There is no one gene for beg gay, and though gen seem to play a role termg sexual orientatn and same-sex behavr, ’s small, plex, and anythg but termistic. That’s the ncln of a paper by an ternatnal team of rearchers, -led by Benjam Neale of the Broad Instute of Harvard and MIT, published today the journal Science.
Contents:
- ‘I AM GAY – BUT I WASN’T BORN THIS WAY’
- THE 'GAY GENE' IS A MYTH BUT BEG GAY IS 'NATURAL,' SAY SCIENTISTS
- THERE IS NO ‘GAY GENE.’ THERE IS NO ‘STRAIGHT GENE.’ SEXUALY IS JT PLEX, STUDY NFIRMS
- ABANDONG NATURE: AN ARGUMENT AGAST HOMOSEXUALY MARCH 19, 2014BY STEVEN COWANCULTURE ABANDONG NATURE: AN ARGUMENT AGAST HOMOSEXUALYSTEVEN COWAN2023-08-22T18:30:14+00:00 WARNING: THIS ARTICLE NTAS SEXUALLY EXPLIC LANGUAGE THAT MAY NOT BE SUABLE FOR YOUNGER REARS.—EDORAUTHOR: STEVE COWAN –TODAY HOMOSEXUALY IS NSIRED BY MANY PEOPLE TO BE A NORMAL AND PERFECTLY ACCEPTABLE PRACTICE. IT IS, THEY SAY, A LEGIMATE “ALTERNATIVE LIFTYLE.” THE BIBLE, OF URSE, SAYS OTHERWISE (SEE THE ARTICLE THIS VOLUME BY TERRY WILR EXPLAG THE BIBLIL VIEW OF HOMOSEXUALY). ACRDG TO THE APOSTLE PL, HOMOSEXUALY IS THE BEHAVR OF THOSE WHO HAVE “ABANDONED NATURAL RELATNS”; WHO HAVE “EXCHANGED NATURAL RELATNS FOR UNNATURAL ON” (ROM 1:26, 27).THAT SCRIPTURE SPEAKS TO THIS MATTER OUGHT TO BE ENOUGH, PECIALLY FOR THOSE WHO ACCEPT THE THORY OF THE BIBLE. UNFORTUNATELY, NOT EVERYONE BOWS TO BIBLIL THORY. DO THIS MEAN, THEN, THAT WE MT REMA AT A PERPETUAL IMPASSE WH THOSE WHO DISAGREE ON THE MORALY OF HOMOSEXUAL BEHAVR? I DON’T THK SO. I WILL ARGUE THIS ARTICLE THAT WE N TABLISH THE IMMORALY OF HOMOSEXUALY OM A PURELY PHILOSOPHIL PERSPECTIVE. I WILL OFFER, THAT IS, AN ARGUMENT OM NATURAL LAW WHICH ECHO PL’S LANGUAGE ROMANS 1 TO THE EFFECT THAT HOMOSEXUALY IS AN ABANDONMENT OF THE NATURAL, CREATED ORR, AND FOR THAT REASON IS IMMORAL. BUT FIRST, I WILL BRIEFLY EXAME THE EVINCE THAT HOMOSEXUALY ADVOT HAVE ADVANCED THEIR ATTEMPT TO SHOW THAT HOMOSEXUALY IS NOT NTRARY TO NATURE, BUT IS FACT NATURAL.THE ALLEGED CASE FOR THE NATURALNS OF HOMOSEXUALYTHE BASIC CLAIM MA BY THOSE WHO FEND THE MORALY OF HOMOSEXUALY IS THAT HOMOSEXUALS “ARE BORN THAT WAY.” HOMOSEXUALY IS ALLEGED TO HAVE SOME GEIC BASIS, AND SOME SCIENTIFIC REARCH HAS BEEN NDUCTED TO TRY TO TABLISH THE GEIC LK.^[1]^ TH MICHAEL BAILEY AND RICHARD PILLARD ASSERT, “OUR OWN REARCH HAS SHOWN THAT MALE SEXUAL ORIENTATN IS SUBSTANTIALLY GEIC.”^[2]^SPACE DO NOT PERM A TAILED RPONSE TO THE STUDI. SUFFICE TO SAY FOR NOW THAT THE REARCH ALLEGG TO SHOW A GEIC BASIS FOR HOMOSEXUALY IS FAR OM NCLIVE.^[3]^ THE NCLNS AND EVEN METHODS OF THE STUDI HAVE BEEN HOTLY NTTED, LEADG COLUMBIA UNIVERSY PSYCHIATRISTS BYNE AND PARSONS TO NCLU:THERE IS NO EVINCE AT PRENT TO SUBSTANTIATE A BLOGIL THEORY, JT AS THERE IS NO PELLG EVINCE TO SUPPORT ANY SGULAR PSYCHOSOCIAL EXPLANATN. . . .[T]HE APPEAL OF CURRENT BLOGIL EXPLANATNS MAY RIVE MORE OM DISSATISFACTN WH THE PRENT STAT OF PSYCHOSOCIAL EXPLANATNS THAN OM A SUBSTANTIATG BODY OF EXPERIMENTAL DATA. CRIL REVIEW SHOWS THE EVINCE FAVORG A BLOGIL THEORY TO BE LACKG.^[4]^SO WE HAVE NO GOOD REASON, AT LEAST FOR NOW, TO BELIEVE THAT THERE IS ANY GEIC OR BLOGIL LK TO HOMOSEXUAL BEHAVR. YET MT BE ADD THAT EVEN IF SUCH A LK WERE TABLISHED, WOULD NOT MORALLY JTIFY HOMOSEXUALY FOR TWO REASONS. FIRST, PPOTG A RRELATN BETWEEN HOMOSEXUALY AND SOME BLOGIL FACTOR DO NOT BY SELF TELL WHICH WAY THE AL RELATNSHIP NS. IS THE BLOGIL NDN RRELATED WH HOMOSEXUALY THE E OF THE HOMOSEXUAL ORIENTATN, OR IS THE BLOGIL NDN ED BY THE HOMOSEXUAL ORIENTATN?SEND, EVEN IF ONE’S GEIC MAKP DO E OR PREDISPOSE ONE TOWARD HOMOSEXUALY, THIS AGA DO NOT MAKE SUCH BEHAVR GOOD OR MORALLY PERMISSIBLE. SOME PEOPLE REASON LIKE THIS:>(1) HOMOSEXUALS’ GEIC MAKP PREDISPOS (OR ) THEM TO ENGAGE HOMOSEXUAL BEHAVR. > >(2) THEREFORE, HOMOSEXUAL BEHAVR IS MORALLY PERMISSIBLE.HOWEVER, WE DO NOT MAKE THIS GEIC-SO--MT-BE-OKAY LEAP OTHER AREAS OF LIFE. FOR EXAMPLE, REARCHERS BELIEVE THAT THERE IS A FE GEIC BASIS FOR ALHOLISM. YET, WE DO NOT THK THAT ALHOLISM IS GOOD, OR THAT IS MORALLY PERMISSIBLE FOR ALHOLICS TO PERSIST DNKENNS. WE BELIEVE THAT ALHOLISM IS BAD AND THAT ALHOLICS SHOULD BE “CURED.” SO, SUPPOSG FOR THE SAKE OF ARGUMENT THAT HOMOSEXUALY IS GEILLY BASED, WHY SHOULDN’T WE SEEK TO “CURE” HOMOSEXUALS RATHER THAN ENDORSE THEIR BEHAVR? WHY SHOULDN’T WE LOOK FOR WAYS TO ERADITE THE HARMFUL HOMOSEXUAL GENE? GAY ACTIVISTS BEG THE QUTN NCERNG THE MORALY OF HOMOSEXUAL BEHAVR WHEN THEY ASSUME THAT A GEIC BASIS FOR THE BEHAVR TOMATILLY TABLISH S MORAL PERMISSIBILY.IT IS TERTG TO NOTE, THIS NNECTN, THAT RECENT REARCH HAS FACT SHOWN THAT HOMOSEXUALY IS CURABLE. DR. ROBERT L. SPZER, PSYCHIATRY PROFSOR AT COLUMBIA UNIVERSY, HAS NCLUD REARCH WHICH SHOWS THAT “A PERCENTAGE OF HIGHLY MOTIVATED GAY PEOPLE N CHANGE THEIR SEXUAL ORIENTATN.”^[5]^ THE STUDY FOLLOWED THE LIV OF 200 GAY PERSONS WHO UNRWENT THERAPY TO CHANGE THEIR SEXUAL ORIENTATN. SPZER’S STUDY FOUND THAT 66 PERCENT OF MEN AND 44 PERCENT OF WOMEN WERE ABLE TO ACHIEVE “GOOD HETEROSEXUAL FUNCTNG” AS A RULT OF THE THERAPY. AND IS HELPFUL TO NOTE THAT DR. SPZER DO NOT HAVE AN ANTI-GAY AX TO GRD. HE IS NOT A CHRISTIAN AND HAS NO SYMPATHY FOR THE EFFORTS OF CHRISTIANS TO FEND THE BIBLIL VIEW OF HOMOSEXUALY. IN FACT, HE WAS THE LEAR OF THE 1973 MPAIGN TO REMOVE HOMOSEXUALY OM THE AMERIN PSYCHIATRIC ASSOCIATN’S LIST OF MENTAL DISORRS. THIS STUDY PROVIS POWERFUL EVINCE FOR THE BIBLIL VIEW THAT HOMOSEXUALY IS A LEARNED BEHAVR.