The vast majority of human sexuality researchers, therapists,
religious liberals, gays, lesbians, and bisexuals
generally agree that a person's sexual orientation is determined before reaching school
age. Once established, sexual feelings are always or almost always unchangeable.
In terms of behavior by sexually
active adults researchers accept three normal, natural expressions of sexual feelings:
Heterosexuals (over 90% of the adult population) can chose to enter into sexual
relationships with members of the opposite sex, or be celibate.
Homosexuals (about 5%) can chose to become involved with members of the same gender
or be celibate.
Bisexuals (fewer than 5%) can become involved with members of either gender or be
celibate.
Many of the conservative religious organizations disagree. They feel that sexual
orientation is a matter of choice, is sinful behavior, and can be changed through
counseling and prayer. Some religiously basedministries,
and mutual support/self help groups, and a very small percentage of
therapists specialize in
attempting to change homosexuals and bisexuals into heterosexuals. Their long-term
successes appear to be in two areas:
convincing bisexuals to restrict their sexual activities to members of the opposite sex
convincing homosexuals to remain celibate.
Such groups rarely advertise that they are unsuccessful at changing
their clients' sexual orientation. They mainly discuss successes at
behavioral change. They are sometimes able to convince people to leave
the "homosexual lifestyle" -- that is they convince homosexuals
to become sexually inactive, and convince bisexuals to seek only
relationships with opposite-sex partners.
We have not been able to find a single case where an adult with a homosexual
orientation has been able to develop an attraction to a person of the opposite gender
through counseling or prayer. Some who are bisexual change their behavior from same-sex to
opposite-sex involvement. Others who are homosexual, decide to remain celibate.
Some are able to train themselves to engage in heterosexual behavior by
fantasizing that they are with a person of the same gender. They may even
marry. But almost all such marriages are doomed to failure.
Mel White, who once ghost-authored many books for Evangelical leaders, found
his business collapse when he came out of the closet and became publicly
known as gay. He wrote the book: "Stranger at the Gate: To Be Gay and
Christian in America," a heart-wrenching story of his decades-long
attempts to convert his orientation
from gay to straight. 8
Most religious Conservatives base their conclusions on three passages and
groups of passages from the
Bible:
They believe that various Biblical verses
-- often called "clobber passages"-- condemn all forms of same-sex
behavior. Many secularists and religious liberals believe that these
same passages refer to homosexual rape, homosexual
prostitution, homosexual ritual sex in a Pagan temple, heterosexuals
engaging in same-sex orgies, and males raping boys. The latter
conclude that these passages are silent about loving, consentual
same-sex behavior.
The Bible consistently represents marriage as only occurring between a man and one or
more women. St. Paul and other New Testament writers in particular condemn sex, except
between married spouses.
Paul, in 2 Corinthians 5:17, writes that "Therefore if any
man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away;
behold, all things are become new." In 1 Corinthians 6:9-11,
Paul refers to many behaviors that will prevent a person from
attaining heaven. He concludes: "And
such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but
ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of
our God." Most religious conservatives interpret these passages
as teaching that when gays and lesbians become born again, their sexual orientation
will automatically changed.
Since there are numerous passages in the Bible that guarantee that God always answers
the prayers of believers, conservative Christians generally believe that prayer can change
a sincere individual with a homosexual orientation into a heterosexual.
The general public appears to agree with the former belief system -
that sexual orientation is fixed. During the week of 1998-JUL-17, the McLaughlin Group
1
conducted a public opinion poll via the Internet on the
effectiveness of "love, understanding and the word of God" in
converting a gay or lesbian to heterosexuality. 93% believe that such techniques are
ineffective in changing one's sexual orientation.
This of course depends upon your definition of "normal". Homosexual behavior
certainly does not feel normal or natural for heterosexuals; they often have strong
feelings of revulsion towards the idea. Similarly, heterosexual behavior does not feel
natural for homosexuals. Both homosexual and heterosexual behavior feels natural to
persons with bisexual orientation.
