Almost Everything the Media Tell You About Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Is Wrong

[PaulSacramento]

and here:
https://www.geneticliteracyproject.org/ ... -gay-gene/

Scientists presenting at the 2015 meeting of the American Society of Genetics announced the discovery of a gene-based algorithm that could predict male homosexuality with 70 percent accuracy. It’s the first time a gene-based model has been used to predict sexual orientation, giving credence to the idea that homosexuality has a biological basis.

Exciting as the claim may be, it’s crucial not to oversimplify the findings.

The scientists from UCLA’s David Geffen School of Medicine discovered that methylation, a form of DNA modification, in certain regions of the genome differed between homosexual and heterosexual identical twin brothers. What they did not find were the elusive “gay genes.” Amid the ever-present “homosexuality is a choice” chants of the anti-gay community, it is, naturally, tempting to claim that this study is concrete proof that sexual orientation is entirely genetic. To say so would be simplistic and, well, wrong. But it does constitute evidence that homosexuality has a biological basis.

The real focus of the study was epigenetics, a field of biology dealing with the ways different genes are turned on and off. What’s really important to bear in mind is that the evidence doesn’t point to a cause-effect relationship. Just because one individual might have the epigenetic pattern associated with homosexual individuals doesn’t mean he is, necessarily, a homosexual. Ditto for heterosexual patterns. It could be a coincidence. His sexuality and his pattern may simply be correlated.

[melanie]

What that means I don't know.
As I can't pick or speculate for anyone.
Regardless of the shackles we hold in this life something really special awaits in the next.
I truely believe that we hold a connection to God, some more broken than others, but those that are meant to be will be and He isn't in the habit of letting anyone go.
Love will conquer

[RickD]

mel wrote:
Love will conquer

Does that include homosexual love?

[PaulSacramento]

Here is the thing that needs to be understood by all these studies that may suggest ( and I am using the same terms the studies do: May, possibly, could, etc) homosexuality is genetic:
If that is the case it can ( and may be argued, should) be viewed as a genetic disorder or disease and the reasons are:
It would be an abnormality in the genes.
It would be disadvantageous for propagating, the anatomical function of sex ( a group of solely gay men or women could no breed and the group would die out).
It would be an evolutionary disadvantage.


If we look at pedophilia, as an example of an abnormal sexual deviation, we see that it is treated as a mental disorder with the view that is also MAY be genetic.
Same thing goes for other deviant sexual behaviours that are treated as mental disorders.
The question begs ot be asked:
If these are viewed as mental disorders, even if viewed as possibly genetic, why is homosexuality any different?
And NO, the answer can NOT be " no one is getting harmed" or any other PC silliness.

[PaulSacramento]

That's a rough stab, I could back up with many more.
Which no doubt I will be compelled to do so.
Not a bad thing
My biggest science experiment is my life.
My best friend and Matron of honour is gay. With a partner and two kids. My Nephew is gay, my cousin is gay.
And I picked it with each of them years before they came out.
They are all beautiful, loving and caring souls.
I know them intimately and they are beautiful on a soulful level.
I negate the necessity to judge their lifestyles and I reserve all judgement to my Heavenly Father. He will judge accordingly and in Him I trust.

And I have two gay cousins and my Wife's uncle and cousin are.
And we have two lesbian friends.
And they are all amazing too.

And I am sure that there are parents and friends of people that are pedophiles for example, that will tell you the same thing about them.

That is making this an EMOTIONAL problem when it isn't.

[melanie]

This persistent comparIson to pedophilia is a red herring. I have never once seen any evidence that pedophilia is genetic. There are strong psychological components that could be attributed to common upbringings but at the very least it's a stab in the dark and best quite insulting to even suggest homosexuaity could be classed within the same sexual deviance.
Homosexuality was classed as a mental illness in the 70's but it's been decades since that general thinking has been employed, In actual fact there was an apology 25 years ago, within the field which is longstanding.
It should be made clear that homosexuality is not in any way within the psychological and psychiatric fields in any way deemed as abnormal.
Or as a deviant
You will find no current psychologist or psychiatrist employing those ideals and not for some years

[melanie]

That's a rough stab, I could back up with many more.
Which no doubt I will be compelled to do so.
Not a bad thing
My biggest science experiment is my life.
My best friend and Matron of honour is gay. With a partner and two kids. My Nephew is gay, my cousin is gay.
And I picked it with each of them years before they came out.
They are all beautiful, loving and caring souls.
I know them intimately and they are beautiful on a soulful level.
I negate the necessity to judge their lifestyles and I reserve all judgement to my Heavenly Father. He will judge accordingly and in Him I trust.

And I have two gay cousins and my Wife's uncle and cousin are.
And we have two lesbian friends.
And they are all amazing too.

And I am sure that there are parents and friends of people that are pedophiles for example, that will tell you the same thing about them.

That is making this an EMOTIONAL problem when it isn't.

Paul your persistent comparison to pedophiles is troubling..
There is no correlation
Period.
I'm not sure why you feel the need to draw onto this in several posts. At best it's accidental at worst you are affiliating sexual predators with homosexuals.
I would have thought in light of what we know despite the differences that line of thinking was long dispelled.