^[6]^I NCLU, THEREFORE, THAT THERE IS NO GOOD EVINCE THAT HOMOSEXUALY IS BLOGILLY BASED. THAT IS, THERE IS NO GOOD EVINCE THAT HOMOSEXUALY IS “NATURAL” THE SENSE THAT THOSE WHO PRACTICE THIS BEHAVR ARE GEILLY PREDISPOSED TO .BUT MIGHT HOMOSEXUALY BE NATURAL SOME OTHER SENSE? AFTER ALL, WE N OBSERVE HOMOSEXUAL BEHAVR OTHER ANIMALS. FOR EXAMPLE, CHIMPANZE AND OTHER AP ARE KNOWN TO ENGAGE HOMOSEXUAL BEHAVR. SO, MIGHT BE SAID, HOMOSEXUALY OCCURS NATURE. IT IS NATURAL THE SENSE THAT WE FD EXAMPL OF THE NATURAL WORLD. SO, SHOULDN’T WE EXPECT AND PERM SUCH BEHAVR AMONG HUMANS? THE ARGUMENT GO SOMETHG LIKE THIS:HOMOSEXUAL BEHAVR OCCURS NATURALLY AMONG SOME NON-HUMAN ANIMALS.WHATEVER BEHAVR OCCURS NATURALLY AMONG SOME NON-HUMAN ANIMALS IS MORALLY PERMISSIBLE FOR HUMAN BEGS.THEREFORE, HOMOSEXUALY IS MORALLY PERMISSIBLE FOR HUMAN BEGS.THE PROBLEM WH THIS ARGUMENT IS THAT PREMISE (2) IS SO OBVLY FALSE. THERE ARE LOTS OF BEHAVRS THAT ANIMALS ENGAGE THAT WE DO NOT THK ARE PERMISSIBLE FOR HUMAN BEGS. FOR EXAMPLE, MANY ANIMALS EAT THEIR YOUNG AS SOON AS THEY ARE BORN. THOUGH THIS MAY BE “NATURAL” FOR THE CREATUR QUTN, IS CLEARLY NOT MORALLY PERMISSIBLE FOR HUMANS TO EAT THEIR YOUNG. AGA, BLACK WIDOW SPIRS KILL AND VOUR THEIR MAT AFTER MATG, BUT I SERLY DOUBT THAT ANY FEMALE HUMAN ULD E THE “IT’S NATURAL” FENSE URT WERE SHE TO KILL AND EAT HER HBAND.PREMISE (2), IF WERE TE, WOULD IMPLY THAT THERE IS NO MORAL DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ANIMALS AND HUMAN BEGS. NOW SOME MTED ATHEISTS AND EVOLUTNISTS MIGHT BELIEVE THAT THIS IS SO, BUT MOST OF WOULD NOT BE WILLG TO FOLLOW THEIR LEAD. WHAT IS PERMISSIBLE FOR ANIMALS IS NOT ALWAYS PERMISSIBLE FOR PEOPLE. SO, JT BEE SOME ANIMALS ENGAGE HOMOSEXUAL BEHAVR, THIS LENDS NO SUPPORT TO THE THIS THAT HUMAN HOMOSEXUALY IS EHER NATURAL ( ANY RELEVANT SENSE) OR MORALLY GOOD.WE MT ALSO QUALIFY PREMISE (1) OF THIS ARGUMENT. IT IS TE THAT HOMOSEXUAL BEHAVR OCCURS NATURE—AMONG AP, FOR EXAMPLE. BUT, EVEN THE ANIMAL KGDOM THERE IS A CLEAR ABNORMALY WH REGARD TO HOMOSEXUALY. THOMAS SCHMIDT EXPLAS THATANIMALS DO NOT ENGAGE LONG-TERM HOMOSEXUAL BONDG AS HUMANS DO. SOME MONKEYS AND AP MOUNT OR FONDLE EACH OTHER TO THE POT OF SEXUAL AROAL, BUT EVEN THIS BEHAVR VOLV NUMERO QUALIFITNS: MOST IMPORTANT, THE BEHAVR DO NOT NTUE WHEN THE DIVIDUAL MATUR AND HAS A HETEROSEXUAL OPTN.^[7]^SO JT BEE HOMOSEXUAL BEHAVR OCCURS NATURE, THIS DO NOT MEAN THAT THIS IS THE NORM NATURE. NOR DO MEAN THAT THE OCSNAL OCCURRENC OF HOMOSEXUAL BEHAVR AMONG ANIMALS MAKE NATURAL FOR HUMANS THE SENSE OF MORALLY PERMISSIBLE OR MORALLY NORMATIVE.THE CASE AGAST HOMOSEXUALYI TURN NOW TO ARGUE THAT HOMOSEXUAL BEHAVR IS IMMORAL. THE REASON IS IMMORAL IS THAT IS CLEARLY UNNATURAL. HERE I AM G THE TERMS “NATURAL” AND “UNNATURAL” A SPECIFIC WAY. BY SAYG THAT HOMOSEXUALY IS UNNATURAL, I MEAN THAT IS NTRARY TO THE PURPOSE AND SIGN OF GOD, OUR CREATOR. AND I MEAN TO ARGUE THAT WE N KNOW THIS EVEN APART OM WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS ABOUT .^[8]^ MY ARGUMENT N BE STATED AS FOLLOWS:WHATEVER BEHAVR IS NTRARY TO GOD’S CREATED SIGN FOR HUMAN BEGS IS MORALLY WRONG.HOMOSEXUALY IS NTRARY TO GOD’S CREATED SIGN FOR HUMAN BEGS.THEREFORE, HOMOSEXUALY IS WRONG.NOW WHAT N BE SAID FENSE OF THE PREMIS OF THIS ARGUMENT? LET’S TAKE A LOOK AT PREMISE (1) FIRST. THIS PREMISE, OF URSE, ASSUM THAT GOD EXISTS. SOME PEOPLE ON THE PRO-HOMOSEXUAL SI OF THIS BATE WILL CRY, “FOUL!—YOU N’T BRG RELIGN TO THIS BATE! YOU N’T BRG YOUR BIBLE VERS TO THE PUBLIC ARENA TO CI THIS ISSUE!” FIRST OF ALL, TAKE REFUL NOTE THAT MY ARGUMENT DO NOT QUOTE ANY BIBLE VERS, NOR WILL I DO SO FENSE OF PREMISE (1).AND IS NOT MY TENT TO BRG RELIGN PER SE TO THE BATE AT THIS POT. I AM MERELY APPEALG TO THE FACT THAT MOST PEOPLE OUR SOCIETY BELIEVE, OR AT LEAST SAY THEY BELIEVE, THE EXISTENCE OF GOD. TO BE SURE, THERE ARE THOSE WHO CLAIM THAT THEY DO NOT BELIEVE GOD. I THK THEY ARE PROFOUNDLY MISTAKEN. I THK THE EVINCE FOR GOD’S EXISTENCE IS OVERWHELMG AND THAT THOSE WHO ATTEMPT TO DISMISS HIS EXISTENCE ARE “WHOUT EXCE” AS ROMANS 1:20 STAT.^[9]^ BUT WE N SAVE THAT BATE FOR ANOTHER TIME. MOST OF —EVEN THOSE WHO ARE NOT PARTICULARLY CHRISTIAN, EVEN THOSE WHO DO NOT BELIEVE THE DIVE THORY OF THE BIBLE—NEVERTHELS BELIEVE THAT THE UNIVERSE WAS CREATED BY A PERSONAL, ALL-POWERFUL, ALL-KNOWG, AND SUPREMELY GOOD GOD. MORE SPECIFILLY, WE BELIEVE THAT WE WERE CREATED BY GOD. AND WE BELIEVE THAT GOD GAVE ALL OF OUR FACULTI AND ABILI, PHYSIL AND MENTAL, FOR A BENEVOLENT PURPOSE.IT FOLLOWS OM THIS THAT IF I E THE ABILI AND FACULTI THAT GOD GAVE ME A WAY THAT IS NTRARY TO HIS GOOD TENTNS, THEN I HAVE DONE SOMETHG WRONG. FOR EXAMPLE, IF I E THE HANDS THAT GOD GAVE ME FOR SERVG HIM AND OTHER PEOPLE TO STRANGLE AND KILL MY BROTHER STEAD, THEN I HAVE DONE WRONG. SO PREMISE (1) OF MY ARGUMENT IS TE: ANY BEHAVR THAT IS NTRARY TO GOD’S CREATED SIGN FOR HUMAN BEGS IS MORALLY UNACCEPTABLE.NOW WE E TO THE CCIAL QUTN. IS HOMOSEXUAL BEHAVR NSISTENT WH GOD’S CREATED SIGN FOR HUMAN BEGS? OR DO N NTRARY TO HIS SIGN? IN PREMISE (2) I HAVE STATED WHAT I TAKE TO BE THE RIGHT ANSWER TO THIS QUTN. HOMOSEXUAL BEHAVR IS CLEARLY NTRARY TO GOD’S SIGN.WE BELIEVE THAT GOD CREATED MALE AND FEMALE. WE BELIEVE, THAT IS, THAT HETERO-SEXUALY IS GOD’S TENT. OTHERWISE, HE WOULDN’T HAVE CREATED TWO SEX! AND LET SIMPLY EXAME THE BLOGY OF ALL. WHO N REASONABLY NY THAT PENIS ARE SIGNED TO F TO VAGAS? AND WHO N NY THAT VAGAS ARE MEANT TO RECEIVE PENIS? AND I AM NOT G THE BLOGIL STATEMENTS TO REFER TO REPRODUCTN. HOMOSEXUALY ADVOT OFTEN REMD THAT SEXUAL ACTIVY IS NOT ONLY