ANSWERS: 27
  • I'm not sure if it's genetic, but it's not due to the type of enviroment your around. It can't be cured, unless you were really straight. It's not even a disease. Christians like to bull-shit. It's not a sin.
  • OK, let's take a step back and see what SCIENCE has to say on the matter, vs. opinion and religious rhetoric, shall we? The AMA and APA, representing tens of thousands of scientists, agree that orientation is inborn, not a "choice," and does not change. You cannot be "cured of" nor change something that is inborn - think of eye color as an example. Besides, orientation is just another human variation. No variation is more "right" than another, nor does someone have to be "cured" of an inborn trait like left-handedness. Yes, some people say it is possible. They confuse orientation with the torture they inflict to try and change BEHAVIOR. I have yet to meet even one successful "ex-gay" person - and I have met literally hundreds who have undergone this torture. How could God's choice for our orientation and our lives be a "sin?" Only a true hypocrite would say this. Of course "homosexuality does not breed AIDS;" having unsafe sex does - of both straight and LGBT people. The virus doesn't care what your orientation is. Talk about nonsense. How cruel it is to suggest that anyone should be stoned just for embracing the sexuality God gave them.
  • Swedish scientist have recently discovered that the right side of homosexual mens brains are the same size as womens right side whereas straight men and homosexual women have larger right sides. I dont think they know whether these people were born this way or if their behaviors altered the size of that area of the brain.
  • I think it's both. I think some people choose it for the attention, or for whatever reason they may have. Then there are others who were born that way. You can't cure someone of it unless it is by their choice. It's a sin because God says marriage is between a man and a woman. But if it was so sinful...why did god make gay people? There really isn't a right or wrong answer, because science says nothing is proven.
  • I read an interesting article on 60 minutes website the other day about this, if you get a chance you should really check it out. They did studies and proved that ppl can guess who are gay and straight just by their movements and behaviors without sound or color in the screen it was very enlightening. I have to say that in my time of caring for children I have had two boys at a very young age that I wondered about and they turned out to be gay. This showing that in my case you can tell at a young age and it's born into them not learned or chosen. This is a very good article, with also a study about injecting rats with hormones where they pretty much turned the rats gay, and to act like female rats. Very interesting!
  • There was actually a comedy made about curing homosexuality starring Natasha Lyonne & Michelle Williams called But I'm a Cheerleader. It's a pretty funny movie plus there's a totally hot/tasteful love scene between the two actresses. I always point it out to other movie buffs as my proof that something can be hot without showing nudity of any kind. Anyway, it's about this cheerleader in highschool that figures out that she's gay, so her parents send her to this sort of camp to cure her homosexuality.
  • An article in today's New Scientist makes it clear that it is congenital - it is fixed at birth. It may be genetic, or it may be due to ante-natal developments. But it is clear that you are born straight or gay, and cannpot change that later. As to whether it is a sin - define "sin". To me, sin is causing avoidable suffering, or blocking achievable happiness. Stopping people pairing with those to whom they are attracted and with whom they can be happy is, to me, a sin.
  • I think its Nurture.
  • It is nature (genetic and perhaps congenital). You cannot be cured. It is a sin only to some christians, the kind that like to think less of people who are different.
  • I believe that it's genetically based. How else explain homosexuality back when it earned a jail sentance, or worse. I've seen some of the absolute hell young people have had to face because of their homosexuality, and no one would willingly suffer through that just for a "choice." It cannot be "cured" for two reasons: first, because it's not a disease but a normal human sexuality variant, and second, because it's just as much part of who a person is as is heterosexuality.
  • Probably some rather fathomable questions there, Blue feather. To me it is neither genetic, nor environmental - though, these could impinge. It is fundamentally, when it is all boiled down, a spiritual choice. Although God made us all physically, He certainly did not make us as 'Intelligences', you might say. We are entirely, our own agents of free choice. Nevertheless, certain circumstantial factors do seem to impinge and influence us in the various choices we make in life. Through help of the Master, Himself, we are able to learn to overcome any tendencies that may have previously affected our lives homosexually. It is a sin - like any other - in that we are capable of 'change'. However, like others - drugs, for instance - it helps greatly to change our environment and 'the company' we might keep that is not helpful or conducive to our cause.
  • My brother is gay and started showing interest in girls toys before he was three. He was brought up by heterosexuals and was discouraged of such behavior. I have no doubt that he was born with his brain wired differently. You will find that the majority of gay people were raised by heterosexual parents. It is a rather new thing for same sex partners to raise children. It isn't one of the commandments and seems to be such a no-no by those that don't understand. My brother says that there is no way someone can change him even though he has put up with so much discrimination.He claims he did not consciously choose this life style. I think that it is just wishful thinking by the ignorant to believe he can be "cured" like it is some kind of disease.
  • Since I know that my environment could not possibly make me gay no matter what, I'd say it's nature. I don't think it is possible to cure someone of homosexuality. You are attracted to who you are attracted to, and it really is that simple. My sisters ex husband tried so hard to be 'normal' and ended up going bat shit insane because of it. Society can't make you strait/gay, but it can drive you nuts. As for why it is a sin according to Christianity, it's because god said so and no other reason.
