(August 6, 2013 at 11:15 am)FallentoReason Wrote: I haven't ever really put much thought into this area of the theist vs atheist debate, but after a Christian friend shared one too many preachy photos/text about the topic on Facebook, I decided to engage in a discussion with him. I'm eagerly awaiting his response on what I think is quite a unique thought. I thought I'd also write it up here because, believe it or not, I really enjoy hearing the theist's p.o.v. even if I don't show it. Anyways, here goes:
Homosexuality is a choice, so the theist says. This means that, presumably, the person in question *willingly*... *willy*-ngly... ahem, *willingly* chose to sexually pursue the same gender, hence the "choice". What I find amusing is that if that's the case, then the theist is being inconsistent with what they know about *themselves* - rendering their belief that "homosexuality is a choice" internally contradictory. This means that to apply said belief externally to everyone else is just as contradictory.
Why are they being inconsistent? Well, they should ask themselves this: "have I ever had sexual feelings for the same gender?" If the answer is "no", then that means two things:
(1) oddly, homosexuality is a choice, yet *they* themselves are excluded from apparently being able to make said choice.
(2) if (1) is true, then it means for as long as they've known, their orientation was out of their control if they can't seem to ever have a sexual attraction for their own gender.
If they agree with both, then the only sensible conclusion to draw about homosexuals is that they weren't heterosexuals by default who turned homosexual. The theist himself should recognise this from their *own* inability to make that choice. What I particularly like though, is that for the theist to reasonably say that "homosexuality is a choice", it can only mean one thing: they themselves are attracted to both the opposite gender *as well as* the same gender. Because now the choice *is* there, and all it means to be heterosexual is that they are continually suppressing their sexual feelings for the same gender, thus not choosing homosexuality (and conversely, the homosexual obviously choosing not to suppress those feelings).
I will conclude by asking you fellow theists a question that fits your [presumably consistent] belief on sexuality:
Who was the last person of the same gender that you had a crush on?
I wouldn't call myself a theist because I am by no means religious and I actually hate religion, which may seem contradictory with me being a believer in Christ and a deist. However, my view is that homosexuality is both a choice and not a choice. For some, they may choose to be with the same sex and others may not have a "choice." We'd first have to determine if any of us have any choice at all in regard to anything. Example, Sam Harris has stated that our "will" is non-existent, that we are all just hardwired neurologically and every conscious "decision" made is a result of underlying unconscious biological programs. As if we were all merely just electrochemical machines.
I don't see this as the case, i'm not sure why exactly yet but I don't. I am heterosexual and I have explored an attraction to the same sex once, and concluded that I am by no means sexually attracted to any male (in the sense that I would desire sex with them.) However, I do notice what would be seen as an attractive male and appreciate the body of that individual and have also internally made comments on the unattractiveness of other males. I conclude that it is merely a way for me to compare myself to other males and determine my own level attractiveness. I don't think that homosexuality is a choice in every instance in every person but it can't be denied that in some it is very much a choice. It is irrelevant to their status as a human and I don't look down on any homosexual as if they are an "abomination." Also, I feel that anyone that does so and claims to be a "christian" is very much speaking against what should be his/her core belief. There's your POV. Hope it helps in whatever you're looking for.