MEANT FOR THE PURPOSE OF REPRODUCTN. IT IS ALSO TEND FOR PLEASURE AND FOR EMOTNAL BONDG. I AGREE WHOLE-HEARTEDLY! BUT THIS DO NOT JTIFY HOMOSEXUALY.IF YOU GRANT THAT THERE IS A NATURAL “F” BETWEEN PENIS AND VAGAS THAT IS CREATED BY GOD (AND THIS NNOT BE NIED), THEN IS EASY TO SEE THAT GOD TENDS FOR SEXUAL ACTIVY TO BRG MEN AND WOMEN TOGETHER, FOR THE PURPOSE OF REPRODUCTN TO BE SURE, BUT ALSO FOR THE PURPOSE OF CREATG A SPECIAL UNN THROUGH THE PLEASURE AND EMOTNAL BONDG THAT TAK PLACE SEXUAL TERURSE.AND THERE ARE OTHER THGS ABOUT MEN AND WOMEN THAT TELL THAT THIS IS GOD’S SIGN. IT MAY NOT BE POLILLY RRECT TO SAY THIS NOWADAYS, BUT MEN AND WOMEN NEED EACH OTHER. BEE THEY BEAR AND NURSE CHILDREN, AND BEE THEY ARE THE “WEAKER VSEL,” WOMEN NEED THE STRENGTH AND BREAD-WNG ABILI THAT MEN ARE NATURALLY DISPOSED TO PROVI. AND MEN NEED THE NURTURG AND RE THAT WOMEN ARE NATURALLY DISPOSED TO PROVI.^[10]^ BUT, HOMOSEXUALY UNRM THE GOD-SIGNED TERPENNCE OF MEN AND WOMEN.IMAGE, FOR THE SAKE OF ARGUMENT THAT ALL HUMAN BEGS OPTED FOR HOMOSEXUALY. IF HOMOSEXUAL BEHAVR IS MORALLY PERMISSIBLE, THEN WOULD BE MORALLY PERMISSIBLE FOR EVERYONE TO BE HOMOSEXUAL. BUT, THEN, GOD’S CLEAR TENT FOR MEN AND WOMEN TO ENTER TO TIMATE UNNS THROUGH SEXUAL TERURSE WOULD BE THWARTED. GOD’S TENT THAT MEN AND WOMEN CLEAVE TOGETHER MUTUALLY PENNT RELATNSHIPS WOULD BE THWARTED AS WELL. AND, BY THE WAY, SO WOULD GOD’S TENT THAT HUMANS REPRODUCE.SO, I NCLU THAT HOMOSEXUAL BEHAVR IS CLEARLY NSISTENT WH GOD’S CREATED PURPOSE FOR HUMAN BEGS. THEREFORE, FOLLOWS THAT HOMOSEXUAL BEHAVR IS WRONG.STEVEN B. COWAN IS ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF THE APOLOGETICS ROURCE CENTER.THIS ARTICLE IS THE AREOPAG JOURNAL CALLG EVIL GOOD VOLUME 1 NUMBER 4NOTES1 THE TWO MOST IMPORTANT STUDI SO FAR WERE PUBLISHED SIMON LEVAY, “A DIFFERENCE HYPOTHALMIC STCTURE BETWEEN HETEROSEXUAL AND HOMOSEXUAL MEN,” SCIENCE 258 (AUG. 30, 1991): 1034-37; AND J.M. BAILEY AND RICHARD PILLARD, “A GEIC STUDY OF MALE SEXUAL ORIENTATN,” ARCHIV OF GENERAL PSYCHIATRY 48 (1991): 1089-96.2 MICHAEL BAILEY AND RICHARD PILLARD, “ARE SOME PEOPLE BORN GAY?” NEW YORK TIM (DEC. 17, 1991, P. A21).3 SEE THOMAS E. SCHMIDT’S HELPFUL DISCSN AND CRIQUE OF THE STUDI HIS STRAIGHT AND NARROW: COMPASSN AND CLARY THE HOMOSEXUALY DEBATEHOMOSEXUALY DEBATE 142. ALSO SEE JOHN AND PL FEBERG, ETHICS FOR A BRAVE NEW WORLD (WHEATON, ILL.: CROSSWAY, 1993), 185-205.4 W. BYNE AND B. PARSONS, “HUMAN SEXUAL ORIENTATN: THE BLOGIC THEORI REAPPRAISED,” ARCHIV OF GENERAL PSYCHIATRY 50 (MARCH 1993): 228. INED, WE SHOULD ALSO POT OUT THAT OM THE STANCE OF EVOLUTNARY NATURALISM (A VIEW WHICH MANY HOMOSEXUAL ACTIVISTS HOLD) THE ARGUMENT FOR A GEIC E FOR HOMOSEXUALY BREAKS DOWN. FOR, IF HOMOSEXUALY WERE GEILLY BASED, “HOMOSEXUALY WOULD HAVE BEE EXTCT LONG AGO BEE OF RCED REPRODUCTN” (EDORIAL, BRISH MEDIL JOURNAL (AUGT 7, 1993), P. 1.5 ROBERT L. SPZER, OM AN UNPUBLISHED REARCH PAPER LIVERED AT AN AMERIN PSYCHIATRIC ASSOCIATN MEETG NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA, MAY 9, 2001.6 OF URSE, THE GAY MUNY IS ALREADY CHALLENGG THE RULTS OF THIS STUDY. BELIEVG THAT REAL CHANGE SEXUAL ORIENTATN IS NOT POSSIBLE, THEY ATTACK THE STUDY BY CLAIMG THAT THE SAMPLE OF PERSONS SELECTED FOR THE STUDY WAS SKEWED BY THE FACT THAT MANY OF THEM HAD BEEN REMEND BY CHRISTIAN GROUPS DITED TO “CURG” HOMOSEXUALS. BUT, HOW IS THAT RELEVANT? REGARDLS OF WHERE THE PEOPLE ME OM, THEY WERE SELF-PROFSED HOMOSEXUALS, AND MANY OF THEM ARE NOT NOW LIVG THE HOMOSEXUAL LIFTYLE. HOW DO THE CRICS EXPLA THE CHANG THE GAY PEOPLE? I SUPPOSE THEY ULD ARGUE THAT THE CHANG ARE ONLY TEMPORARY, BUT THAT WOULD BE PURE SPECULATN. OR THEY ULD ARGUE THAT THE PEOPLE WERE NOT REALLY GAY TO START WH, BUT ONLY THOUGHT THEY WERE. BUT, THEN, HOW DO WE EVER INTIFY A “REAL” GAY PERSON?—APPARENTLY ONLY BEE REAL GAY PEOPLE PERSEVERE A HOMOSEXUAL ORIENTATN. SUCH AN ANSWER, OF URSE, WOULD PLETELY BEG THE QUTN OF WHETHER OR NOT HOMOSEXUALY IS GEIC.7 THOMAS E. SCHMIDT, STRAIGHT AND NARROW, 134.8 OF URSE, I DO NOT MEAN TO SAY THAT WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS ABOUT HOMOSEXUALY IS UNIMPORTANT. IN FACT, IS ALL-IMPORTANT. I BELIEVE THAT THE BIBLE’S NMNATN OF HOMOSEXUAL BEHAVR IS ALL THAT THOSE WHO BELIEVE THE BIBLE IS GOD’S WORD NEED ORR TO KNOW THAT SUCH BEHAVR IS WRONG. THE PROBLEM IS THAT MANY PEOPLE ON THE OTHER SI OF THIS BATE DO NOT ADHERE TO THE THORY OF SCRIPTURE. MY ARGUMENT HERE AIMS TO SHOW THAT GOD’S WILL ON THIS MATTER MAY BE KNOWN TO THEM EVEN SO, BEE GOD’S LAW “IS WRTEN ON THEIR HEARTS” (ROM. 2:15; CF. 1:32).9 IN ADDN, I THK THAT THERE ARE SEVERAL GOOD ARGUMENTS FOR GOD’S EXISTENCE WHICH N PUT TO RT ANY REASONABLE DOUBT ABOUT THIS MATTER. SEE, E.G., WILLIAM LANE CRAIG, REASONABLE FAH (WHEATON, ILL.: CROSSWAY, 1994), 77-125; AND J.P. MORELAND, SLG THE SECULAR CY (GRAND RAPIDS: BAKER, 1987), 15-75.10 FOR A MORE TAILED DISCSN OF THE TERPENNCE OF MEN AND WOMEN, SEE GREGG JOHNSON, “THE BLOGIL BASIS FOR GENR-SPECIFIC BEHAVR”; AND GEE ALAN REKERS, “PSYCHOLOGIL FOUNDATNS FOR REARG MASCULE BOYS AND FEME GIRLS,” BOTH REVERG BIBLIL MANHOOD AND WOMANHOOD, EDS. JOHN PIPER AND WAYNE GM (WHEATON, ILL.: CROSSWAY, 1991).[1] THE TWO MOST IMPORTANT STUDI SO FAR WERE PUBLISHED SIMON LEVAY, “A DIFFERENCE HYPOTHALMIC STCTURE BETWEEN HETEROSEXUAL AND HOMOSEXUAL MEN,” SCIENCE 258 (AUG. 30, 1991): 1034-37; AND J.M. BAILEY AND RICHARD PILLARD, “A GEIC STUDY OF MALE SEXUAL ORIENTATN,” ARCHIV OF GENERAL PSYCHIATRY 48 (1991): 1089-96.