Homosexuality.

[SPF]

Question for the atheists on this forum. So far as I understand evolutionary theory, it's essentially survival of the fittest. Species adapt and change given their particular environment in ways that are supposed to make them thrive. Adaptations that are not helpful for survival typically result in the particular animal dying and not passing that adaptation along.

Homosexuals cannot reproduce. Why shouldn't we view people born homosexual as an anomaly that works against the evolution of our species and hope that in time this "gene" or whatever it is goes away? From a purely evolutionary understanding of nature, I don't see how homosexuality is beneficial for mankind.

 

[jacknife]

actually I seem to recall a study on homosexuality on male baboon's that stated the population benefited from it's presence. I'll try to find it for you.

 

[possibletarian]

Question for the atheists on this forum. So far as I understand evolutionary theory, it's essentially survival of the fittest. Species adapt and change given their particular environment in ways that are supposed to make them thrive. Adaptations that are not helpful for survival typically result in the particular animal dying and not passing that adaptation along.

Homosexuals cannot reproduce. Why shouldn't we view people born homosexual as an anomaly that works against the evolution of our species and hope that in time this "gene" or whatever it is goes away? From a purely evolutionary understanding of nature, I don't see how homosexuality is beneficial for mankind.

Who said it had to be beneficial to be respected ?

In any case the individuals can be as beneficial to humanity, take Alan Turing for example who contributed wonderfully to the WW2 war effort, His inventions and the team he led saving millions of lives, Christians, Muslims, atheists, believers and non believers, some of us may not even have been here had it not been for him.

I for one am glad for the contribution of every good man and woman in my life, no matter the sexual orientation, they have been of immense benefit to me and others.

 

[jacknife]

I found an article on the positive effects it can have on population growth Homosexuality Could Benefit a Species, Says New Study

 

[Sammy-San]

actually I seem to recall a study on homosexuality on male baboon's that stated the population benefited from it's presence. I'll try to find it for you.

animals don't have moral law.

 

[StbGradMom79]

Homosexuals are not sterile so can reproduce. A lot of homosexual couples, especially women will choose to have children by use of donor. Homosexual male couples adopt unwanted children and raise them. Not to mention isolation is one of the biggest killers and by desiring to pair up they're not being isolated. I wouldn't call that against evolution, I would call it adaption. A lot of animals have a "nanny" that watch the young while the mothers are grazing, hunting, whatever. Idk. Just my $0.02

Oh and in the last psychology class I took we learned that a woman's 3rd son is more likely to be homosexual as self-defense mechanism of the biological mother due to her needing a more calm and considerate child compared to the rambunctious first brothers. I can't link the video we watched because it was in class but it really made sense on a biological level.

 

[ForrestM]

actually I seem to recall a study on homosexuality on male baboon's that stated the population benefited from it's presence. I'll try to find it for you.

Well, we are not baboon's or fruit flies. We are humans and we are made in God's image. I have known several gay people in my life and never saw any good come from it in their lives......in fact quite the opposite. I believe they are mixed up people, but they do deserve our love and respect as God's children. But please don't try to force me and my family to accept it as normal. I am a bible believing Christian, even though I do not agree with their lifestyle, I would do my best to protect a gay person from harm, just as anybody else. Yet the gays dislike Christian's, but they support Muslim's flooding our country. Gays need to figure out who their friends really are, before it's too late. And it is not the liberals.

 

[Sammy-San]

actually I seem to recall a study on homosexuality on male baboon's that stated the population benefited from it's presence. I'll try to find it for you.

Why do people even call animals homosexual/gay when the concept of physical boundaries and private areas doesn't exist for them?

 

[Sammy-San]

Well, we are not baboon's or fruit flies. We are humans and we are made in God's image. I have known several gay people in my life and never saw any good come from it in their lives......in fact quite the opposite. I believe they are mixed up people, but they do deserve our love and respect as God's children. But please don't try to force me and my family to accept it as normal. I am a bible believing Christian, even though I do not agree with their lifestyle, I would do my best to protect a gay person from harm, just as anybody else. Yet the gays dislike Christian's, but they support Muslim's flooding our country. Gays need to figure out who their friends really are, before it's too late.

Do you think gay is a bigger sin than fornication? Why do you think people act like pornography is worse?

Not that it matters to be the ranking levels of sin-all sin is bad.

 

[ForrestM]

I don't rank their sin. We all sin. There will always be gay people. And some of them are very nice people. I think they only recently started trying to force us to except it as normal. And that is what bothers me. And now they try to push it on our children.... that may be the biggest sin of all.