  • -Well, I think there could be a number of reasons for homosexuality. It is not a disease, so it can't be cured and it is only a sin in so far as someone wrote it in the Bible, in which it is also written that a man should be stoned for collecting fire-wood on a the Sabbath! -All men are made with varying levels of testosterone and some men genuinely have feminine features just as women have masculine. Some men may prefer the company of other men. Some may not like women. -But in the grand scheme of things, does it really matter? Everyone's life is their own and they should live it as they see fit.
  • Here's the deal. Homosexuality is nature's way of dealing with overpopulation. There ARE homosexual animals asides from humans. So basically most homosexuals are genetically predisposed to be homosexual. There are other cases however where nurture or cultural/social influences can turn a non-genetically predisposed person to be homosexual. An example of this is if a kid has a lisp and is made fun of constantly during high school and called gay he may just turn out gay because that is what people expect of him. So no, homosexuality is NOT a sin, it is just nature keeping the planet in balance by making something like 5% of people homosexual so they don't reproduce and add to the growing problem of overpopulation which is stripping the earth of our resources such as food and water. If you are genetically predisposed to be homosexual there is not a "cure" but they may decide they like the vagina and become bi or straight. Christians can't say shit about homosexuality and it being a sin- look at priests and their choir boys. In conclusion, homosexuality IS nature, but can also be nurture in certain cases. When it is nurture the guy will probably experiment some and if he doesn't like it then he will stop hooking up with guys and go with females (because he was never really a homosexual, he just thought that was what he was supposed to be).
  • Ask any gay person, they know, straight just think they do. Most gay people, myself included grow up feeling like pretenders in the straight world we inhabit as youngsters. Most of us fear being 'discovered' although we are not usually able to understand why. Usually we are unable to define the strange feelings of isolation until puberty hits, then it all becomes frighteningly clear. What follows is terrifying as you realise that the rules that everyone follows (wife, kids etc) cant apply to you and you realise that you do not belong in the world you have been taught to want. You now know the feelings you have are real and will not go away. The people around you, family, friends etc see gay people as perverts and routinely use 'gay' as an insult. You then have to hide and live a complete lie. Your straight friends sexuality develops in the open, holding hands, kissing girls etc whilst yours developes in secret, so your sexuality becomes a dark and furtive thing that you lock away deep inside. Then at some point we have to leave to find other people like us and get some 'normalisation' for the first time in our lives. Most of us recover and go on to have healthy open relationships, but others dont and continue expressing thier sexuality in dark, secret ways like cruising in the woods. And on top of that religious idiots have the fucking audacity to say we are sin against god? well, they really can fuck right off and burn in the hell they threaten others with. Shit i didnt mean to sound so angry, but it makes my blood boil, because people who are not gay and judge have absolutely no idea of the inner battle we have, and when we win that, we then have to fight an external battle against bigotry. I cant tell you how tiring it all becomes if i think about it too much
  • Nature. I believe you are born that way and if you are not then nothing can change your true nature, just like heterosexuality.
  • Science has proven that it is due to a very slight change in a tiny structure deep within the brain. That makes it Nature. It isn't someone's "fault" that they are gay, and it isn't a disease. As for Christians, I am one and even I can see that we have some sobering up to do when it comes to someone upsetting our delicate sensibilities. Can you cure someone's hair color? Can you cure someone's athletic ability? How about a person's IQ? I liked the way you asked this question, BF. It was presented very respectfully :)
  • I think it's probably mostly nature with a nurture component (85/15?). But if it does turn out to be genetic, the question comes up, with they be allowed, medically/ethically to "cure" it? Or will there be laws to prevent the procedure? Will fundamentalist religious people be for the laws (That's how God made them)? Or will they be against the laws to allow the people to live a "more sinless" life? And if they are against those laws, what other genes would they be against medically changing. Even if homosexuality can be "cured" a whole new can of worms gets opened.
  • It isn't a sin, God made homosexuals just as he made everyone else in this world. I am a Christian and God loves everyone! It is nature. It is not something that can be cured!!! There are some things that happen in the womb to the baby!!! This is one!! : O ) Go ahead and DR me!!!!!!
  • Natural as the wind! Why would someone wish to be cured. TGhe person or groups that want another to chage have too much wasted time on their hands! Just my thought
  • I think the orientation aspect is nature. But the gay culture, folkways and mores are pure nurture. And truth be told, that is what upsets most people.
  • Nature proves it is natural. There's homosexuality throughout others species in nature. It's as natural as left-handed ones are. Some beliefs call it a sin because they were written by men. The fact it is natural proves it is of the divine.
