Causes Of Homosexuality?

[mortify]

[center][font="Times New Roman"][size="3"][color="#000000"][img]http://www.back2stonewall.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/batboy_homophobe.png[/img][/color][/size][/font][/center]


[color=#222222]I[/color][color=#222222]t is often propose[/color][color=#222222]d that homosexuali[/color][color=#222222]ty is a predisposition people are born with. This proposition has reached the level of dogma in the secular West, and anyone who questions it is immediately labeled a bigot, homophobe, etc. There is a lot of emotion vested in this issue, and part of it is justified. There have been wrongs committed against people with same sex attraction, and any hatred, bigotry, violence, or verbal abuse has to be strongly deplored. It is certainly contrary to the way of Christ to hold such hatred and to seek to harm others, even if it be due to a sin we see another holding on to. With that said though, I do believe homosexuality is a disorder, and it's not because I fear gay people. It came from an understanding of human nature, and a realization that homosexuality is one of those things that runs contrary to it. The ironic thing is that the majority of the world does, and has always viewed the same. A Hindu understands it as against Dharma, a Taoist as against the Tao, and any European without amnesia, a thing contrary to the Natural Law. It's a strange thing therefore when those of us who still hold to the seriousness of homosexuality as a disorder, find ourselves ostracized. I personally think the education/media complex has a lot to do with the shaping of this view, and that's why it’s all the more remarkable to discover opinions contrary to this view.[/color]

[color=#222222]Although I do not have same sex attraction, I do suffer from another and very common psychological disorder, namely anxiety. My anxiety is mostly social, and derives from a variety of factors, starting when I was rather young. Although it’s a very different disorder from homosexuality, I see some of the same challenges in addressing it. Its become a long part of my life, and perhaps it would be easier to simply "accept" I have it and live on. But I know there is a much healthier way to live, and that is by a proper ordering of things in my self. This is again, a concept known to many cultures, but has become lost to our society, but that is for another thread. The main reason I bring this up, is that I have been addressing my own disorder, and in doing so I discovered some interesting things. I picked up a book written by the psychiatrist, Paul A. Hauck, called Overcoming Worry and Fear. In the chapter concerning the neurotic characteristics of fear, he has a subchapter on the fruits of fear. He lists the typical things you would think of, namely shyness, inferiority, guilt, etc. But then as you flip the page, he lists [b]“Homosexuality.”[/b][/color]

[color=#222222]I was honestly thrown off by this (Shocked is actually a more appropriate word!) He then explains how in his clinical experience, many cases of homosexuality have run the following pattern: a child has a poor model for their sexual role, usually a father who drinks/womanizes, and has no close feelings for the boy. Whether consciously or subconsciously, the boy wants to be nothing like his father, and masculinity is associated with his father's poor behavior. In addition to this, there tend to be other factors, like a mother who is reminding the boy he is a sissy, and if he is particularly frail, it only further impairs the boy's identity as a male. In effect, the boy is brainwashed into believing that the masculine role is totally unsuited for him. He feels himself a man physically, but not emotionally. Hauck mentions a case where such man who suffered from such feelings, had several failures sexually with his girlfriend. When he failed even with a prostitute, he simply gave up heterosexuality and decided to become gay. The fear of failure with women, pushed him over the edge so to speak, to become what many believe to be solely a born disposition.[/color]

[color=#222222]Although this book is from the mid-seventies, Hauck is an honest psychotherapist, and clearly there are cases of homosexuality resulting from [i]environmental [/i]causes. This is a point that is likely neglected, if not outright rejected and hidden nowadays.[/color]

[color=#222222]What added to this reality, is a personal friend of mine who has same sex attraction. He is a practicing Catholic, and a far better Christian than I likely ever will be. But what struck me, is that although he said as far as he can remember he always had an attraction to men, he admitted that he distinctly remembers being bisexual at an earlier stage of his life. Eventually as he aged, this wore off, and he became fully homosexual. I found this transformation intriguing, since at the time he revealed this to me, I believed sexual orientation to be something that is fixed, and we are born with. The possibility of changing sexual orientation, leads credence to it being environmentally related. And indeed, there are many cases people revealing that they are former homosexuals, although this is largely glossed over by the media:[/color]

[color=#222222][url="http://www.wnd.com/2007/07/42385/"][color="#0000ff"]http://www.wnd.com/2007/07/42385/[/color][/url][/color]

[color=#222222][url="http://exodusinternational.org/"][color="#0000ff"]http://exodusinternational.org/[/color][/url][/color]

[color=#222222]There have since been numerous studies that indicate sexual orientation can be changed. [/color]

