why do religions keep insisting that being gay is a choice?

Question

The arrangement of a mother's genes could affect the sexual orientation of her son, according to a new study.
The finding, detailed in the February issue of the journal Human Genetics, adds fuel to the decade-long debate about whether so-called "gay genes" might exist.
The researchers examined a phenomenon called "X chromosome inactivation" in 97 mothers of gay sons and 103 mothers whose sons were not gay.


http://www.livescience.com/health/060224_gay_genes.html

Answer 1

Because God calls it sin and sin is a choice.

Answer 2

The Christian Bible, somewhere in the New Testament talks about how certain people "were", in reference to previous behavior. One of those behaviors described was about being homosexual, so the inference is that the behavior was a choice. I'm not a "Bible thumper", so someone will have to give chapter and verse. I don't know what other religions have to say about gay being a choice. Perhaps, someone else can fill in. Some researcher, years ago, claimed to have discovered athe "gay gene". When asked to produce his data, he basically said, "What does it matter? We already make political hay with it." No data was produced. But, speaking genetically, the "gay gene" has to be one of the most persistant/pervasive/resistant to extinction gene there is, because, you would figure, if gay men prefer gay men, there wouldn't be much reproduction going on, would there? An example will be my answer..watch how fast it gets zapped off the screen..so read fast!

Answer 3

The only other option that would make sense is that being gay is a mental disorder, which was widely held for years, and science had as much proof for this as the suggestion that it is genetic. Most mental disorders can be linked to genetic markers as well. Whatever the root cause, being gay defies the natural order of the species, and in many cases it is a choice. Since it defies the natural order of the species, and because the Bible strictly forbids it, being gay is held as a sin or abomination against God. We all can choose to follow any path set before us, regardless of the source of the path. Since this is true in all things, churches that follow the Word of God will always see homosexuality as a sin and a choice.

Answer 4

Most Christians who believe that it is a choice base this belief on Bible verses that are generally poorly interpreted and taken out of context. For example Sodom and Gomorra, actually has nothing to do with homosexuality. There are also some out there that believe the pseudo science of some preachers who say they have evidence that its a choice. Of course all reputable scientific research disagrees with them. As for the gentleman giving examples of people's sexual urges being driven by the dollar or the fact he was riding a motorcycle - what you are describing is prostitution and sexual immorality. Just because someone will have sex with you for money (or because you have money) or you have a nice bike, doesn't mean that they were actually attracted to you - they were only interested in the material reward at the end. The difference with homosexual orientation is that the person isn't doing it for a material reward. They are genuinely physically and emotionally attracted to people of the same gender. EDIT>> For the person comparing homosexual orientation to pedophelia. The difference my friend is that the psychiatric profession has identified pedophelia as the result of psychological/psychiatric problems, which is something that they have dismissed as the cause of a persons orientation. EDIT 2 Hi K716 The two examples that you have given show us people who have made commitments to another human being before God, who then choose to break that commitment by committing adultery. If a homosexual man cheated on his partner he has committed the same sin. However how can it be a sin for him to have made a lifelong commitment to someone before God in the same way that the heterosexual couple did? This person doesn't choose there orientation, so what is your solution? Should they lie there whole lives and get married to somone of the opposite sex, even though they are not - and cannot be in love with them? Is that the sort of environment children should be raised in? Or would you prefer that they deny themselves, and live long lonely lives of chastity, even though they feel in their hearts that they are meant to be married - should someone have to live a miserable lonely life because they were born with an orientation that they did not choose?

Answer 5

Because it is. A better question would be, "Why do so many people believe it is genetic? There is no real evidence that it is genetic, though it is clear that all of us are born with a proclivity to sin (1Jn. 2:16), and for some it is more that of the flesh (sensuality) rather than the eye (possessions) or ego.

Yet even if it could be proven that some people are born with a tendency to be gay, this by no means justifies a behavior that the Creator forbids, as we are all born with a sinful nature, which is not how God made us, but is a consequence of Adam's sin (what we do affects others). And to justify a behavior because one feels he wants to do it allows all sorts of destructive sinful actions to be allowed.

