Homosexuality - Genetic OR Behavioral?

Believer · Post by **Believer** » Thu May 05, 2005 12:19 pm

A few things to touch upon here. The Bible says:

1 Corinthians 6:

9Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders 10nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. 11And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

11And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

Now implying that "what some of you were", could this mean it is genetic, behavioral, or a mix of both? Could the people back then have been engaging in homosexual practice for the "fun of it" and now these days in modern science we know it is genetic? I have been doing some research on this since my college professor touched upon this issue and he said something like "now that we are discovering biology and genetics more clearly, homosexuality derives from genetics". However there are others that state it isn't genetic and it is behavioral. My psychiatrist asked me about my thoughts on homosexuality and what he had to say was "that it could be a factor of both genetics and behavioral atmosphere, but more behavioral". He also said that there could be a gene that could make us this way and that even the slightest change in the person could turn them homosexual. So the question is, is it gentetic, behavioral, or a mix of both?

Prodigal Son · Post by **Prodigal Son** » Thu May 05, 2005 12:32 pm

mixed. researchers really don't know, but have discovered that there are variations in the brains of homosexuals; also, lesbians have larger knuckles than heterosexual women. these are a few clues that it may be genetically based. still, there is some research to support that victims of sexual abuse often have issues with homosexual feelings--a clue of environmental origins.

either way, it's still wrong. because people have free will, we can override any learning/biology. we really don't have an excuse for our behaviors. homosexual actions can be controlled.

Believer · Post by **Believer** » Thu May 05, 2005 12:36 pm

Yes, but as ex-gay ministries have shown us, is change REALLY possible? Did God leave out information that homosexuality really might be genetic and the people back then didn't know it was genetic? But by saying and "some of you were", is change really that possible? What was God's purpose in making homosexuals?

AttentionKMartShoppers · Thu May 05, 2005 12:45 pm

Saying God made homosexuality, and then condemns it....makes God a jerk...which He definately is not. And the research has not found which causes which, currect? Does being gay cause abnormal brain waves, or do the abnormal brain waves make you gay? I vote on position A.

Prodigal Son · Post by **Prodigal Son** » Thu May 05, 2005 1:07 pm

actually, i never said God made homosexuality. did he make depression, anger, envy? all these things have a biological basis and he doesn't condone any of them.

so, sense you started off making no sense, and since you probably aren't a researcher, it doesn't really matter what position you vote on.

also, i don't think any of the research has focused on brain waves. but that might be something interesting to look into.

AttentionKMartShoppers · Thu May 05, 2005 1:08 pm

I do make sense. And I was referring to Brian, not you Prodigal. Brian was inferring that God made homosexuality.

Prodigal Son · Post by **Prodigal Son** » Thu May 05, 2005 1:19 pm

attentionkmartshoppers

went back and read his post. don't see where he was implying that...must be why i thought you were talking to me.

either way, i was talking to you.

but you're right, you do make sense. sometimes, what we SAY doesn't make sense.

still, forgive me for being harsh...it's something i'm working on.

Kurieuo · Post by **Kurieuo** » Thu May 05, 2005 6:38 pm

It's a bit hard to claim there is a "homosexual gene" when you have identical twins where one is homosexual the other more often than not isn't.

I'd also recommend reading through the articles at NARTH (http://www.narth.com/menus/born.html).

Kurieuo.

Prodigal Son · Post by **Prodigal Son** » Fri May 06, 2005 9:14 am

yep, we must be careful to note that there is no evidence of a homosexual gene. still, there is much research to suggest that homosexuality has a biological basis. i think schizophrenia might be similar...although there is no gene for it and no research to prove it completely hereditary, research indicates biological roots.

Darwin_Rocks · Post by **Darwin_Rocks** » Sat May 07, 2005 2:25 am

comparing homosexuality to depression is the stupidest thing I have ever heard.

It's not an illness, it's a lifestyle choice. One that doesn't hurt anybody. Whether genetic or not is irrelevant. It should be accpeted regardless of its origin.