[color=#222222][url="http://wthrockmorton.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/Jones-and-Yarhouse-Final.pdf"][color="#0000ff"]http://wthrockmorton.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/Jones-and-Yarhouse-Final.pdf[/color][/url][/color]

[color=#222222][url="http://psycnet.apa.org/?&fa=main.doiLanding&fuseaction=showUIDAbstract&uid=1999-05887-004"][color="#0000ff"]http://psycnet.apa.org/?&fa=main.doiLanding&fuseaction=showUIDAbstract&uid=1999-05887-004[/color][/url][/color]

[color=#222222][url="http://psycnet.apa.org/?&fa=main.doiLanding&fuseaction=showUIDAbstract&uid=1999-05887-004"][color="#0000ff"]http://psycnet.apa.org/?&fa=main.doiLanding&fuseaction=showUIDAbstract&uid=1999-05887-004[/color][/url][/color]

[color=#222222]With this, the long standing view has been undermined by the complete mapping of the human genome. No "gay gene" responsible for homosexuality has been identified, despite the persistent popular belief that it is a predisposition people are born with. In fact, the genetic evidence against this belief is so strong; the American Psychological Association (APA) had to revise their public statement concerning homosexuality:[/color]

[color=#222222]In 1998 the APA wrote the following:[/color]

[i][color=mediumblue]"There is considerable recent evidence to suggest that biology, including genetic or inborn hormonal factors, play a significant role in a person's sexuality."[/color][/i][color=#222222][/color]

[color=#222222]The revised statement says the following:[/color]

[i][color=mediumblue]"There is no consensus among scientists about the exact reasons that an individual develops a heterosexual, bisexual, gay or lesbian orientation. Although much research has examined the possible genetic, hormonal, developmental, social, and cultural influences on sexual orientation, no findings have emerged that permit scientists to conclude that sexual orientation is determined by any particular factor or factors. Many think that nature and nurture both play complex roles...."[/color][/i][color=#222222][/color]

[color=#222222]There is a lot to be said on this complex topic, and it requires a lot of open mindedness. We have to abandon base labeling, which serves us in no way, and look at this issue honestly and openly.[/color]

[Groo the Wanderer]

i like hotdogs with miracle whip

[mortify]

[quote name='Groo the Wanderer' timestamp='1335669768' post='2424646']
i like hotdogs with miracle whip
[/quote]

That's just poor taste

[Basilisa Marie]

All I know is that I am heterosexual and not a scientist. Therefore I'm not qualified to make judgments about the causes of homosexuality. What I do know is that no matter how it's "caused", people demand love, respect and compassion.

[MissyP89]

Some people do choose it willingly. But the vast majority of those that struggle with SSA don't choose to feel the way they do.

[mortify]

[quote name='MissyP89' timestamp='1335672698' post='2424659']
Some people do choose it willingly. But the vast majority of those that struggle with SSA don't choose to feel the way they do.
[/quote]

Yes, but the point is we can struggle with things we acquire, whether it be anxiety, addictions, or even homosexuality

[Anomaly]

I don't know if any gay person who have chosen to be non- human.

[cappie]

[quote name='Basilisa Marie' timestamp='1335672343' post='2424658']
All I know is that I am heterosexual and not a scientist. Therefore I'm not qualified to make judgments about the causes of homosexuality. What I do know is that no matter how it's "caused", people demand love, respect and compassion.
[/quote]

As long as our priority is in looking moral rather than in showing compassion and grace to those on the outside, we simply do not have the priorities of Jesus. And when we do not reflect Christ, we [i]are[/i] giving the wrong impression.

Also: It is a first step: focusing on loving [u][b]despite [/b][/u]disagreement. Care and acceptance grows thru friendship.

Edited April 29, 2012 by cappie

[Ice_nine]

I agree with a lot of what the OP says. For me (this may be tmi), I was screwed up w/ sexual identity issues, because I felt that every urge, every thought pattern that was sexually arousing said something about who I was as a person. Let me tell you, being attracted to the same gender sexually was probably the of the lesser disturbing deviations I experienced . I was anxious and depressed for most of my young life (which gained intensity as the years went on), and this had obvious spill-over effects into most areas of my life including sexuality. I understand that there's a number of people who never were confused in this arena. Weird. I of course would never say I was "confused" because that seemed to be the death knell of normality and that even admitting confusion would mean there's something deep and inherently fixed within me and I would never be able to shake the label as being a little "off."