  • After a long struggle, I got past worrying about the "reasons" almost 40 years ago. Genetic? Environmental? For millions of human beings, it just is. I knew that God made me the way I was for a reason...His reason...and I shouldn't be messin' with that simply because there were imperfect mortals telling me to. I knew that I loved God and that God loved me. I knew that God didn't put me on this earth to waste my time being unhappy...tormented...miserable. He had better things for me to do. Bottom line, if there were a "cure", a magic pill, I'd flush that sucker down the toilet faster than it took to answer this question. I've got far better ways to contribute positively to this earth and humanity...like +4 for the question. :-)
  • I think it is a combination of natural inclination, the environment in which you are brought up, choices made in life and probably other factors. Many people may have an ingrained propensity to become homosexual, but do not because one or more of the external factors to cause one to lean that way are not present. I am a Christian, and from my understanding homosexuality was prohibited in the Law (Leviticus if I'm not mistaken) as written by Moses. When Christ came along, his New Covenant with man negated the old law, and the new standard of acceptance by God was established. The new standard being, to open your heart to God, repent and denounce your sins, and accept Jesus Christ as your personal saviour. It is by grace that we are saved, because we are a wicked bunch who are born into sin and wallow in it. Anyone who tells you that they don't sin is sinning because they are lying to you. I sin daily, I try not to, but I am FAR from perfect. I know in my heart that I am saved by His grace, and that alone, because of my acceptance of Him.
  • If it is only "nature", or only "nurture", or only both together, then there can be no fault or sin, as both options and their combination offer only external causes and leave no room for moral agency or free will. If a person's sexuality is programmed, it hardly matters when the programming ocurrs: it's still programming. Also, there's a pop misconception that "nature" is unchangable but "nurture" can be altered, when in point of fact, at least in matters of psychology, anthropology, sociology, and any other area of human behavior, people resist and overcome nature all the time, but nurture (meaning THE IMPACT of environment and experience) is almost impossible to overcome, though people even sometimes succeed there, if only with the greatest difficulty. However, if something is immoral/wrong, it doesn't matter whether or not one has a genetic predispostion for it, nor does it matter that one had a bad childhood: it's still wrong! Having a genetic predisposition toward alcoholism does not mean that alcholism is healthy, "natural", and a perfectly valid lifestyle choice. Just because someone was abused as a child doesn't legitimate his abusing others when he grows up. In other words, the Nature vs. Nurture question, while interesting, is irrelevent to either the moral question, or the behavior modification question. As to the current scientific concensus: while there have been 2 or 3 grossly over-hyped studies suggesting "NATURE!" (and at least one of them was extremely suspect methodologically) the scientific consensus is that human sexuality is grossly complex, involving a massive range of factors: genetic, congenital, environmental, experiential, and tempermental. Also, it can't be absolutely genetic because not all identical twins have the same sexual orientation. As to the question of whether or not it can be "cured": I don't think "cure" is the right term, but the empirical and anecdotal evidence is that it can be changed. There are many thousands of persons (a few dozen I know personlly, and several of them very well) who were by their own testimony homosexual, have left that life-style, and, in time ceased to have homosexual desires, and developed heterosexual ones, and ultimately heterosexual relationships. Claims that these individuals were all either a) never really homosexual or b) really still are homosexual, is based on no evidence and fly in the face of the testimony of these people themselves, who ought to be regarded as the real authorities on what they really thought and felt before, and what they really think and feel now. At the same time, the fact that some people can and do change their sexual orientation, doesn't necessitate that everyone can or should. As to the sin question: 1) Christianity isn't the only religion that condemns homosexual acts; virtually ever civilization and religion in history has rejected/condemned homosexuality (though many had a tolerance for bisexuality): even in cultures where it was permitted within certain bounds, the bottom male was typically despised and/or ridiculed, and while youths might have be given more lattitude every adult was still expected to get married and make babies. 2) Christian doctrine does not say that homosexual *desires* are a sin, only homosexual acts. 3) The Bible has nothing positive or even neutral to say about homosexuality: whenever it is addressed or appears in the narrative, it is always negative. That being said, the only passage in the Bible that addresses homosexual *desires* is Romans I (which is also the only passage to mention Lesbianism - the rest of the Bible would seem to only be addressing male homosexuality). That passage would seem to be saying that homosexual desires are not sins, but rather a confusion brought on by sin - specifically, the sin of worshipping the creature and not the Creator. 4) As to WHY homosexual acts are a sin, God never says explicitly why, just that they are. However, throughout the Bible there is this underlying theme that God created sex/marriage as a real-life metaphor for our relationship with Him: it was the first prophecy, and the only one given before the Fall, and the one that will be the last to be fulfilled -- at "the marriage banquet of the Lamb" when we are at last fully united with God, "when there will be no more marriage or giving in marriage, and all will be like the angels in heaven praising God." Therefore, all sex that is not covenantal and regenerate becomes the sexual equivalent of a black mass: a blasphemous parody of what God ordained. As such, it also just doesn't work: it is ultimately unhealthy, both in this life and the next. That is, at least, the evident Biblical position.
  • You people who are trying to debate based upon passages from a book are like a frog trying to debate the wider world frpom the confines of a barrel. Im not even going to start on the fact that your book of mythology has been translated badly, or that every translation or revision has been slanted to the revsisors point of view etc etc etc Franlky your arguments are short sighted and ridiculous and banging on about man written text being the word of god is either the worst kind of stupidity or blinding arrogance, neither of which is very attractive

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