Dan · Post by **Dan** » Sat May 07, 2005 9:05 am

Darwin_Rocks wrote:comparing homosexuality to depression is the stupidest thing I have ever heard.

It's not an illness, it's a lifestyle choice. One that doesn't hurt anybody. Whether genetic or not is irrelevant. It should be accpeted regardless of its origin.

Simply because it's a supposed "life-style choice" doesn't make it any less of a sin. Being a criminal is a "life-style choice" and I don't suppose you're going to sympathize with murderers any time soon.

Prodigal Son · Post by **Prodigal Son** » Sat May 07, 2005 9:35 am

actually, criminality also has a genetic basis...as does depression, and homosexuality (most possibly). so drawing a comparison is anything but stupid.

still, all of these behaviors are sinful. accepting them is not okay.

p.s. engaging in homosexuality does hurt people, it hurts those engaging in it. it hurts them physically and spiritually.

voicingmaster · Post by **voicingmaster** » Sat May 07, 2005 1:33 pm

Darwin_Rocks wrote:comparing homosexuality to depression is the stupidest thing I have ever heard.

It's not an illness, it's a lifestyle choice. One that doesn't hurt anybody. Whether genetic or not is irrelevant. It should be accpeted regardless of its origin.

Being a serial killer is a lifestyle choice too, should we smile at them and tell them they made a good choice? And they do cause harm, whether or not you and they notice it or not.

Believer · Post by **Believer** » Mon May 09, 2005 3:24 pm

What do you think?

Brain responses differ in gay, straight men
Study: Homosexuals react to male sex hormones like women

The Associated Press
Updated: 5:19 p.m. ET May 9, 2005

WASHINGTON - The brains of homosexual men respond more like those of women when reacting to a chemical derived from the male sex hormone, new evidence of physical differences related to sexual orientation.

The finding, published in Tuesday's issue of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, shows differences in physiological reaction to sex hormones.

Researchers led by Ivanka Savic at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, Sweden, exposed heterosexual men and women and homosexual men to chemicals derived from male and female sex hormones. These chemicals are thought to be pheromones, molecules known to trigger responses such as defense and sex in many animals.

Whether humans respond to pheromones has been the subject of debate, although in 2000 American researchers reported finding a gene that they believe directs the human pheromone receptor in the nose.

Biological basis to sexual orientation?
In the Swedish study, when sniffing a chemical from testosterone, the male hormone, portions of the brains involved in sexual activity were activated in gay men and straight women, but not in straight men, the researchers found.

When they sniffed smells like cedar or lavender, all of the subjects brains reacted only in the olfactory regions that handles smells.

The result clearly shows a biological involvement in sexual orientation, said Sandra Witelson, an expert on brain anatomy and sexual orientation at the Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine at McMaster University in Ontario, Canada.

The research was funded by the Swedish Medical Research Council, the Karolinska Institute and the Megnus Bergvall Foundation.

© 2005 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
© 2005 MSNBC.com

URL: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7791888/

jerickson314 · Post by **jerickson314** » Wed May 11, 2005 2:21 pm

HelpMeGod wrote:What do you think?

Meaningless. For one, biological != genetic. ("!=" means "not equals" in C, C++, C#, Java, JavaScript, etc. Those are computer languages.) For instance, if I see a scab on your knee, it does not mean you were born with the scab. You would have to have the genetic potential for blood clotting, but likewise all people have sex chromosomes intended for heterosexual purposes.

The real question is, what did the study prove? It showed that gay men reacted to the smell of a chemical in testosterone. Well, would it be new information if they discovered that a picture of a man triggered a similar response? Not at all, that's what we would probably expect. Likewise, a smell could develop similar meaning for the person. You probably would react similarly to a picture of and to the smell of your favorite food; the association exists in your mind. Likewise, gay men may associate the smell with other men.

The result is that the study offers ABSOLUTELY NO proof that homosexuality is genetic.