Answer:
In 1996, The Advocate, a gay and lesbian magazine, asked readers
what they believed the potential impact would be to the advancement of
gay and lesbian rights if a scientific discovery proves a biological
basis for homosexuality. About 61 percent of the magazine’s readers
asserted that such scientific research would advance the cause of gays
and lesbians and lead to more positive attitudes toward homosexuality.
For example, if one can be born gay, much as one can be born with brown
eyes, then a fair society could not possibly condemn him as being
unnatural or immoral. To that end, gay activists and the liberal media
have actively encouraged the idea that homosexuality is inherited and
unchangeable, and researchers have diligently sought scientific evidence
to back up that claim. Unfortunately for the pro-homosexuality
movement, the research on this subject has failed to establish any
scientific evidence that shows a purely genetic basis for homosexuality.
The controversy began with the work of Simon LeVay, M.D. In 1991, LeVay
tested the brains of 41 cadavers and noted differences between
homosexual versus heterosexual males. The hypothalamus, an area believed
to regulate sexual activity, was smaller in homosexual males than in
heterosexuals. Dr. LeVay believed the differences proved a biological
basis for homosexuality, but he failed to consider a variety of reasons,
other than genetic, that the brains were different. First, all 19 of
the homosexual cadavers had died of AIDS, a disease known to affect the
neurological system. It could be that the disease had shrunk the
hypothalamus. Second, scientists who study brain biochemistry know that
the way a person thinks affects the way his brain functions;
specifically, it affects the neurochemicals released in the brain and
the way certain pathways grow and change. Could the structural brain
differences have started with the difference in thoughts between
homosexuals and heterosexuals, rather than with genetics? Third, there
is no proof linking hypothalamus size with homosexuality, either as a
cause or effect.
In 1993, Dr. Dean Hamer, a pro-gay activist, made the astounding claim
in his research that there may be a gene for homosexuality. His team of
researchers began a series of gene linkage studies, in which families
with several homosexuals underwent genetic analysis to determine if any
chromosomal variants could be found in the family and if the variant
correlated with those individuals who displayed the homosexuality.
Although Hamer's study sample was very small, he found a significant
linkage between gays and a marker on the maternal X chromosome, Xq28.
Additional studies with larger sample sizes produced conflicting results
in the linkage to Xq28. It is important to note that Hamer’s
experiments have never been validated; in fact, other groups of
researchers have discredited Hamer’s work as non-replicable or even
fraudulent.
Even if there were some genetic commonalities among homosexuals,
associated characteristics do not prove a causal link. To illustrate, a
genetic study among professional athletes would probably show that a
significant percentage of these stars share certain genetic sequences.
One might erroneously conclude that the genetic sequences for increased
speed, agility and strength prove that engaging in professional sports
is a heritable trait. However, no genetic sequence can account for human
choice and the effects of environment. People who have the genetic
traits of an athlete may naturally gravitate toward professional sports
or be encouraged to play. Although athletes share some common traits,
being a professional athlete itself is not heritable. The culture in
which an individual matures and the choices he makes decide his career
path.
There are many researchers who cite environmental factors as major
contributors to homosexual feelings. They strongly believe that negative
early childhood experiences in an unloving or non-supportive home
environment are a critical part of this process. Common elements seem to
include an emotionally withdrawn or physically absent father and an
overbearing, fawning or over-protective mother. In many cases, there are
reports of physical, sexual or emotional abuse. Disruption of gender
identification may contribute to the development toward homosexuality.
This process begins between ages two and four. During this phase,
children move from their primary connection with the mother to seek out
deeper attachments with the parent of the same gender. For males, the
relationship between a boy and his father is the primary means of
developing a secure gender identity. As a father and son share time
together, the father expresses his value and interest in the son and
gives to the son a sense of masculinity. The boy begins to develop a
sense of his own gender by understanding himself in relation to his
father. Conversely, a mother who is distant, abusive, or physically
absent or a mother who is viewed by her daughter as being weak (such as
when the mother is abused by males) may disrupt her daughter’s
identification with being feminine.
Peer attachments with same-sex friends also play a role in developing
gender identity. Eventually, after years of interaction and bonding with
same-sex peers, children enter puberty and begin to pay attention to
the opposite sex. When this natural process is disrupted, it feels
natural for a child to love and crave the attention of those of the same
sex. When children with certain temperaments initially perceive
rejection of the same-sex parent, they detach and bond with the other
parent. They begin to adopt the patterns and attributes of the opposite
sex. However, there is always a longing for a connection with the
same-sex parent, love and affirmation from the same gender. These
children believe that they were born that way, having craved love
and attachment with the same-sex parents for as long as they can
remember. Homosexual behavior thus begins as an emotional craving, not a
sexual craving. It reflects a legitimate need for non-sexual love, an
emotional need that ultimately becomes sexualized with the onset of
puberty.
Most researchers have concluded that sexual orientation is a complex,
multifactorial issue in which biological, social and psychological
factors combine to play a role in the ultimate sexual orientation of an
individual. According to Julie Harren, Ph.D., the formula for this
interplay between factors might be represented by these equations:
--Genes + Brain Wiring + Prenatal Hormonal Environment = Temperament.
--Parents + Peers + Experiences = Environment.
--Temperament + Environment = Homosexual Orientation.
What’s missing from these equations are the existence of a soul, the
choice of the individual, and the temptation of the devil (see James 1:14).
Although it may be easier, psychologically, for a homosexual to believe
that homosexuality is inborn, the accumulated scientific evidence
suggests otherwise. Homosexuals may have a genetic predisposition, but
human choice is still a factor. A predisposition is not a constraint.
Ultimately, sexual orientation is determined outside of the womb. For
those who are unhappy living a homosexual lifestyle, this truth offers
hope for change. Clinical experience has shown that, with help, some
homosexuals can change learned responses and defense mechanisms to early
painful experiences.
In 1 Corinthians 6:9-10,
the sin of homosexuality is listed right next to theft. Just as there
is no genetic excuse for stealing, there is no genetic excuse for
homosexuality. Environment, culture, and choice make one a thief, and
the same factors make one a homosexual.
Christ died for homosexuals. God loves persons of all sexual
orientations, just as He loves all sinners. The Bible says, "God
demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners,
Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8). Jesus Christ "is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world" (1 John 2:2). The gospel of Christ "is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes" (Romans 1:16).
In Christ alone we find the definitive source for healing, restoration,
forgiveness, and comfort. He is the way by which we can all experience
the affirming, unconditional love, value, and acceptance of our Father
in heaven.
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