Homosexual behavior is natural in the sense that it is extensively found in nature. It
has been observed in: antelopes, boars, bulls, chimpanzees, cows, ducks, cats, dogs, fruit
flies, geese, gorillas, gulls, horses, humans, langurs, rams, sheep, macaques, monkeys,
turkeys and vervets.
Bruce Bagemihl, a biologist from Seattle, WA, found that in zoos, at least 5% of
Humboldt penguin pairs are gay. He has prepared an encyclopedic survey of homosexual or
transgender behavior among more than 190 species, including butterflies and other insects.
An Amazon.com reviewer commented: "Throw this book into the middle of a crowd of
wildlife biologists and watch them scatter. But Bagemihl doesn't let the scientific
community's discomfort deny him the opportunity to show 'the love that dare not bark its
name' in all its feathery, furry, toothy diversity." 2The reviews
of this book are well worth reading for their own value.
Whiptail lizards, (Cnemidophorus neomexicanus) found in the American
southwest, are all females. They reproduce by parthenogenesis. Unfertilized eggs
develop, producing an exact clone of its mother. Even though no males exist, the
females still exhibit sexual mating behavior. Those that attract a partner have
been found to produce more and healthier eggs. 3,4
Another source states that "Homosexuality exists in proven ratios in all
mammal species....It is as natural as blue eyes, left-handedness, or the genetic
predisposition to walk on two legs." 4
This is a matter of opinion. The Gallup Organization commented in 2002 that:
"Homosexuality continues to be one of the more complex and in some ways
paradoxical areas of public opinion measured by Gallup. The issue is not only
one of significant concern because of its traditional moral and religious
overtones, but in recent years has been at the center of state and federal
legislative battles, highly publicized court challenges and political debate."
5
In association with recent Gallop Polls described above, the following question was
asked: "Do you personally believe homosexual behavior is morally wrong or is not
morally wrong?" The question is not well designed. A person's answer might well
depend upon what exact group is being referred to.
Most political and religious conservatives probably have no difficulty answering that
it is always morally wrong. However, a substantial portion of the public probably believes
that the morality of any sexual behavior depends upon the situation and the scope of the
question:
Homosexual behavior by heterosexuals might be considered morally wrong; the same
activity by homosexuals might be acceptable.
Some subjects might interpret the question to with reference to themselves. i.e. whether
homosexual behavior is morally acceptable or wrong for a person with their
particular sexual
orientation.
Others might interpret the question to refer to society at large.
Others might assume that the question refers only to persons with homosexual
orientation.
Some subjects might consider any manipulative, coercive or unsafe sex to be immoral;
consensual, safe sex by two adults in a monogamous, committed relationship to be moral -
whether gay or straight.
But answers such as "it dependsupon the situation" are not
allowed. It is surprising that a polling organization as skilled as the Gallup
Organization would create such a poorly worded question. 6 It
seems to reflect their belief that a single answer is possible for all situations
and persons of all sexual orientations. One is left wondering what the
results would be to a survey that asked: "Do you personally believe that it is
morally wrong or not morally wrong for gays and lesbians to engage in homosexual behavior?"
Date
Acceptable
Not
acceptable
No
opinion
1982-JUN
34%
51%
15%
1992-JUN
38
57
5
1996-MAR
44
50
6
1997-APR
42
52
6
1999-FEB
50
46
4
2001-MAY
52
43
5
2002-MAY
51
44
5
2003-MAY
54
43
3
American adults approval of homosexual behavior appears to be steadily
increasing. The percentage of adults who are undecided is dropping steadily.
The percentage of those who are undecided is also dropping. This appears to
be primarily age-driven, as youth and young adults are must more accepting
of homosexuality. 7
"Six out of 10
Americans Say Homosexual Relations Should Be Recognized as Legal,"
The Gallup Organization, 2003-MAY-15, at:
http://www.gallup.com/ Gallup Poll data typically remains accessible
to the public for a limited time, and then requires a premium membership
to access.