RE: Gay Marriage/Homosexuality

> The evidence tells us that gay and lesbian people are as "born homosexual" as straight people are "born heterosexual." <

What evidence?

There is evidence of both innate and environmental factors influencing human sexuality. However, research on human sexuality has a number of difficulties, including the ethical problems of experimenting on them, the long time it takes to determine effects of childhood influences on adult behavior, and the difficulty of getting reliable data on sexual behavior (high risk of exaggeration or concealing of activity). There is also evidence of extensive bias on the part of some researchers and of many of those citing such research, so that I do not put much trust in any claims on the topic, whether they suit my views or not. The examples of people who have changed sexual orientation indicate that it is not entirely fixed in all cases.

The difference between innate and environmental influences becomes blurred in the case of chemicals, including some popular pollutants, that impact sexuality of animals. These chemicals are common enough and pervasive enough in their effects that human impacts are likely, though not proven. Although someone affected by prenatal or childhood exposure to these is almost certainly a victim of circumstances, the ultimate cause would be preventable harmful activities on the part of other humans.

Inclination to sin is also innate, so whether or not one is born homosexual does not tell us if it is acceptable. An innate inclination to homosexuality could be considered an innate, wrongful urge that must be controlled or defeated, or a genetic disease that should be treated, or part of normal variation. Science can't tell us which, if any, of these is correct.

    Dr. David Campbell
    Old Seashells
    University of Alabama
    Biodiversity & Systematics
    Dept. Biological Sciences
    Box 870345
    Tuscaloosa, AL 35487-0345 USA
    bivalve@mail.davidson.alumlink.com

That is Uncle Joe, taken in the masonic regalia of a Grand Exalted Periwinkle of the Mystic Order of Whelks-P.G. Wodehouse, Romance at Droitgate Spa
Received on Wed Jun 9 20:22:30 2004