I think that a careful reading of this short article by Mr. Avila will show that he was specifically addressing the argument that is sometimes used, i.e., God made me this way. His premise is that God does not cause same-sex attraction or homosexuality. He then says that since there is no “gay gene”, disruptive imbalances in nature point to another supernatural actor, not God. That actor would be satan. Note this quote “the scientific evidence of how same-sex attraction most likely may be created provides a credible basis for a spiritual explanation that indicts the devil” and “Therefore, whenever natural causes disturb otherwise typical biological development, leading to the personally unchosen beginnings of same-sex attraction, the ultimate responsibility, on a theological level, is and should be imputed to the evil one, not God.”
Finally, he says that if this analysis is correct, it opens new perspectives on the Church’s teaching and “should deepen our compassion towards those who experience same-sex attraction and inform our response to the question of loneliness.”
He does not, in any way, imply or state that a homosexual/SSA person
is a demon. He’s talking about influence, about causation. Eph 6, 12: “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in heavenly places.”
Although I think Mr. Avila’s main point and thesis is theological, he mentions scientific studies and some posters above have taken exception. Therefore, I post the following:
As to twin studies of homosexuality, there have been 3 “major” studies.
The first in 1952 analyzed 37 identical twins and 26 fraternal twins. The researcher pulled individuals for study who were homosexual, over age 20 and a twin. The samples were pulled from psychiatric and correctional agencies as well as other sources. This study found 100% of the identical twins of homosexual men were also homosexual. It found only 12% of the fraternal twins of homosexual men were also homosexual.
In 1968, a study was done analyzing 7 identical twins and 7 fraternal twins. All males and all samples obtained from a hospital twin register. This study found 43% for identicals and 14% (1 of 7 pairs) for fraternal twins.
In 1991, another study was completed. This time the samples were obtained through homophile publications. The researchers sent out a questionnaire, but did not meet with any of the subjects. The sample size was 56 identical twins and 54 fraternal twins. The findings were 52% of identical and 22% of fraternal.
The “major” twin studies were done with male, not females. There were small studies done with female twins, and by small, I mean ranging from 1 set of twins to 4 or 5 sets of twins. Hardly persuasive science there.
The Human Genome Project concluded in 2003 and no “gay gene” was discovered. Both the X and Y chromosomes have been completely sequenced. Again, after countless hours of research and millions of dollars in research funding, no “gay gene” was discovered.
A larger and more recent study is the 1992 National Health and Social Life Survey:
–3,432 adults
–nearly four of every five randomly selected men and women from coast to coast, were willing to cooperate by responding to questions about their intimate sexual behavior.
–national survey of the sexual behavior of adults age eighteen to fifty-nine, selected from a stratified random sample of households and interviewed over the period February to September 1992.
–The survey was done by face-to-face interview, typically in the respondent’s home.
–Care was taken in the interview to establish an environment of privacy, safety, and trust with the respondents; a strong public health motivation was used to encourage honesty and accuracy.
–From internal consistency checks and from external validation of much of the information collected, it appears that this data set is of exceptionally high quality.
From
siue.edu/~cbwilso/203nhsls99.htm:
What information does the NHSLS provide about homosexuality in the U.S.? (The NHSLS collected information about homosexuality defined by three different criteria: behavior, desire, and self-identification.
About 10.1% of men and 8.6% of women reported being homosexual by any one of these criteria. By self-identification alone, 2% of men and 0% of women reported being homosexual. 44% of men and 59% of women reported feeling homosexual desire. Men were somewhat more likely to act on their desire for other men than were women for other women.) [emphasis mine]
Edward O. Laumann, John H. Gagnon, Robert T. Michael, and Stuart Michaels. The Social organization of sexuality in the United States. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1994. Laumann et al. found that 8.6% of women and 10.1% of men reported any adult same-gender sexuality. Of the women reporting some same-gender sexuality, 88% reported same-gender sexual desire, 41% reported some same-gender sexual behavior, and 16% reported a lesbian or gay identity. Of the men, reporting some same-gender sexuality, 75% reported same-gender sexual desire, 52% reported some same-gender sexual behavior, and 27% reported a gay identity.