[2] MICHAEL BAILEY AND RICHARD PILLARD, “ARE SOME PEOPLE BORN GAY?” NEW YORK TIM (DEC. 17, 1991, P. A21).[3] SEE THOMAS E. SCHMIDT’S HELPFUL DISCSN AND CRIQUE OF THE STUDI HIS STRAIGHT AND NARROW: COMPASSN AND CLARY THE HOMOSEXUALY DEBATE (DOWNERS GROVE, ILL.: INTERVARSY, 1995), 137-142. ALSO SEE JOHN AND PL FEBERG, ETHICS FOR A BRAVE NEW WORLD (WHEATON, ILL.: CROSSWAY, 1993), 185-205.[4] W. BYNE AND B. PARSONS, “HUMAN SEXUAL ORIENTATN: THE BLOGIC THEORI REAPPRAISED,” ARCHIV OF GENERAL PSYCHIATRY 50 (MARCH 1993): 228. INED, WE SHOULD ALSO POT OUT THAT OM THE STANCE OF EVOLUTNARY NATURALISM (A VIEW WHICH MANY HOMOSEXUAL ACTIVISTS HOLD) THE ARGUMENT FOR A GEIC E FOR HOMOSEXUALY BREAKS DOWN. FOR, IF HOMOSEXUALY WERE GEILLY BASED, “HOMOSEXUALY WOULD HAVE BEE EXTCT LONG AGO BEE OF RCED REPRODUCTN” (EDORIAL, BRISH MEDIL JOURNAL (AUGT 7, 1993), P. 1.[5] ROBERT L. SPZER, OM AN UNPUBLISHED REARCH PAPER LIVERED AT AN AMERIN PSYCHIATRIC ASSOCIATN MEETG NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA, MAY 9, 2001.[6] OF URSE, THE GAY MUNY IS ALREADY CHALLENGG THE RULTS OF THIS STUDY. BELIEVG THAT REAL CHANGE SEXUAL ORIENTATN IS NOT POSSIBLE, THEY ATTACK THE STUDY BY CLAIMG THAT THE SAMPLE OF PERSONS SELECTED FOR THE STUDY WAS SKEWED BY THE FACT THAT MANY OF THEM HAD BEEN REMEND BY CHRISTIAN GROUPS DITED TO “CURG” HOMOSEXUALS. BUT, HOW IS THAT RELEVANT? REGARDLS OF WHERE THE PEOPLE ME OM, THEY WERE SELF-PROFSED HOMOSEXUALS, AND MANY OF THEM ARE NOT NOW LIVG THE HOMOSEXUAL LIFTYLE. HOW DO THE CRICS EXPLA THE CHANG THE GAY PEOPLE? I SUPPOSE THEY ULD ARGUE THAT THE CHANG ARE ONLY TEMPORARY, BUT THAT WOULD BE PURE SPECULATN. OR THEY ULD ARGUE THAT THE PEOPLE WERE NOT REALLY GAY TO START WH, BUT ONLY THOUGHT THEY WERE. BUT, THEN, HOW DO WE EVER INTIFY A “REAL” GAY PERSON?—APPARENTLY ONLY BEE REAL GAY PEOPLE PERSEVERE A HOMOSEXUAL ORIENTATN. SUCH AN ANSWER, OF URSE, WOULD PLETELY BEG THE QUTN OF WHETHER OR NOT HOMOSEXUALY IS GEIC.[7] THOMAS E. SCHMIDT, STRAIGHT AND NARROW, 134.[8] OF URSE, I DO NOT MEAN TO SAY THAT WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS ABOUT HOMOSEXUALY IS UNIMPORTANT. IN FACT, IS ALL-IMPORTANT. I BELIEVE THAT THE BIBLE’S NMNATN OF HOMOSEXUAL BEHAVR IS ALL THAT THOSE WHO BELIEVE THE BIBLE IS GOD’S WORD NEED ORR TO KNOW THAT SUCH BEHAVR IS WRONG. THE PROBLEM IS THAT MANY PEOPLE ON THE OTHER SI OF THIS BATE DO NOT ADHERE TO THE THORY OF SCRIPTURE. MY ARGUMENT HERE AIMS TO SHOW THAT GOD’S WILL ON THIS MATTER MAY BE KNOWN TO THEM EVEN SO, BEE GOD’S LAW “IS WRTEN ON THEIR HEARTS” (ROM. 2:15; CF. 1:32).[9] IN ADDN, I THK THAT THERE ARE SEVERAL GOOD ARGUMENTS FOR GOD’S EXISTENCE WHICH N PUT TO RT ANY REASONABLE DOUBT ABOUT THIS MATTER. SEE, E.G., WILLIAM LANE CRAIG, REASONABLE FAH (WHEATON, ILL.: CROSSWAY, 1994), 77-125; AND J.P. MORELAND, SLG THE SECULAR CY (GRAND RAPIDS: BAKER, 1987), 15-75.[10] FOR A MORE TAILED DISCSN OF THE TERPENNCE OF MEN AND WOMEN, SEE GREGG JOHNSON, “THE BLOGIL BASIS FOR GENR-SPECIFIC BEHAVR”; AND GEE ALAN REKERS, “PSYCHOLOGIL FOUNDATNS FOR REARG MASCULE BOYS AND FEME GIRLS,” BOTH REVERG BIBLIL MANHOOD AND WOMANHOOD, EDS. JOHN PIPER AND WAYNE GM (WHEATON, ILL.: CROSSWAY, 1991). IMAGE URTY OF SERGE BERTASI PHOTOGRAPHY AT POST NAVIGATN
- THERE’S (STILL) NO GAY GENE
‘I AM GAY – BUT I WASN’T BORN THIS WAY’
You so obvly nnot be gay, was her implitn, bee this is good was 2006, a full five years before Lady Gaga would set the Born This Way argument atop s unassailable cultural perch, but even then the popular unrstandg of orientatn was that was somethg you were born wh, somethg you uldn’t change.
But what feels most accurate to say is that I’m gay – but I wasn’t born this people may fd their sir changg directn - and n't jt be explaed as experimentatn (Cred: Ignac Lehmann)In 1977, jt over 10% of Amerins thought gayns was somethg you were born wh, acrdg to Gallup. Throughout the same perd, the number of Amerins who believe homosexualy is “due to someone’s upbrgg/environment” fell om jt unr 60% to ias reached cril mass pop culture, first wh Lady Gaga’s 2011 Born This Way and one year later wh Macklemore’s Same Love, the chos of which has a gay person sgg “I n’t change even if I tried, even if I wanted to.
” Around the same time, the Human Rights Campaign clared unequivolly that “Beg gay is not a choice, ” and to claim that is “giv unwarranted crence to roundly disproven practic such as nversn or reparative therapy. ”People who challenge the Born This Way narrative are often st as homophobic, and their thkg is nsired backwardAs Jane Ward not Not Gay: Sex Between Straight Whe Men, what’s tertg about many of the claims is how transparent their speakers are wh their polil motivatns. “Such statements, ” she wr, “fe blogil acunts wh an obligatory and nearly ercive force, suggtg that anyone who scrib homosexual sire as a choice or social nstctn is playg to the hands of the enemy.
THE 'GAY GENE' IS A MYTH BUT BEG GAY IS 'NATURAL,' SAY SCIENTISTS
” People who challenge the Born This Way narrative are often st as homophobic, and their thkg is nsired backward – even if they are themselv, for example, Cynthia Nixon of Sex and The Cy fame. ”Gay rights do not have to hge on a geic explanatn for sexualy (Cred: Ignac Lehmann)For Aravosis, and many gay activists like him, the public will only accept and affirm gay people if they thk they were born gay. Patrick Grzanka, Assistant Profsor of Psychology at Universy of Tennsee, for stance, has shown that some people who believe that homosexualy is nate still hold negative views of gays.
