Anyone can see that people are born with either the XX or XY set of chromosomes. Being either male or female is an unalterable biological fact in the same way as skin pigmentation, hair, and eye color. That is not so clear with respect to gender identity. So attitudes about gender identity are in no way comparable to racism or sexism. It is doubtful much that homosexuality must always manifest, like color-blindness, but is more likely to be a latent genetic disposition, like depression, that might only express under the right circumstances. It could even be that case that different root causes contribute to gay, lesbian, and transgender identities. The blanket statement ‘I was born this way’ is every bit as simplistic as saying that one just decides to be homosexual.
The homosexual intersection of biological condition with culture appears to be most analogous to the difference between deafness and Deaf culture. Hearing loss is an objective medical condition; however, an entire Deaf culture has emerged out of the use of sign language, community, and shared experience. That is as far as the analogy holds. No one believes that deafness is a moral failure and the unique aspects of Deaf culture still fall within normative behavior.
To some extent everyone is biologically predisposed to one type of sin or another. Some people were born with a short-fuse for anger. Others may have a nervousness personality that predisposes them to avarice. Still others have enormous appetites and are tempted into gluttony. This is no less the case for sexual sins. Many people have very high sex drives that tempt them with adultery, masturbation, and lechery. Most religions teach that with Divine aid they can overcome their weaknesses and live morally. Secular law and civil order also depend upon each person taking responsibility to restrain themselves from intemperate and licentious behavior.
Most Christians, myself included, can accept the idea that people have various predispositions, some very strong, like alcoholism. LBGTQ people are no different from anyone else in this regard, so any condemnation on the basis of the biological innate tendency is hypocritical. At the same time, most Bible-believing Christians, do not think biological dispositions excuse sinfulness or cultural artifacts, like self-selected gender identity, built around unrepentant sin. Condemnation of unrepentant homosexual behavior is no more bigoted than condemnation of unrepentant greed, adultery, gluttony, rage, or heterosexual sodomy. Many Christians like me have a live-and-let-live attitude towards all sexual sin; if it doesn't affect me then it’s between you and the Lord. Believers can tolerate living in an over-sexualized and materialistic society but believers shouldn't be expected to condone, celebrate, or materially support the neo-pagan sensibilities of secular culture.
The homosexual intersection of biological condition with culture appears to be most analogous to the difference between deafness and Deaf culture. Hearing loss is an objective medical condition; however, an entire Deaf culture has emerged out of the use of sign language, community, and shared experience. That is as far as the analogy holds. No one believes that deafness is a moral failure and the unique aspects of Deaf culture still fall within normative behavior.
To some extent everyone is biologically predisposed to one type of sin or another. Some people were born with a short-fuse for anger. Others may have a nervousness personality that predisposes them to avarice. Still others have enormous appetites and are tempted into gluttony. This is no less the case for sexual sins. Many people have very high sex drives that tempt them with adultery, masturbation, and lechery. Most religions teach that with Divine aid they can overcome their weaknesses and live morally. Secular law and civil order also depend upon each person taking responsibility to restrain themselves from intemperate and licentious behavior.
Most Christians, myself included, can accept the idea that people have various predispositions, some very strong, like alcoholism. LBGTQ people are no different from anyone else in this regard, so any condemnation on the basis of the biological innate tendency is hypocritical. At the same time, most Bible-believing Christians, do not think biological dispositions excuse sinfulness or cultural artifacts, like self-selected gender identity, built around unrepentant sin. Condemnation of unrepentant homosexual behavior is no more bigoted than condemnation of unrepentant greed, adultery, gluttony, rage, or heterosexual sodomy. Many Christians like me have a live-and-let-live attitude towards all sexual sin; if it doesn't affect me then it’s between you and the Lord. Believers can tolerate living in an over-sexualized and materialistic society but believers shouldn't be expected to condone, celebrate, or materially support the neo-pagan sensibilities of secular culture.