It was a matter, over a course of years, I had to be unconditioned from the idea that my thoughts/desires dictated who I was, and start allowing who I am dictate my thoughts and my desires. It's a battle I think every person faces in one area or another. For example people with violent ideations and a hot temper can entertain them publicly (bad for everyone else), privately (bad for him/herself), or seek to accept the urges exist and try to conquer them. But whereas people might applaud the attempt to repress violent urges, large sectors of the culture see the attempt to repress sexual urges as some blasphemous indictment against the almighty Self (a little exaggerated, but also not really).

I get sexuality is an important part of being human, but it is not the end all and be all of life. Furthermore, why are we so adamant about giving sexual urges more identifying power than other urges and compulsions? For someone who interprets the world thru depressive schemas and is self-loathing, no matter how deep-seated their negative beliefs about themselves, the loving and caring thing is not to validate their beliefs but to help them see themselves in a more realistic light (i.e. you are not the biggest piece of poo in the world). Conversely you should do the same for a narcissist (you are not the hottest poo in the world).

Of course people struggling with these issues should not be scorned. And there's probably a big reason I never shared any of this with anyone in life in that I knew the reactions would be fear or disgust or affirmation that I didn't want. Although I never shared anything personal with anyone, sexual or otherwise, (I had severe social anxiety, even with close family in sharing personal things, which isolated me and undoubtedly made me more depressed gafdngjag), I know there's no real support for dealing with these issues. It's either some easy affirmation or castigation as a response. Neither is helpful, although the former might appear so at first. I mean it was hard (understatement) for me to get help with my depression/anxiety. I truly truly believed I was unlovable, vile, worthless, and that I would only cause people pain. It was bewildering when my family found out that they wanted to help me. I didn't get why, but I sort of had to trust that they were seeing things clearer from the outside than I was (which was pretty much vomit-inducing in itself). It would have been conceivably easier if they just told me that I was right so I could just off myself and be done with it, but luckily they didn't . . . and now I'm here blabbering away!

I shall shut up now, just my two long rambling cents.

[mortify]

Ice nine, thank you for your witness

[CatherineM]

I remember reading an article by a psychologist who had worked back in the 60's in New York City, when it was okay for people with SSA to seek help. Not necessarily to go straight, but just for counseling. His observations were that he felt men were born with it, and women developed it later in response to a trauma or other psychological reason. I dealt with over 100 SSA clients 20+ years ago, and I think he may be right. All unscientific of course, unless you believe science can be based on long observations.

[cmotherofpirl]

I also think the culture itself unwittingly fosters it by its rigid and limited sex roles imposed on kids when they are little. Boys must play sports but not like opera etc kind of thing. We also forget kids normal developmental stages, they do have same sex pals before opposite sex pals. That doesn't mean they have same-sex attraction, it means they are normal. Now it seems society immediately tries to label normal development as something it is not.

[CatherineM]

[quote name='cmotherofpirl' timestamp='1335715341' post='2424757']
I also think the culture itself unwittingly fosters it by its rigid and limited sex roles imposed on kids when they are little. Boys must play sports but not like opera etc kind of thing. We also forget kids normal developmental stages, they do have same sex pals before opposite sex pals. That doesn't mean they have same-sex attraction, it means they are normal. Now it seems society immediately tries to label normal development as something it is not.
[/quote]

Absolutely. When I was growing up, it was okay to be a tomboy without being called a lesbian. Today, I'd probably be talked into believeing that I had to have SSA because I liked sports and tools.

[Anomaly]

[quote name='CatherineM' timestamp='1335718251' post='2424766']
Absolutely. When I was growing up, it was okay to be a tomboy without being called a lesbian. Today, I'd probably be talked into believeing that I had to have SSA because I liked sports and tools.
[/quote]oh my goodness (don't blasphemy), my pet peeve. Growing up in the 60-70's in the South, doing non-traditional gender activities may have been noted and commented on, but it was never then assumed that you are then gay, homo, lesbian, etc. It's curious as 'unenlightened' we were back then and noticed who's 'different', we didn't then assign an entire sterotyped behavioral system on you. You don't like football? Fine, you're sissfied, you may like tennis, or golf, or no sports at all. Now it seems like society will label you as 'gay' (but that's okay!), you need to explore and accept your feminine side and accept your same sex attration.

[MissyP89]

[quote name='CatherineM' timestamp='1335718251' post='2424766']
Absolutely. When I was growing up, it was okay to be a tomboy without being called a lesbian. Today, I'd probably be talked into believeing that I had to have SSA because I liked sports and tools.
[/quote]

A lot of people believe my best friend is a lesbian for this reason. Lesbian couples have actually invited she and I on double dates in the past because we're always together (she's a tomboy with short hair and I'm very feminine). We laugh it off. Let people think what they want.