In fact, the homophobic and non-homophobic rponnts he studied shared siar levels of belief a Born This Way Samantha Allen not at The Daily Beast, the growg public support for gays and lbians has grown out of proportn wh the rise the number of people who believe homosexualy is fixed at birth; would be unlikely that this small change opn uld expla the spike support for gay marriage, for stance. “It don’t seem to matter as much whether or not people believe that gay people are born that way as do that they simply know someone who is currently gay, ” Allen spe of the studi, those who ph agast Born This Way narrativ have been heavily cricised by gay activists.
Siarly, Ward has received her own hatemail for phg agast the lg LGB narrativ, wh some gays tellg her she’s “worse than Ann Coulter, ” the ntroversial US thor of books like If Democrats Had Any Bras, They’d Be Republins. And when I published my say on choosg to be gay, an irate Amerin lbian activist wrote me that had “jt been nfirmed” to her that my wrg was “directly rponsible for four gay aths Rsia. There is a unanimo opn that gay “nversn therapy” should be rejectedLet’s first be clear that whatever the origs of our sexual orientatn, there is a unanimo opn that gay “nversn therapy” should be rejected.
THERE IS NO ‘GAY GENE.’ THERE IS NO ‘STRAIGHT GENE.’ SEXUALY IS JT PLEX, STUDY NFIRMS
The efforts are potentially harmful, acrdg to the APA, “bee they prent the view that the sexual orientatn of lbian, gay and bisexual youth is a mental illns of disorr, and they often ame the abily to change one’s sexual orientatn as a personal and moral failure. The APA, for example, while notg that most people experience ltle to no choice over their orientatns, says this of homosexualy’s origs:“Although much rearch has examed the possible geic, hormonal, velopmental, social and cultural fluenc on sexual orientatn, no fdgs have emerged that perm scientists to nclu that sexual orientatn is termed by any particular factor or factors.
”Siarly, the Amerin Psychiatric Associatn wr a 2013 statement that while the of heterosexualy and homosexualy are currently unknown, they are likely “multifactorial cludg blogil and behavral roots which may vary between different dividuals and may even vary over time.
ABANDONG NATURE: AN ARGUMENT AGAST HOMOSEXUALY MARCH 19, 2014BY STEVEN COWANCULTURE ABANDONG NATURE: AN ARGUMENT AGAST HOMOSEXUALYSTEVEN COWAN2023-08-22T18:30:14+00:00 WARNING: THIS ARTICLE NTAS SEXUALLY EXPLIC LANGUAGE THAT MAY NOT BE SUABLE FOR YOUNGER REARS.—EDORAUTHOR: STEVE COWAN –TODAY HOMOSEXUALY IS NSIRED BY MANY PEOPLE TO BE A NORMAL AND PERFECTLY ACCEPTABLE PRACTICE. IT IS, THEY SAY, A LEGIMATE “ALTERNATIVE LIFTYLE.” THE BIBLE, OF URSE, SAYS OTHERWISE (SEE THE ARTICLE THIS VOLUME BY TERRY WILR EXPLAG THE BIBLIL VIEW OF HOMOSEXUALY). ACRDG TO THE APOSTLE PL, HOMOSEXUALY IS THE BEHAVR OF THOSE WHO HAVE “ABANDONED NATURAL RELATNS”; WHO HAVE “EXCHANGED NATURAL RELATNS FOR UNNATURAL ON” (ROM 1:26, 27).THAT SCRIPTURE SPEAKS TO THIS MATTER OUGHT TO BE ENOUGH, PECIALLY FOR THOSE WHO ACCEPT THE THORY OF THE BIBLE. UNFORTUNATELY, NOT EVERYONE BOWS TO BIBLIL THORY. DO THIS MEAN, THEN, THAT WE MT REMA AT A PERPETUAL IMPASSE WH THOSE WHO DISAGREE ON THE MORALY OF HOMOSEXUAL BEHAVR? I DON’T THK SO. I WILL ARGUE THIS ARTICLE THAT WE N TABLISH THE IMMORALY OF HOMOSEXUALY OM A PURELY PHILOSOPHIL PERSPECTIVE. I WILL OFFER, THAT IS, AN ARGUMENT OM NATURAL LAW WHICH ECHO PL’S LANGUAGE ROMANS 1 TO THE EFFECT THAT HOMOSEXUALY IS AN ABANDONMENT OF THE NATURAL, CREATED ORR, AND FOR THAT REASON IS IMMORAL. BUT FIRST, I WILL BRIEFLY EXAME THE EVINCE THAT HOMOSEXUALY ADVOT HAVE ADVANCED THEIR ATTEMPT TO SHOW THAT HOMOSEXUALY IS NOT NTRARY TO NATURE, BUT IS FACT NATURAL.THE ALLEGED CASE FOR THE NATURALNS OF HOMOSEXUALYTHE BASIC CLAIM MA BY THOSE WHO FEND THE MORALY OF HOMOSEXUALY IS THAT HOMOSEXUALS “ARE BORN THAT WAY.” HOMOSEXUALY IS ALLEGED TO HAVE SOME GEIC BASIS, AND SOME SCIENTIFIC REARCH HAS BEEN NDUCTED TO TRY TO TABLISH THE GEIC LK.^[1]^ TH MICHAEL BAILEY AND RICHARD PILLARD ASSERT, “OUR OWN REARCH HAS SHOWN THAT MALE SEXUAL ORIENTATN IS SUBSTANTIALLY GEIC.”^[2]^SPACE DO NOT PERM A TAILED RPONSE TO THE STUDI. SUFFICE TO SAY FOR NOW THAT THE REARCH ALLEGG TO SHOW A GEIC BASIS FOR HOMOSEXUALY IS FAR OM NCLIVE.^[3]^ THE NCLNS AND EVEN METHODS OF THE STUDI HAVE BEEN HOTLY NTTED, LEADG COLUMBIA UNIVERSY PSYCHIATRISTS BYNE AND PARSONS TO NCLU:THERE IS NO EVINCE AT PRENT TO SUBSTANTIATE A BLOGIL THEORY, JT AS THERE IS NO PELLG EVINCE TO SUPPORT ANY SGULAR PSYCHOSOCIAL EXPLANATN. . . .[T]HE APPEAL OF CURRENT BLOGIL EXPLANATNS MAY RIVE MORE OM DISSATISFACTN WH THE PRENT STAT OF PSYCHOSOCIAL EXPLANATNS THAN OM A SUBSTANTIATG BODY OF EXPERIMENTAL DATA. CRIL REVIEW SHOWS THE EVINCE FAVORG A BLOGIL THEORY TO BE LACKG.^[4]^SO WE HAVE NO GOOD REASON, AT LEAST FOR NOW, TO BELIEVE THAT THERE IS ANY GEIC OR BLOGIL LK TO HOMOSEXUAL BEHAVR. YET MT BE ADD THAT EVEN IF SUCH A LK WERE TABLISHED, WOULD NOT MORALLY JTIFY HOMOSEXUALY FOR TWO REASONS. FIRST, PPOTG A RRELATN BETWEEN HOMOSEXUALY AND SOME BLOGIL FACTOR DO NOT BY SELF TELL WHICH WAY THE AL RELATNSHIP NS. IS THE BLOGIL NDN RRELATED WH HOMOSEXUALY THE E OF THE HOMOSEXUAL ORIENTATN, OR IS THE BLOGIL NDN ED BY THE HOMOSEXUAL ORIENTATN?SEND, EVEN IF ONE’S GEIC MAKP DO E OR PREDISPOSE ONE TOWARD HOMOSEXUALY, THIS AGA DO NOT MAKE SUCH BEHAVR GOOD OR MORALLY PERMISSIBLE. SOME PEOPLE REASON LIKE THIS:>(1) HOMOSEXUALS’ GEIC MAKP PREDISPOS (OR ) THEM TO ENGAGE HOMOSEXUAL BEHAVR. > >(2) THEREFORE, HOMOSEXUAL BEHAVR IS MORALLY PERMISSIBLE.HOWEVER, WE DO NOT MAKE THIS GEIC-SO--MT-BE-OKAY LEAP OTHER AREAS OF LIFE. FOR EXAMPLE, REARCHERS