And that homosexual sex is indeed sin and that is destructive is abundantly clear: http://peacebyjesus.witnesstoday.org/IsHomosexualitySin.html
http://peacebyjesus.witnesstoday.org/RevealingStatistics.html#Sec8

But it is also clear than there is room at the cross for those who want Jesus over sin, as some of the first Christians were former homosexuals (1Cor. 6:8-11), but turned to Jesus from sin and asked and trusted Him who died for them and rose again to save them. And He did, and so it is today for those who likewise. Praise ye the Lord!

Answer 6

Why do we insist that being straight is natural? It's a question that there will never be one answer for. Frankly, I think everyone should just mind their own business, if you love or hate gays, who really wants to know?

Regardless of one's sexual orientation, we all feel and to feel hate and prejudice is one of life's punishments. If there's something that (some) religious people should be denouncing instead of homosexuality, it's the morals of some people in this world, namely, those who can't accept others based on their sexual orientation.

Answer 7

Religions insist that being gay is a choice because there are really only two genders to begin with. Genetics might change gender orientation but not preferences of either being straight or gay

Answer 8

In the case of my branch of Christianity, *feeling* same-sex attraction is not viewed as sinful or a choice (though it's not viewed as unchangeable, either) but homosexual *actions* are viewed as a choice and sinful. There is no way that in this Yahoo Answers format I could try to address all the complications and qualifications about this. C.S. Lewis once said somewhere that the sexual sins are in many ways the least important ones. And "sinful" is not a yes/no black/white thing.

I will put two book names in the "sources" section below. The first one (Hopko) is short but can be heavy going. The second one is longer and can be tough going in another way -- it's scholarly.

But the distinction between attraction and action is central to the my branch of Christianity thinks about these things, especially as to whether or not something is a choice.

Answer 9

Why do simpletons like you keep insisting it's either all a choice or it's all not? Why can't it be a combination of (1) a genetic disposition, (2) an environmental probability, and (3) a series of choices that lead to "being gay"? Start thinking critically before your brain experiences atrophy.

Answer 10

Wow, people here are so ignorant.

1. Maybe some people choose to be gay, but a majority of them do not. Sexuality comes from your brain. Your brain sends blood to your genitials, tells you what arouses you, and tells you how to react to it. Once we hit puberity, a majority of us start getting sexual attractions to the opposite sex. But, there are a few that when they hit puberty, have those feelings for the same sex. They didn't "choose" to be sexually attracted to them, they automatically were like I was automatically attracted to females.

2. Why would a homosexual "choose" to be a minority, discriminated by bigots that tell them they're going to burn in hell and do hateful acts to them that will, no doubt, land them in hell.

3. The only person I will ever believe telling me, "It's the word of god", is if it's from Jesus Christ himself. People saying, "God hates homos", and things to that nature are full of it. Did god himself tell you this? Or did some prejudice retard want to spread hate to a group of people he dislikes/hates and wanted his fellow man to feel the same way?

4. I live in America, and America is SO far behind other free nations on being tolerant. We are the land of the free, so it's the right of people to be stupid, ignorant and prejudice. But it doesn't make what people feel, say or do right. Some people are sexually insecure about themselves and are intimidated by gays and think they'll try to hit on them or try to "convert" them to being gay. All I can say to you is get over yourself and get some self-confidence. Sure, maybe some do, but don't sterotype. Hetrosexuals do bad things also, and in some cases, worse things.

In conclusion, churches spread the word that being homosexual is a sin because it isn't natural and some do find it strange and taboo. But, that does not mean you should discriminate someone just for their sexual orientation.

Homosexuals are human beings, and human beings, imo, are the most sacred things on this planet. I have no idea how some people can treat the sacred creation of god the way they do.

Went a little off-topic, but I feel pretty passionate on this topic.

Answer 11

I am a Christian and my sister is lesbian. She is not hiding under false claims that she was born that way. She will tell you that it is a choice that you make.

I agree with her. It is a choice just like everything else in life. You just have to choose what is more important, your flesh or denying your flesh for the love of God.

I do not, as a Christian, hate anyone and neither does God. It is the sin He hates, not the person. This sin is put in the same category as murder, gossip, lies, and any other sin you can name.

Read your Bible. Don't let others tell you what to believe.