*** I believe homosexual **behavior ***is a choice. Homosexuality itself may be inherited, it may be genetic, it may be a choice, it may be a mental illness, I don’t know; no one knows. But it is not normal, and it is not natural (no amount of gay sex or love will ever produce offspring). Homosexuality may no be a choice, but the behavior is.
So I’m not sure how I should react. My reaction must not be based on feelings, good or bad. It must be based on reason and logic, not to mention fundamental Christian beliefs.**
You state that neither you nor anyone knows what causes homosexuality. Then you state that it’s not normal. If you don’t know what causes it, how can you state that it’s not normal? You are basing your logic on the fact that in order for something to be normal it must procreate.
That might not be the case anymore with the world being the size it is. It could also be nature’s way of curbing overpopulation that could destroy us in the near future.
At any rate, I understand what you mean. I too have often said that if God wanted us to breed that way he would’ve given us only one body part down there. It’s also true that homosexuality can often cause serious tissue tears and diseases, not to mention lifelong problems with anal incontinence. So yes, in those ways I agree that it could be termed “abnormal” and even dangerous, which is probably why we were warned about it in the bible (not to mention that in the old days it was necessary to procreate in order to build up the world).
Like you, I don’t understand the things that cause homosexuality, which is why I prefer not to attack these people until I can state that I can be 100% sure that I know as well as God does, everything about this topic.
There was a time in my life when I once mouthed off on a newsgroup that depression was not an illness. “It was simply a state of mind that could be controlled by anyone.” The reason I was such a smart aleck was because I had never suffered from it so I was convinced that my success was attributable only to my own most amazing and wonderful abilities to prevent it. If I was so remarkable and amazing, surely everyone else would have no problem being just like me.
Then one day God taught me a most horrible lesson. He socked me with depression for a couple of years. He has most amazing ways of teaching people you know.
In the end I thanked him for the gift because he made me realize how much I had hurt others so very badly (when they were already severely depressed and such hurt was the last thing in the world they needed). What cruel and terrible things I had done!! So many times when God seems to punish people he’s actually in the process of giving them a yet unrecognized gift of understanding and/or compassion for someone or for some situation.
What I’m trying to say is that if you don’t understand what causes homosexuality its probably best not to judge. Let God do the judging unless you are prepared to be served a similar lesson by him. He might give you gay child one day, for example to also help you learn some of the things he taught me during those two years.
I hope no one thinks I’m promoting homosexuality. That’s not my intention. I’m just “trying” to understand them. These people go through incredible pain having to admit (or deny) that they are different because they are attracted to the same sex. They go through lifelong humiliation, cruel teasing , terrible and painful rejection, and severe trauma. Many commit suicide because their righteous and so-called “loving” friends or families have rejected them. If you rejected your children, would you feel this behaviour should be rewarded by God for it’s kindness, understanding, and spirituality?
Also, do you really believe that gays would invite such pain by “CHOICE” only for the mere thrill of exposing themselves of such terrible and cruel hell?
Like many, I too get annoyed when gays try to shove gayness in my face by taking it too far in the opposite direction which I feel does little but invite more prejudice. Still, I try to look at it this way.
When you don’t know the causes of homosexuality, it’s not fair to promote DISRESPECT against them. It’s not fair to compare them with such fine, wonderful, righteous, beautiful, loving, caring, and spiritual people like you. In fact, even thinking of yourself in this way, I would think could be considered conceited, arrogant, and proud, all sins in themselves. Because it’s so hard for us to judge things some things in life, sometimes I feel it’s just better to leave the judgment to God.
Of course I could be wrong again in what I’m saying and could be making bad comments. All I can base my comments on are feelings that I think it’s unkind, unfair, and unspiritual to look down on people when you don’t know that their conditions aren’t caused by genetics, especially when they have committed no serious crimes.
I understand why bible objected to sodomy. Numerous problems can be introduced after homosexuality is accepted. Bringing children into the relationship is just one. This could certainly, in many cases, cause children to suffer pain similar to that experienced by their own gay parents, as they desperately try figure out how men are supposed to behave toward women or vice versa when they haven’t been been exposed to it much. Such lack of knowledge could also make things difficult for their children.
I can also visualize numerous lawyers clapping their hands with glee over the promotion of homosexuality because it will fill their pockets with money from all kinds of new and unexpected challenges; for example, “why should a gay person be able to claim income tax or survivor’s benefits from his partner when two roommates can’t do the same? Does the act of having sex alone make someone qualify?” Surely that would be totally unconstitutional.
Other questions might be, "exactly what is it that constitutes marriage now anyway? Is it kind of like – well, sex for a little while? Is it little other than a ring or sleeping with someone?
I never have understood why common-law couples qualified for such government financial benefits either. Why does society reward them for a common law relationship with is NOTHING OTHER than commitment to non-commitment? How can you establish a strong nation with solidified families that way? It’s almost impossible to even create a geneology tree anymore.
Getting back to homosexuality, I believe the bible is a book of common sense overall, written by someone more intelligent than we, and that there is sound reasoning behind most of it’s teachings.
This is such a difficult issue that the main reason I try to stay out of comments attacking or demeaning homosexuals is because I feel that “if I can’t claim expertise at dealing with any of these answers, I surely don’t have the right to believe I am so special, so intelligent, so righteous, and so blatantly arrogant that it’s alright for me to cause pain and rejection for others.” Arrogance and pride are also sinful.
Yes, there are many times when I feel like Pontious Pilate when discussing this, especially when I say “let God deal with it.”
Now that I’ve said my piece, I hope that any homosexual who reads this will also try try to understand the terrible pain and problems churches must endure in trying to deal with this and why so many Christians have such difficult times accepting it. It’s not much different from the type of pain and trauma gays endure.
Churches also are concerned about losing their parishioners. I once read that it was estimated that about 1 in every 15 people or so were gay. In the event that churches changed their attitudes and decided to accept this, they could risk losing 85% of their congregation almost overnight. So their concerns are every bit as serious as those of gays.
Understanding ON BOTH SIDES is essential if humanity is ever to come to grips with this issue. This one isn’t easy and could take a few years yet, hard as both sides may try.