BELIEVE THAT THERE IS A FE GEIC BASIS FOR ALHOLISM. YET, WE DO NOT THK THAT ALHOLISM IS GOOD, OR THAT IS MORALLY PERMISSIBLE FOR ALHOLICS TO PERSIST DNKENNS. WE BELIEVE THAT ALHOLISM IS BAD AND THAT ALHOLICS SHOULD BE “CURED.” SO, SUPPOSG FOR THE SAKE OF ARGUMENT THAT HOMOSEXUALY IS GEILLY BASED, WHY SHOULDN’T WE SEEK TO “CURE” HOMOSEXUALS RATHER THAN ENDORSE THEIR BEHAVR? WHY SHOULDN’T WE LOOK FOR WAYS TO ERADITE THE HARMFUL HOMOSEXUAL GENE? GAY ACTIVISTS BEG THE QUTN NCERNG THE MORALY OF HOMOSEXUAL BEHAVR WHEN THEY ASSUME THAT A GEIC BASIS FOR THE BEHAVR TOMATILLY TABLISH S MORAL PERMISSIBILY.IT IS TERTG TO NOTE, THIS NNECTN, THAT RECENT REARCH HAS FACT SHOWN THAT HOMOSEXUALY IS CURABLE. DR. ROBERT L. SPZER, PSYCHIATRY PROFSOR AT COLUMBIA UNIVERSY, HAS NCLUD REARCH WHICH SHOWS THAT “A PERCENTAGE OF HIGHLY MOTIVATED GAY PEOPLE N CHANGE THEIR SEXUAL ORIENTATN.”^[5]^ THE STUDY FOLLOWED THE LIV OF 200 GAY PERSONS WHO UNRWENT THERAPY TO CHANGE THEIR SEXUAL ORIENTATN. SPZER’S STUDY FOUND THAT 66 PERCENT OF MEN AND 44 PERCENT OF WOMEN WERE ABLE TO ACHIEVE “GOOD HETEROSEXUAL FUNCTNG” AS A RULT OF THE THERAPY. AND IS HELPFUL TO NOTE THAT DR. SPZER DO NOT HAVE AN ANTI-GAY AX TO GRD. HE IS NOT A CHRISTIAN AND HAS NO SYMPATHY FOR THE EFFORTS OF CHRISTIANS TO FEND THE BIBLIL VIEW OF HOMOSEXUALY. IN FACT, HE WAS THE LEAR OF THE 1973 MPAIGN TO REMOVE HOMOSEXUALY OM THE AMERIN PSYCHIATRIC ASSOCIATN’S LIST OF MENTAL DISORRS. THIS STUDY PROVIS POWERFUL EVINCE FOR THE BIBLIL VIEW THAT HOMOSEXUALY IS A LEARNED BEHAVR.^[6]^I NCLU, THEREFORE, THAT THERE IS NO GOOD EVINCE THAT HOMOSEXUALY IS BLOGILLY BASED. THAT IS, THERE IS NO GOOD EVINCE THAT HOMOSEXUALY IS “NATURAL” THE SENSE THAT THOSE WHO PRACTICE THIS BEHAVR ARE GEILLY PREDISPOSED TO .BUT MIGHT HOMOSEXUALY BE NATURAL SOME OTHER SENSE? AFTER ALL, WE N OBSERVE HOMOSEXUAL BEHAVR OTHER ANIMALS. FOR EXAMPLE, CHIMPANZE AND OTHER AP ARE KNOWN TO ENGAGE HOMOSEXUAL BEHAVR. SO, MIGHT BE SAID, HOMOSEXUALY OCCURS NATURE. IT IS NATURAL THE SENSE THAT WE FD EXAMPL OF THE NATURAL WORLD. SO, SHOULDN’T WE EXPECT AND PERM SUCH BEHAVR AMONG HUMANS? THE ARGUMENT GO SOMETHG LIKE THIS:HOMOSEXUAL BEHAVR OCCURS NATURALLY AMONG SOME NON-HUMAN ANIMALS.WHATEVER BEHAVR OCCURS NATURALLY AMONG SOME NON-HUMAN ANIMALS IS MORALLY PERMISSIBLE FOR HUMAN BEGS.THEREFORE, HOMOSEXUALY IS MORALLY PERMISSIBLE FOR HUMAN BEGS.THE PROBLEM WH THIS ARGUMENT IS THAT PREMISE (2) IS SO OBVLY FALSE. THERE ARE LOTS OF BEHAVRS THAT ANIMALS ENGAGE THAT WE DO NOT THK ARE PERMISSIBLE FOR HUMAN BEGS. FOR EXAMPLE, MANY ANIMALS EAT THEIR YOUNG AS SOON AS THEY ARE BORN. THOUGH THIS MAY BE “NATURAL” FOR THE CREATUR QUTN, IS CLEARLY NOT MORALLY PERMISSIBLE FOR HUMANS TO EAT THEIR YOUNG. AGA, BLACK WIDOW SPIRS KILL AND VOUR THEIR MAT AFTER MATG, BUT I SERLY DOUBT THAT ANY FEMALE HUMAN ULD E THE “IT’S NATURAL” FENSE URT WERE SHE TO KILL AND EAT HER HBAND.PREMISE (2), IF WERE TE, WOULD IMPLY THAT THERE IS NO MORAL DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ANIMALS AND HUMAN BEGS. NOW SOME MTED ATHEISTS AND EVOLUTNISTS MIGHT BELIEVE THAT THIS IS SO, BUT MOST OF WOULD NOT BE WILLG TO FOLLOW THEIR LEAD. WHAT IS PERMISSIBLE FOR ANIMALS IS NOT ALWAYS PERMISSIBLE FOR PEOPLE. SO, JT BEE SOME ANIMALS ENGAGE HOMOSEXUAL BEHAVR, THIS LENDS NO SUPPORT TO THE THIS THAT HUMAN HOMOSEXUALY IS EHER NATURAL ( ANY RELEVANT SENSE) OR MORALLY GOOD.WE MT ALSO QUALIFY PREMISE (1) OF THIS ARGUMENT. IT IS TE THAT HOMOSEXUAL BEHAVR OCCURS NATURE—AMONG AP, FOR EXAMPLE. BUT, EVEN THE ANIMAL KGDOM THERE IS A CLEAR ABNORMALY WH REGARD TO HOMOSEXUALY. THOMAS SCHMIDT EXPLAS THATANIMALS DO NOT ENGAGE LONG-TERM HOMOSEXUAL BONDG AS HUMANS DO. SOME MONKEYS AND AP MOUNT OR FONDLE EACH OTHER TO THE POT OF SEXUAL AROAL, BUT EVEN THIS BEHAVR VOLV NUMERO QUALIFITNS: MOST IMPORTANT, THE BEHAVR DO NOT NTUE WHEN THE DIVIDUAL MATUR AND HAS A HETEROSEXUAL OPTN.^[7]^SO JT BEE HOMOSEXUAL BEHAVR OCCURS NATURE, THIS DO NOT MEAN THAT THIS IS THE NORM NATURE. NOR DO MEAN THAT THE OCSNAL OCCURRENC OF HOMOSEXUAL BEHAVR AMONG ANIMALS MAKE NATURAL FOR HUMANS THE SENSE OF MORALLY PERMISSIBLE OR MORALLY NORMATIVE.THE CASE AGAST HOMOSEXUALYI TURN NOW TO ARGUE THAT HOMOSEXUAL BEHAVR IS IMMORAL. THE REASON IS IMMORAL IS THAT IS CLEARLY UNNATURAL. HERE I AM G THE TERMS “NATURAL” AND “UNNATURAL” A SPECIFIC WAY. BY SAYG THAT HOMOSEXUALY IS UNNATURAL, I MEAN THAT IS NTRARY TO THE PURPOSE AND SIGN OF GOD, OUR CREATOR. AND I MEAN TO ARGUE THAT WE N KNOW THIS EVEN APART OM WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS ABOUT .^[8]^ MY ARGUMENT N BE STATED AS FOLLOWS:WHATEVER BEHAVR IS NTRARY TO GOD’S CREATED SIGN FOR HUMAN BEGS IS MORALLY WRONG.HOMOSEXUALY IS NTRARY TO GOD’S CREATED SIGN FOR HUMAN BEGS.THEREFORE, HOMOSEXUALY IS WRONG.NOW WHAT N BE SAID FENSE OF THE PREMIS OF THIS ARGUMENT? LET’S TAKE A LOOK AT PREMISE (1) FIRST. THIS PREMISE, OF URSE, ASSUM THAT GOD EXISTS. SOME PEOPLE ON THE PRO-HOMOSEXUAL SI OF THIS BATE WILL CRY, “FOUL!—YOU N’T BRG RELIGN TO THIS BATE! YOU N’T BRG YOUR BIBLE VERS TO THE PUBLIC ARENA TO CI THIS ISSUE!” FIRST OF ALL, TAKE REFUL NOTE THAT MY ARGUMENT DO NOT QUOTE ANY BIBLE VERS, NOR WILL I DO SO FENSE OF PREMISE (1).AND IS NOT MY TENT TO BRG RELIGN PER SE TO THE BATE AT THIS POT. I AM MERELY APPEALG TO THE FACT THAT MOST PEOPLE OUR SOCIETY BELIEVE, OR AT LEAST SAY THEY BELIEVE, THE EXISTENCE OF GOD. TO BE SURE, THERE ARE THOSE WHO CLAIM THAT THEY DO NOT BELIEVE GOD. I THK THEY ARE PROFOUNDLY MISTAKEN. I THK THE EVINCE FOR GOD’S EXISTENCE IS OVERWHELMG AND THAT THOSE WHO ATTEMPT TO DISMISS HIS EXISTENCE ARE “WHOUT EXCE” AS ROMANS 1:20 STAT.