Homosexuality and choice
From Conservapedia
Homosexuality and choice are closely related. When answering the question of is homosexuality a choice one has to consider that homosexual acts between consenting adults are, by definition, done by choice. Yet the relationship between desire and choice is a matter for debate,[1] and activists often attempt to blur the distinction between having a desire and choosing to act on it.
Given that there are people who state they are ex-homosexuals and given that the homosexual population has significantly higher rates of many diseases and the homosexual population also has significantly lower rates of various measures of mental health, it can be strongly argued that engaging in homosexual acts is a bad choice for individuals. Those who make this choice suffer significantly higher rates of domestic violence in homosexual couples. In addition, according to experts homosexual murders are relatively or quite common and often homosexual murders are very brutal. Also, the homosexual population has a greater propensity to engage in illegal drug use.
A person may have a craving for alcohol so strong that he feels powerless to resist it (see Alcoholism), yet people are free to choose to seek treatment for this addiction with drugs, therapy, or support groups. Psychiatrists often concede that spirituality provides the most effective cure for those who are willing to try it. For example, the Christian group Teen Challenge reported the following:
| “ | Teen Challenge claims of a 70% cure rate for the drug addicts graduating from their program attracted the attention of the U.S. Federal Government in 1973. Most secular drug rehabilitation programs only experienced a cure rate of 1-15% of their graduates. The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), part of the U.S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, funded the first year of this study to evaluate the long term results of the Teen Challenge program.[2] | ” |
Teen Challenge has a number of studies that indicate the high effectiveness of their drug treatment program compared to other programs.[3]
Whereas alcohol addiction is generally regarded as a disease and/or a moral failing, homosexuality in recent decades has come to be seen as normal. It is clear to the vast majority of people that overindulging in alcohol hurts the individual as well as society. For example, drunk driving contributes to auto accidents by increasing reaction time and reducing alertness. Alcoholism is closely related to absenteeism and domestic violence. But a political decision was made in the mid-1970s to drop homosexuality from the official list of mental disorders. In fact, the chief "scientific" reason given to deny a link between homosexuality and choice is that major American mental health organizations deny the link. In other words, scientists have voted on it, and they disapprove (see politicization of science).
In addition, a distinction is made between choosing to have homosexual desires and choosing to engage in homosexual sex acts. And there are other aspects of choice to homosexuality. One can decide the following aspects: whether or not to believe that homosexual acts are detrimental to one's immortal soul, emotional well-being or physical health and one can also obviously choose whether to enter into a homosexual relationship or not. Obviously one must use wisdom and also do diligence in regards to these matters. For example, the Bible condemns homosexuality and sound Bible exegesis reveals this matter.
A 2003 poll done by Ellison Research of Phoenix, Arizona stated that 82% of all American Protestant ministers agreed with the statement “homosexuality is a choice people make".[4]
The Roman Catholic Church's position is that having homosexual desires can be a choice in individuals but having homosexual desires is not a choice in respect to all individuals.[5][6] However, according to the Vatican individuals should not engage in homosexual acts as they are acts of serious depravity.[5]
Dr. Nadia El-Awady reflects the view of many adherents of Islam when he stated the following:
| “ | Much research has been done over the years to discover the scientific origins of homosexuality. Mostly it has been to disprove the fact that homosexuality is a matter of choice.[7] | ” |
Edmund White wrote:
| “ | When I was a young man, in the sixties, before the beginning of gay liberation, I was always in therapy trying to go straight. I was in love with three different women over a ten-year period, and even imagined marrying two often. But after the Stonewall Uprising in 1969 . . . I revised my thinking entirely: I decided I was completely gay and was only making the women in my life miserable. Following a tendency that Garber rightly criticizes, I denied the authenticity of my earlier heterosexual feelings in the light of my later homosexual identity. After reading Vice Versa, I find myself willing to reinterpret the narrative of my own personal history.[8] | ” |
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The homosexual agenda and choice
One of the goals of the homosexual agenda is to "indoctrinate children in the nation's public schools by convincing kids that homosexuality is a normal and healthy lifestyle."[9] Because schools fail to warn children of the dangers of homosexuality, and because it is taught that homosexuality is not only "normal" but "healthy" as well, homosexuality starts to seem like a good choice to young school children. To supplement this many schools give homosexuals preferential treatment, for instance protecting a homosexual student from teasing in cases where they would not protect a heterosexual student. Homosexuals are also given exclusive clubs that have the goal of recruiting additional students to homosexuality.[10]
These are just some of ways that students are tricked into mistakenly thinking that homosexuality is a desirable lifestyle. As people get older and study the word of God they become less susceptible to being misled like this. This is the reason the homosexual agenda targets school children for recruitment into homosexuality.
Optimal Choice
The optimal choice is never to become involved in homosexual activities, given the many undesirable consequences of homosexuality and given what the Bible states about homosexuality. However, there is certainly hope for the individual who wants to overcome homosexuality by the grace of God.
Furthermore, as there is no link between homosexuality and genetics, it very likely that homosexuals will engage in homosexual activitys not because they were born that way(as some claim[11]), but rather because they choose to[12]. It is not completely known why homosexuals will engage in this choice, but some speculations are:
- anger at christianity or religion.
- need for attention.
- to avoid serving in the millitary.
Choice and Genetics
Proponents of the homosexual agenda often claim that homosexuality is unchangeable and has a genetic basis. However, this does not prove that homosexuals do not choose to behave this way. By definition, a consenting homosexual relationship must be made by choice, even if there is a latent homosexual desire. People with homosexual tendencies in their genetics can still resist the temptation to commit sin, and remain faithful to the teachings of the Bible.
See Also
- Homosexuality
- Causes of Homosexuality
- Ex-Homosexuals
- Homosexuality Research
- Mystery:Why do people choose homosexuality?
External links
References
- ↑ "For the radicals, like the conservatives, homosexuality is definitely a choice. . . . They both react with disdain to those studies that seem to reflect a genetic source for homosexuality." — Andrew Sullivan, "The Politics of Homosexuality," New Republic, May 10, 1993 [1]
- ↑ http://teenchallengeusa.com/studies2.php
- ↑ http://teenchallengeusa.com/studies.php
- ↑ http://www.ellisonresearch.com/ERPS%20II/Release%206%20Homosexuality.htm
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/documents/rc_con_cfaith_doc_20030731_homosexual-unions_en.html
- ↑ http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/documents/rc_con_cfaith_doc_19861001_homosexual-persons_en.html
- ↑ http://www.unav.es/civil/nsd/nosindebate/elawadi.pdf
- ↑ Edmund White, "Gender Uncertainties: Marjorie Garber Looks at Bisexuality" (review of Marjorie Garber's book Vice Versa: Bisexuality and the Eroticism of Everyday Life), from The New Yorker, July 17, 1995, p. 81
- ↑ http://www.cnsnews.com/public/Content/Article.aspx?rsrcid=4365
- ↑ http://www.gsanetwork.org/about/index.html
- ↑ www.mentalhelp.net/poc/view_doc.php?type=weblog&id=97&wlid=5&cn=55
- ↑ http://www.socyberty.com/Gay-&-Lesbians/Proof-That-Homosexuality-is-Not-a-Choice.666271
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