What if a "Gay Gene" exists? - Page 15

tqualey · #**211** May 24, '12, 8:22 pm

Hi, Buffalo,

I came across an interesting site giving stats on homosexual 'marraige' & divorce contrasted with heterosexual marriage & divorce. It was in interesting read and had a couple of interesting items in the data that caught me by surprise.

Here is the link: http://www.nationalreview.com/articl...les-c-w-cooke#

God bless

Quote:

Originally Posted by buffalo

Source?

feed me · #**212** May 24, '12, 8:41 pm

Matthew 19: 12. That is all I can say.

CopticChristian · #**213** May 24, '12, 9:27 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jules Verne

And as far as the "is homosexuality genetic?"

I think it is likely genetic, because it is common to see homosexuality in close relatives even when these relatives were raised apart from eachother and so could not influence one another. So for instance, if one is gay, they are more likely to have a gay sibling even i adopted out and raised separately. This indicates to me a possible genetic component to homosexuality.

I think it is most likely that genes can make one more likely to be homosexual, but that they won't necessarily cause a person definitely to be homosexual. For instance, I work in cancer, and there are certain genes which make a person more likely to get a certain kind of cancer. but it is still possible to have the gene and never actually get cancer.

As to whether homosexuality is a choice; I think it is for some people. Sexual research pioneered by Kinsey and continued since his time has pretty consistantly shown that sexual orientation is a sliding scale, where at one end you have 100% gay, on another end you have 100% straight, and then purely bisexual is in the middle. I think some people are completely staight and could not be attracted to or fall in love with a person of the same sex even if they wanted to for some reason. I think some people are gay and could not be attracted to/love an opposite sex person no matter how much they want to. Then there are people who fall in between, maybe they're typically attracted to one sex, but have had instances of attraction to another sex. Or maybe they are purely bisexual and like men just as much as women.

So whether it is a "choice" to be gay or straight I think depends on the person. For some people, they really can chose because they are attracted to both sexes. For others, nope, I think that they are just gay or straight and they simply don't have the ability to be anything else.

Anyways, I don't think it matters if its a choice or not. If homosexuality were 100% a choice I would still have no problem with it. Oh, your holy book says its a sin? That's nice. Then you certainly have the right to follow the rules of your holy book and I will respect your adherence to those rules. But don't expect me or anyone else to care to the point that we feel compelled to follow them also.

My Hindu friends think eating meat is about the worst thing you can do. I care as much about what your religion says is wrong in terms of homosexuals as you do that certain Hindu sects think meat eating is wrong. I respect your right to practice your religion and not commit homosexual acts, or any other acts that violate your beliefs. I do not think less of you for your religious adherence.

I also do not feel any obligation to enforce your personal religious morals on society, and I think it makes as much sense for you to expect people who don't believe in your religion to feel guilty about breaking religious rules as for a Hindu to make you feel guilty about eating meat.

Now, if you're talking about enforcing heterosexuality within your religion, where you tell members of your own faith that to be considered a true member of the faith, you must act a certain way, then that's different. That is your right as a religious group to exclude people based on behaviors you find untennable to your faith. But once you start telling some agnostic that they have to follow Christian doctrine even though they are not Christian, then that's where you move from religious belief into oppression.

Your mixing Cancer with Homosexuality is not logical. Cancer is varied in its cause. There are some Cancers with genetic component ie Breast. There are some attributable to environment ie smoking. There are some that occur spontaneusly because at this stage of the game we don't know everything about Cancer. With that in mind knowing we do not know everything about Cancer it would be unsafe to draw any conclusions from whatever knowledge you assume about genetics and Cancer. Does the word Multifactorial mean anything to you?

Concerning Homosexuality I see no proof that it is genetic and believe it is choice. I have yet to see any data to sway me otherwise.

sunamcm · #**214** May 25, '12, 4:38 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by CopticChristian

Concerning Homosexuality I see no proof that it is genetic and believe it is choice. I have yet to see any data to sway me otherwise.

You simply aren't looking. Is it possible that you have never known a homosexual? I have yet to meet a single homosexual who ever indicated that they had a choice. I have members of my own family who are homosexual and it was no mystery to anyone from a very early age. There is plenty of data to suggest that there is a genetic component, but there are also many other factors, such as birth order. Did you know that the probability of a second son being gay is higher than the first son and the third higher than the second? My point is that, whether genetic or otherwise, this is a naturally occurring variation. They have always been with us. Whatsoever you do.......

Dan Grelinger · #**215** May 25, '12, 5:59 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by sunamcm

I have yet to meet a single homosexual who ever indicated that they had a choice. ... Whatsoever you do.......

Debating on whether a temptation has its origin in our genes or in our environment would seem to be missing the point. Does it really matter from where the temptation arises aside from academic study? Doesn't alcoholism show genetic links? Are not some children taught theft from a very early age?

Temptations can come from multiple sources. There is no sin in being tempted, unless we encourage the temptation. And no matter the source of temptation, from within us or from outside us, it is our responsibility to ACT in accordance with love, the basis of all Catholic morality. The source of our temptations do not excuse us from the requirement to love.