^[9]^ BUT WE N SAVE THAT BATE FOR ANOTHER TIME. MOST OF —EVEN THOSE WHO ARE NOT PARTICULARLY CHRISTIAN, EVEN THOSE WHO DO NOT BELIEVE THE DIVE THORY OF THE BIBLE—NEVERTHELS BELIEVE THAT THE UNIVERSE WAS CREATED BY A PERSONAL, ALL-POWERFUL, ALL-KNOWG, AND SUPREMELY GOOD GOD. MORE SPECIFILLY, WE BELIEVE THAT WE WERE CREATED BY GOD. AND WE BELIEVE THAT GOD GAVE ALL OF OUR FACULTI AND ABILI, PHYSIL AND MENTAL, FOR A BENEVOLENT PURPOSE.IT FOLLOWS OM THIS THAT IF I E THE ABILI AND FACULTI THAT GOD GAVE ME A WAY THAT IS NTRARY TO HIS GOOD TENTNS, THEN I HAVE DONE SOMETHG WRONG. FOR EXAMPLE, IF I E THE HANDS THAT GOD GAVE ME FOR SERVG HIM AND OTHER PEOPLE TO STRANGLE AND KILL MY BROTHER STEAD, THEN I HAVE DONE WRONG. SO PREMISE (1) OF MY ARGUMENT IS TE: ANY BEHAVR THAT IS NTRARY TO GOD’S CREATED SIGN FOR HUMAN BEGS IS MORALLY UNACCEPTABLE.NOW WE E TO THE CCIAL QUTN. IS HOMOSEXUAL BEHAVR NSISTENT WH GOD’S CREATED SIGN FOR HUMAN BEGS? OR DO N NTRARY TO HIS SIGN? IN PREMISE (2) I HAVE STATED WHAT I TAKE TO BE THE RIGHT ANSWER TO THIS QUTN. HOMOSEXUAL BEHAVR IS CLEARLY NTRARY TO GOD’S SIGN.WE BELIEVE THAT GOD CREATED MALE AND FEMALE. WE BELIEVE, THAT IS, THAT HETERO-SEXUALY IS GOD’S TENT. OTHERWISE, HE WOULDN’T HAVE CREATED TWO SEX! AND LET SIMPLY EXAME THE BLOGY OF ALL. WHO N REASONABLY NY THAT PENIS ARE SIGNED TO F TO VAGAS? AND WHO N NY THAT VAGAS ARE MEANT TO RECEIVE PENIS? AND I AM NOT G THE BLOGIL STATEMENTS TO REFER TO REPRODUCTN. HOMOSEXUALY ADVOT OFTEN REMD THAT SEXUAL ACTIVY IS NOT ONLY MEANT FOR THE PURPOSE OF REPRODUCTN. IT IS ALSO TEND FOR PLEASURE AND FOR EMOTNAL BONDG. I AGREE WHOLE-HEARTEDLY! BUT THIS DO NOT JTIFY HOMOSEXUALY.IF YOU GRANT THAT THERE IS A NATURAL “F” BETWEEN PENIS AND VAGAS THAT IS CREATED BY GOD (AND THIS NNOT BE NIED), THEN IS EASY TO SEE THAT GOD TENDS FOR SEXUAL ACTIVY TO BRG MEN AND WOMEN TOGETHER, FOR THE PURPOSE OF REPRODUCTN TO BE SURE, BUT ALSO FOR THE PURPOSE OF CREATG A SPECIAL UNN THROUGH THE PLEASURE AND EMOTNAL BONDG THAT TAK PLACE SEXUAL TERURSE.AND THERE ARE OTHER THGS ABOUT MEN AND WOMEN THAT TELL THAT THIS IS GOD’S SIGN. IT MAY NOT BE POLILLY RRECT TO SAY THIS NOWADAYS, BUT MEN AND WOMEN NEED EACH OTHER. BEE THEY BEAR AND NURSE CHILDREN, AND BEE THEY ARE THE “WEAKER VSEL,” WOMEN NEED THE STRENGTH AND BREAD-WNG ABILI THAT MEN ARE NATURALLY DISPOSED TO PROVI. AND MEN NEED THE NURTURG AND RE THAT WOMEN ARE NATURALLY DISPOSED TO PROVI.^[10]^ BUT, HOMOSEXUALY UNRM THE GOD-SIGNED TERPENNCE OF MEN AND WOMEN.IMAGE, FOR THE SAKE OF ARGUMENT THAT ALL HUMAN BEGS OPTED FOR HOMOSEXUALY. IF HOMOSEXUAL BEHAVR IS MORALLY PERMISSIBLE, THEN WOULD BE MORALLY PERMISSIBLE FOR EVERYONE TO BE HOMOSEXUAL. BUT, THEN, GOD’S CLEAR TENT FOR MEN AND WOMEN TO ENTER TO TIMATE UNNS THROUGH SEXUAL TERURSE WOULD BE THWARTED. GOD’S TENT THAT MEN AND WOMEN CLEAVE TOGETHER MUTUALLY PENNT RELATNSHIPS WOULD BE THWARTED AS WELL. AND, BY THE WAY, SO WOULD GOD’S TENT THAT HUMANS REPRODUCE.SO, I NCLU THAT HOMOSEXUAL BEHAVR IS CLEARLY NSISTENT WH GOD’S CREATED PURPOSE FOR HUMAN BEGS. THEREFORE, FOLLOWS THAT HOMOSEXUAL BEHAVR IS WRONG.STEVEN B. COWAN IS ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF THE APOLOGETICS ROURCE CENTER.THIS ARTICLE IS THE AREOPAG JOURNAL CALLG EVIL GOOD VOLUME 1 NUMBER 4NOTES1 THE TWO MOST IMPORTANT STUDI SO FAR WERE PUBLISHED SIMON LEVAY, “A DIFFERENCE HYPOTHALMIC STCTURE BETWEEN HETEROSEXUAL AND HOMOSEXUAL MEN,” SCIENCE 258 (AUG. 30, 1991): 1034-37; AND J.M. BAILEY AND RICHARD PILLARD, “A GEIC STUDY OF MALE SEXUAL ORIENTATN,” ARCHIV OF GENERAL PSYCHIATRY 48 (1991): 1089-96.2 MICHAEL BAILEY AND RICHARD PILLARD, “ARE SOME PEOPLE BORN GAY?” NEW YORK TIM (DEC. 17, 1991, P. A21).3 SEE THOMAS E. SCHMIDT’S HELPFUL DISCSN AND CRIQUE OF THE STUDI HIS STRAIGHT AND NARROW: COMPASSN AND CLARY THE HOMOSEXUALY DEBATEHOMOSEXUALY DEBATE 142. ALSO SEE JOHN AND PL FEBERG, ETHICS FOR A BRAVE NEW WORLD (WHEATON, ILL.: CROSSWAY, 1993), 185-205.4 W. BYNE AND B. PARSONS, “HUMAN SEXUAL ORIENTATN: THE BLOGIC THEORI REAPPRAISED,” ARCHIV OF GENERAL PSYCHIATRY 50 (MARCH 1993): 228. INED, WE SHOULD ALSO POT OUT THAT OM THE STANCE OF EVOLUTNARY NATURALISM (A VIEW WHICH MANY HOMOSEXUAL ACTIVISTS HOLD) THE ARGUMENT FOR A GEIC E FOR HOMOSEXUALY BREAKS DOWN. FOR, IF HOMOSEXUALY WERE GEILLY BASED, “HOMOSEXUALY WOULD HAVE BEE EXTCT LONG AGO BEE OF RCED REPRODUCTN” (EDORIAL, BRISH MEDIL JOURNAL (AUGT 7, 1993), P. 1.5 ROBERT L. SPZER, OM AN UNPUBLISHED REARCH PAPER LIVERED AT AN AMERIN PSYCHIATRIC ASSOCIATN MEETG NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA, MAY 9, 2001.6 OF URSE, THE GAY MUNY IS ALREADY CHALLENGG THE RULTS OF THIS STUDY. BELIEVG THAT REAL CHANGE SEXUAL ORIENTATN IS NOT POSSIBLE, THEY ATTACK THE STUDY BY CLAIMG THAT THE SAMPLE OF PERSONS SELECTED FOR THE STUDY WAS SKEWED BY THE FACT THAT MANY OF THEM HAD BEEN REMEND BY CHRISTIAN GROUPS DITED TO “CURG” HOMOSEXUALS. BUT, HOW IS THAT RELEVANT? REGARDLS OF WHERE THE PEOPLE ME OM, THEY WERE SELF-PROFSED HOMOSEXUALS, AND MANY OF THEM ARE NOT NOW LIVG THE HOMOSEXUAL LIFTYLE. HOW DO THE CRICS EXPLA THE CHANG THE GAY PEOPLE? I SUPPOSE THEY ULD ARGUE THAT THE CHANG ARE ONLY TEMPORARY, BUT THAT WOULD BE PURE SPECULATN. OR THEY ULD ARGUE THAT THE PEOPLE WERE NOT REALLY GAY TO START WH, BUT ONLY THOUGHT THEY WERE. BUT, THEN, HOW DO WE EVER INTIFY A “REAL” GAY PERSON?