Western culture is the first in world history to view homosexuality as a lifestyle instead of a behavior. Going beyond cultural patterning, which is the more accurate view? Are people really just gay or just straight, or are they compelled to choose?
by 
Violin34
ANSWERS: 10
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i think people are just a certain way. they could have been like this for thousands of years but the penalty for it was much worse then today, which is not set by any law.
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I think people dwell far to much on other peoples sex lives. There are far more important things in the world than whether or not someone is gay. There isn't an accurate view, they are just people trying to live their lives the same as anyone else. I am not sure why so many feel the need to place everyone in tiny boxes and give them labels.
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I certainly don't think that Western culture is the first to view homosexuality as a way of life.I'm gay.I was never compelled to choose..I lived with a woman for 6 years trying to prove I was straight. It didn't work. Why would I have done that? ----to choose?
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I agree that Western culture sees homosexuality as a lifestyle, because it is associated with behaviors outside of sexual inclinations, as in a feminine man would be calld gay (regardless if is or not) and it is that kind of thinking that makes viewing "homosexuality as a lifestyle" less accurate... And for the second question, It seems to me that Western culture does compel the distinction, not the choice, the labels gay/straight are general categories with bisexual being in the gay spectrum... Western culture has boundaries for sexual relations, presently those are the labels.
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No one "chooses" their sexual orientation...I don't know one person straight, gay, lesbian or bi that can say they just thought one day "hmm...shall I be straight or gay?" Do you really think people would "choose" to be gay considering how we have been and still are treated? No! It's not a choice...it's genetic. It is nature, not nurture.
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There is a whole spectrum of sexual orientations out there. But no matter what labels people apply to such orientations, none are "chosen." They are inborn. I'd suggest that it's only bigots who label being LGBT (or straight, for that matter) as a "lifestyle." Most educated people recognize orientation as an inborn trait, like eye color or handedness. You can find bigots in all cultures, not just the West.
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I think people are compelled to define themselves, because they feel they must conform to the standards of their sexual community (and humans find labels comforting.) The same reason that makes a straight man reluctant to admit homosexual fantasies makes a lesbian reluctant to admit her heterosexual ones. I'm a big supporter of the Kinsey scale, since it focuses on patterns of behavior in a spectrum, not "are you in this camp or that one?"
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You don't have your history straight. The ancient greek not only encouraged homosexuality, they also encouraged pedophilia. Same deal with the ancient japanese. Tailand has an ancient tradition of transvestites. Many other cultures have a history of accepting homosexuals. Of course you can choose who you sleep with. But you can't choose who you're attracted to most. If you're married and you still get turned on by your friends of the same gender, there is nothing you can do to change that except castration.
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Humans are incredibly complex creatures. The question is posed as an either/ or scenario, which I think is inaccurate. I suspect that homosexuality will ultimately sit, perhaps 90% in biology. Nonetheless, some individuals who are not biologically pre-ordained will pick it as a lifestyle. I know because I was "born" a hetrosexual, never having "felt different" which is so often the part of the homosexual story, yet I was close to choosing a gay lifestyle, but declined. Yet I know that if I had chosen, if I look like a duck, and walk like a duck...society would consider me a duck. http://news-service.stanford.edu/pr/95/950310Arc5328.html
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We are allowed free will, rather right or wrong. Choosing, yes CHOOSING, to be gay is a sin just as choosing to do drugs, smoke, curse, kill, steal, over eat and etc. When faced with these issues we must seek guidence. The flesh is weak. Everyone has an issue, or should I say weakness. My weakness is saying the "F" word when I get mad. I don't curse in normal conservation, just when I'm angry. As the saying goes "God made Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve."
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