[RickD]

IS Pedophelia A SIN
Anymore than stupidity?? Or sexual addiction, or gluttony, or pride or arrogance, or greed, or vanity, or selfishness, or an inability to recognise the down fall of others whilst forgetting our own. The log in the eye thing.

[PaulSacramento]

Paul your persistent comparison to pedophiles is troubling..
There is no correlation
Period.
I'm not sure why you feel the need to draw onto this in several posts. At best it's accidental at worst you are affiliating sexual predators with homosexuals.
I would have thought in light of what we know despite the differences that line of thinking was long dispelled.

The comparison was on purpose for two reasons:
To elicit the emotional response, proving this is an emotional issue.
Both are abnormal sexual behaviours.

Don't forget that in some cultures, what we call pedophilia is more acceptable than homosexuality and while I find pedophilia more horrific than words, that is MY view and I am sure yours, BUT look at the line of thought that carries over by some, that are used to justify the view that homosexuality is normal:
It has always been around.
It exists in nature.
People are born this way.
Etc.

Of course the very real issue is consent, but as I mentioned already, consent can NOT be the only measure by which something is deemed good or bad.

[melanie]

Pedophilia is robbing a child of childhood.
Disintegrating every aspect of normal sexual development and ruining what could have been beautiful, awkward and necessary
It's a raping of the soul
Leaving a tidal wave of the innocent left to deal with the unimaginable
Alone and afraid
I know you didn't mean to be so flippant Rick,
But not comparible to any other sin unless you know what it's like to not be the sinner
.

[RickD]

Pedophilia is robbing a child of childhood.
Disintegrating every aspect of normal sexual development and ruining what could have been beautiful, awkward and necessary
It's a raping of the soul
Leaving a tidal wave of the innocent left to deal with the unimaginable
Alone and afraid
I know you didn't mean to be so flippant Rick,
But not comparible to any other sin unless you know what it's like to not be the sinner
.

Mel,

Maybe you could help. I just got a basic definition of pedophelia feom merriam-Webster:

sexual perversion in which children are the preferred sexual object

Unless I'm misunderstanding, I think you are saying that pedophiles always act on their feelings?

What about people who have sexual fantasies about children, but never act on it?

Could that possibly be similar to someone who has homosexual fantasies, but never act on them?

Edit*
Isn't pedophelia-a primary or exclusive sexual attraction to prepubescent children?

Mel, I think you're talking about child rape. There is a difference.

[PaulSacramento]

Pedophilia is robbing a child of childhood.
Disintegrating every aspect of normal sexual development and ruining what could have been beautiful, awkward and necessary
It's a raping of the soul
Leaving a tidal wave of the innocent left to deal with the unimaginable
Alone and afraid
I know you didn't mean to be so flippant Rick,
But not comparible to any other sin unless you know what it's like to not be the sinner
.

You won't get an argument from me.
But you and I are agreeing on an opinion, nothing more.
You and I are looking at child rape and pedophilia is not that, at least not for those cultures that are ok.
Did you know that they cut off the criteria for pedophilia at 13?
Now, I don't know about you, but if my 14 year old daughter got involved with some adult I would still view it as pedophilia.

Look, I know that it is not popular to equate homosexuality with other deviant sexual behaviours but let me ask you this:
Why Not?

[melanie]

Hard questions for me, it's personal and more than i'de like to share.
But the correlation between homosexuals is wrong.
I'm actually saddened that you guys would think there is a connection between the two. Stats in Australia are conclusive that Step fathers and relatives are by far the more likely in pedophilia cases. Homosexuals despite what we may think are not even close to being more prelevent in these cases.
I get that it's a different lifestyle even a bit gross, but they just aren't statistically the predators we make them out to be.

[RickD]

Mel,

I don't want to speak for Paul, but when pedophelia and homosexuality are compared here in this thread, I think it's to see if both are a disorder. A normal, healthy, sexual desire would be for someone who is an adult, of the opposite sex. With that said, attraction to a same sex adult, or a pre-pubescent child, would be a disorder.

I'm certainly not saying that raping a child is not worse than two homosexuals consenting. And if I walked in on a man raping a child, it would take all my power not to kill that man. And if I walked in on two homosexual men going at it, I would be disgusted, but I wouldn't feel the rage as I would with a child rapist.

Personally, I think harming a child is pretty much the worst thing someone can do. But like Paul said, my opinion means bupkis, especially in a culture where child rape is considered normal.

[melanie]

Paul if I needed to worry about my daughter who is 13, close to your girl, I would never allow her to be anywhere but where she belongs. On her Mummas side.
Any culture that thought any different I would never expose her too. She's my angel, and I would do anything to protect her.
My friends and family who are gay are right by me,
As are those who aren't.
But if anyone hurt her, my village, would protect and love and rally around her.
My village is made up of gays and misfits, freaks and peeps and a great big bunch of crazy oddballs
But we love each other and always have each other's back.