—APPARENTLY ONLY BEE REAL GAY PEOPLE PERSEVERE A HOMOSEXUAL ORIENTATN. SUCH AN ANSWER, OF URSE, WOULD PLETELY BEG THE QUTN OF WHETHER OR NOT HOMOSEXUALY IS GEIC.7 THOMAS E. SCHMIDT, STRAIGHT AND NARROW, 134.8 OF URSE, I DO NOT MEAN TO SAY THAT WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS ABOUT HOMOSEXUALY IS UNIMPORTANT. IN FACT, IS ALL-IMPORTANT. I BELIEVE THAT THE BIBLE’S NMNATN OF HOMOSEXUAL BEHAVR IS ALL THAT THOSE WHO BELIEVE THE BIBLE IS GOD’S WORD NEED ORR TO KNOW THAT SUCH BEHAVR IS WRONG. THE PROBLEM IS THAT MANY PEOPLE ON THE OTHER SI OF THIS BATE DO NOT ADHERE TO THE THORY OF SCRIPTURE. MY ARGUMENT HERE AIMS TO SHOW THAT GOD’S WILL ON THIS MATTER MAY BE KNOWN TO THEM EVEN SO, BEE GOD’S LAW “IS WRTEN ON THEIR HEARTS” (ROM. 2:15; CF. 1:32).9 IN ADDN, I THK THAT THERE ARE SEVERAL GOOD ARGUMENTS FOR GOD’S EXISTENCE WHICH N PUT TO RT ANY REASONABLE DOUBT ABOUT THIS MATTER. SEE, E.G., WILLIAM LANE CRAIG, REASONABLE FAH (WHEATON, ILL.: CROSSWAY, 1994), 77-125; AND J.P. MORELAND, SLG THE SECULAR CY (GRAND RAPIDS: BAKER, 1987), 15-75.10 FOR A MORE TAILED DISCSN OF THE TERPENNCE OF MEN AND WOMEN, SEE GREGG JOHNSON, “THE BLOGIL BASIS FOR GENR-SPECIFIC BEHAVR”; AND GEE ALAN REKERS, “PSYCHOLOGIL FOUNDATNS FOR REARG MASCULE BOYS AND FEME GIRLS,” BOTH REVERG BIBLIL MANHOOD AND WOMANHOOD, EDS. JOHN PIPER AND WAYNE GM (WHEATON, ILL.: CROSSWAY, 1991).[1] THE TWO MOST IMPORTANT STUDI SO FAR WERE PUBLISHED SIMON LEVAY, “A DIFFERENCE HYPOTHALMIC STCTURE BETWEEN HETEROSEXUAL AND HOMOSEXUAL MEN,” SCIENCE 258 (AUG. 30, 1991): 1034-37; AND J.M. BAILEY AND RICHARD PILLARD, “A GEIC STUDY OF MALE SEXUAL ORIENTATN,” ARCHIV OF GENERAL PSYCHIATRY 48 (1991): 1089-96.[2] MICHAEL BAILEY AND RICHARD PILLARD, “ARE SOME PEOPLE BORN GAY?” NEW YORK TIM (DEC. 17, 1991, P. A21).[3] SEE THOMAS E. SCHMIDT’S HELPFUL DISCSN AND CRIQUE OF THE STUDI HIS STRAIGHT AND NARROW: COMPASSN AND CLARY THE HOMOSEXUALY DEBATE (DOWNERS GROVE, ILL.: INTERVARSY, 1995), 137-142. ALSO SEE JOHN AND PL FEBERG, ETHICS FOR A BRAVE NEW WORLD (WHEATON, ILL.: CROSSWAY, 1993), 185-205.[4] W. BYNE AND B. PARSONS, “HUMAN SEXUAL ORIENTATN: THE BLOGIC THEORI REAPPRAISED,” ARCHIV OF GENERAL PSYCHIATRY 50 (MARCH 1993): 228. INED, WE SHOULD ALSO POT OUT THAT OM THE STANCE OF EVOLUTNARY NATURALISM (A VIEW WHICH MANY HOMOSEXUAL ACTIVISTS HOLD) THE ARGUMENT FOR A GEIC E FOR HOMOSEXUALY BREAKS DOWN. FOR, IF HOMOSEXUALY WERE GEILLY BASED, “HOMOSEXUALY WOULD HAVE BEE EXTCT LONG AGO BEE OF RCED REPRODUCTN” (EDORIAL, BRISH MEDIL JOURNAL (AUGT 7, 1993), P. 1.[5] ROBERT L. SPZER, OM AN UNPUBLISHED REARCH PAPER LIVERED AT AN AMERIN PSYCHIATRIC ASSOCIATN MEETG NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA, MAY 9, 2001.[6] OF URSE, THE GAY MUNY IS ALREADY CHALLENGG THE RULTS OF THIS STUDY. BELIEVG THAT REAL CHANGE SEXUAL ORIENTATN IS NOT POSSIBLE, THEY ATTACK THE STUDY BY CLAIMG THAT THE SAMPLE OF PERSONS SELECTED FOR THE STUDY WAS SKEWED BY THE FACT THAT MANY OF THEM HAD BEEN REMEND BY CHRISTIAN GROUPS DITED TO “CURG” HOMOSEXUALS. BUT, HOW IS THAT RELEVANT? REGARDLS OF WHERE THE PEOPLE ME OM, THEY WERE SELF-PROFSED HOMOSEXUALS, AND MANY OF THEM ARE NOT NOW LIVG THE HOMOSEXUAL LIFTYLE. HOW DO THE CRICS EXPLA THE CHANG THE GAY PEOPLE? I SUPPOSE THEY ULD ARGUE THAT THE CHANG ARE ONLY TEMPORARY, BUT THAT WOULD BE PURE SPECULATN. OR THEY ULD ARGUE THAT THE PEOPLE WERE NOT REALLY GAY TO START WH, BUT ONLY THOUGHT THEY WERE. BUT, THEN, HOW DO WE EVER INTIFY A “REAL” GAY PERSON?—APPARENTLY ONLY BEE REAL GAY PEOPLE PERSEVERE A HOMOSEXUAL ORIENTATN. SUCH AN ANSWER, OF URSE, WOULD PLETELY BEG THE QUTN OF WHETHER OR NOT HOMOSEXUALY IS GEIC.[7] THOMAS E. SCHMIDT, STRAIGHT AND NARROW, 134.[8] OF URSE, I DO NOT MEAN TO SAY THAT WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS ABOUT HOMOSEXUALY IS UNIMPORTANT. IN FACT, IS ALL-IMPORTANT. I BELIEVE THAT THE BIBLE’S NMNATN OF HOMOSEXUAL BEHAVR IS ALL THAT THOSE WHO BELIEVE THE BIBLE IS GOD’S WORD NEED ORR TO KNOW THAT SUCH BEHAVR IS WRONG. THE PROBLEM IS THAT MANY PEOPLE ON THE OTHER SI OF THIS BATE DO NOT ADHERE TO THE THORY OF SCRIPTURE. MY ARGUMENT HERE AIMS TO SHOW THAT GOD’S WILL ON THIS MATTER MAY BE KNOWN TO THEM EVEN SO, BEE GOD’S LAW “IS WRTEN ON THEIR HEARTS” (ROM. 2:15; CF. 1:32).[9] IN ADDN, I THK THAT THERE ARE SEVERAL GOOD ARGUMENTS FOR GOD’S EXISTENCE WHICH N PUT TO RT ANY REASONABLE DOUBT ABOUT THIS MATTER. SEE, E.G., WILLIAM LANE CRAIG, REASONABLE FAH (WHEATON, ILL.: CROSSWAY, 1994), 77-125; AND J.P. MORELAND, SLG THE SECULAR CY (GRAND RAPIDS: BAKER, 1987), 15-75.[10] FOR A MORE TAILED DISCSN OF THE TERPENNCE OF MEN AND WOMEN, SEE GREGG JOHNSON, “THE BLOGIL BASIS FOR GENR-SPECIFIC BEHAVR”; AND GEE ALAN REKERS, “PSYCHOLOGIL FOUNDATNS FOR REARG MASCULE BOYS AND FEME GIRLS,” BOTH REVERG BIBLIL MANHOOD AND WOMANHOOD, EDS. JOHN PIPER AND WAYNE GM (WHEATON, ILL.: CROSSWAY, 1991). IMAGE URTY OF SERGE BERTASI PHOTOGRAPHY AT POST NAVIGATN
” Acrdg to LeVay’s rearch, a specific part of the bra, the third terstial nucls of the anterr hypothalam (INAH-3), is smaller homosexual men than is heterosexual as they might, scientists have stggled to inty any particular gen that nsistently predict the directns of our love and sire (Cred: Ignac Lehmann)Read moreYou n spot the problem wh this study a e away: were the gay bras LeVay studied born that way, or did they bee that way? Begng om his observatn that there are more gay relativ on a mother’s si than a father’s, Hamer turned his attentn to the X chromosome (which is passed on by the mother).
Bis the dividual criqu leveled agast each new study announcg some gay gene disvery, there are major methodologil cricisms to make about the entire enterprise general, as Grzanka pots out: “If we look at the raveno pursu, particularly among Amerin scientists, to fd a gay gene, what we see is that the ncln has already been arrived at.
THERE’S (STILL) NO GAY GENE
”The other problem wh Born This Way science is summed up nicely by Simon Copland: “Scientists are askg whether homosexualy is natural when we n’t even agree exactly what homosexualy is.