all know slavery is a terrible, evil human construct. There are verses in the Bible that condemn homosexual behavior among straight people, but we know that this does not apply to gay people who are innately homosexual. The point is that to take everything in the Bible literally without placing it in its proper historical context is simple-minded and just plain wrong. We were given this gift of being critical thinkers...that means we have to both truly understand the source of our inspiration and not turn it into a one-dimensional sunday school lesson.

Answer 4

Generally I have to agree with your idea of acting according to a sin or not. It's a choice weather I act in the proper way or if I choose to abandon morals and values. However I think many around here just don't consider homosexuality a sin, me neither. And I'm not quite sure if it's really a choice, even if it was a sin.

Concerning your comparison with desire: In my opinion homosexuality is more than just sexual attraction. It's something you have to deal with in almost every part of your life. Your family and friends should be informed and sometimes you have to struggle to be accepted (e.g. at work, at home, at school etc.) Sometimes you 'suffer' from intolerance or just hostile glances. You have to think: "How much am I allowed to tell? Will he/she repel me?" Usually one wants to live with a partner in an apartment, as a real couple with a happily every after ending.
It's more than just lust.

Well, anyway, next point. Let's consider homosexuality a sin. They would suppress their feelings and try to live a 'normal' life. As a gay man, that would mean to marry a woman, becoming father etc.
Seems pretty okay at first sight.
However, I guess you're a woman, arent' you? Just imagine heterosexuality was a sin: You had to live with a woman, kissing and having sex with her, introducing her to your family, friends etc. etc..
Could you imagine that? I can't.

I realized very late that I actually was gay and before that I could hardly be happy. I forced myself into a pattern, I had a wife, I'm a father, I had to be 'normal'/in the mainstream/whatever you may call it, but it wouldn't fit, no matter how hard I tried.

Homosexuality is definitely not a sin for me. And honestly if it was: I just wouldn't care. I don't hurt or harm anyone, nobody suffers from me being gay. My husband and I are adults, therefore we're in total control of our actions. We're not the reason for moral decay.

I love him.

I denied in the first place, I cried out, I raged, I tried everything to become 'straight' again and just despaired of trying over and over again. However, that's the way I am and I'm not able to change. Some people think it's a choice, I don't think that there's a any 'real' choice. Forcing someone to oppress one important part of his essential being is not a choice, it's a death penalty. What is it good for? Who avails oneself of one more suppressed being?

Who do we harm, that homosexuality is considered as a sin?

We love, we're not monsters.

Answer 5

The bible was wrote by people and it's been used to OK racism, by your argument its also a sin to be black so your argument and your ramblings is ill-advised.

Being gay isn't a sin unlike hurting others and a multitude of stuff you'd be better to worry over like the pope and priests that protect evil-doers

The reason people talk about same-sex being natural is because it is and to fight bigots like you

Answer 6

i do not believe homosexuality is a sin, and the fact is that it isn't a choice, but i do agree that the issue of "is it a choice" shouldn't be an issue at all, because whatever your beliefs are, it doesn't matter. it won't make being gay worse for those who already believe it's wrong, or better for those who believe it's fine. hate shouldn't be based on someones choices that don't affect you personally, and even if you are going to believe that being gay is a choice, hate us for another reason.

Answer 7

Actually implying that something is a "sin" does infer judgment.

More Importantly, why do you feel that your religious belief should hold significance over any other's belief? Should the Islamic and Judaic communities be able to ban Pork products for everyone simply because their belief teaches it is unclean? If you feel homosexuality is a sin, that simply means that YOU shouldn't be a homosexual. It has no bearing on others lives nor should it.

Answer 8

The answer to your question is quite simple really. In my opinion, which is as valid as yours:

The Bible doesn't really hold any moral authority. It cannot be used as a tool to judge between right or wrong. It's just a book.

In fact, since it was written so long ago, it's probably dangerous to use it as a tool to measure anything by.

Answer 9

The bible never once condemns homosexuality. In the old testament, the Hebrew tribe was a small one and did not need anything keeping it from growing. In the new testament, Paul (who, by the way, is not Jesus; Jesus never once said anything against gays, but actually favorably performed a miracle for a man's lover) only spoke out about going "against your sexuality" and temple prostitutes. In other words, forcing yourself to go against your nature (like a straight man having gay sex).

Finally, why does god care so much? I mean, honestly? Doesn't he have better things to do with his time than peek in on people's bedrooms?

Answer 10

Sexuality is only a part of someone, but it is a fundamental part. If you hate someone's sexuality, then you do not accept them and don't love them as they deserve to be loved. It is pure hypocrisy to suppose otherwise. Would I want to be loved by a person, when I knew that they despised a certain part of me, and thought that I was a condemned sinner? Not likely. You sin if you hurt another person, not if you love someone else and are hurting nobody.

Answer 11

Right it doesn't matter if it's a choice or not. Just don't lie to me and say you have no control over your actions.

However politically it is desirable to say it's genetic. This way it can be treated the same as racial issues. If this is done, then it will be a federal crime to assault a gay person and not a federal crime to kill your mother. It will be a crime to say that gays shouldn't marry, it will be a crime to give a promotion to a person who isn't gay, or to fire a gay person.

Any "Inequality" a gay person perceives will end up in court as extortion.