 

[jacknife]

Why do people even call animals homosexual/gay when the concept of physical boundaries and private areas doesn't exist for them?

Rhesus monkeys pass the self-awareness test by examining their genitals and face in a mirror animals can be aware of their private areas. also homosexuality is about being attracted to the same sex as you are. awareness of physical boundaries doesn't play a part.

 

[Sammy-San]

Rhesus monkeys pass the self-awareness test by examining their genitals and face in a mirror animals can be aware of their private areas. also homosexuality is about being attracted to the same sex as you are. awareness of physical boundaries doesn't play a part.

Homosexuality means inappropriately touching the same gender. Animals don't have moral laws about physical boundaries.

 

[Sammy-San]

I don't rank their sin. We all sin. There will always be gay people. And some of them are very nice people. I think they only recently started trying to force us to except it as normal. And that is what bothers me. And now they try to push it on our children.... that may be the biggest sin of all.

Do you think most people know homosexuality is perverted and sinful?

We all sin, but I read sexual sin is especially defiling and shameful.

 

[KnowtheSilence]

Question for the atheists on this forum. So far as I understand evolutionary theory, it's essentially survival of the fittest. Species adapt and change given their particular environment in ways that are supposed to make them thrive. Adaptations that are not helpful for survival typically result in the particular animal dying and not passing that adaptation along.

Not exactly. The changes happen regardless of their environment. Changes that happen to be beneficial given the environment often happen to be passed along, but the change isn't triggered by the environment. And it's not the case that changes that aren't helpful are likely to cause death. Changes that are harmful will do that, but not necessarily neutral ones.

Homosexuals cannot reproduce. Why shouldn't we view people born homosexual as an anomaly that works against the evolution of our species and hope that in time this "gene" or whatever it is goes away? From a purely evolutionary understanding of nature, I don't see how homosexuality is beneficial for mankind.

As others have pointed out, homosexuals can reproduce with members of the opposite sex, they just can't swap DNA with a same-sex partner (actual or potential advances in medical science aside).
Assuming that homosexuality is a purely genetic thing (I'm not convinced; sexual orientation is complex enough that I think there's probably a mix of biological and environmental factors going into it) then, sure, you can sit by and *hope* that it will someday go away, if you're so inclined, but it's not likely to. And I don't see why you'd hope for that since it's not like homosexuality is detrimental to us as a species.

 

[KnowtheSilence]

Well, we are not baboon's or fruit flies. We are humans and we are made in God's image. I have known several gay people in my life and never saw any good come from it in their lives......in fact quite the opposite.

I do know homosexual who have had good come from it in their lives. You know, little things, like love.
But pretty much every homosexual person I know has had bad things come into their lives because of their homosexuality, and just about all of it is a result of someone else mistreaing them for being gay, which is an absurd thing to do.

I believe they are mixed up people, but they do deserve our love and respect as God's children. But please don't try to force me and my family to accept it as normal. I am a bible believing Christian, even though I do not agree with their lifestyle, I would do my best to protect a gay person from harm, just as anybody else.

What if I said this to you:
"I believe Christiand are mixed up people, but they do deserve our love and respect as members of the human race. But please don't try to force me and my family to accept it as normal. I am a reason-following Humanist, even though I do not agree with their lifestyle, I would do my best to protect a Christian from harm, just as anybody else."
How would you feel after reading that?

Yet the gays dislike Christian's, but they support Muslim's flooding our country. Gays need to figure out who their friends really are, before it's too late. And it is not the liberals.

What? Do you really think that all gays dislike Christians (even the ones who are Christians)? And you think that Muslims are a) flooding our country (even while they make about 1% of the population) and b) that the presence of Muslims is somehow automatically a bad thing for homosexuals? Why?

 

[Desk trauma]

Homosexuals cannot reproduce. Why shouldn't we view people born homosexual as an anomaly that works against the evolution of our species and hope that in time this "gene" or whatever it is goes away?

Because evolution is descriptive not prescriptive.

 

[Desk trauma]

flooding our country. Gays need to figure out who their friends really are, before it's too late. And it is not the liberals.

Clearly their friends are those who would rather they be back in the closet.

 

[Desk trauma]

Do you think most people know homosexuality is perverted and sinful?

I would venture a guess that everyone has heard Christians, or members of the other abrahamic religions, say that by now.

 

[Juvenal]

Question for the atheists on this forum. So far as I understand evolutionary theory [...]

Dear SPF,

While I note that adherence to the theory of evolution is a minority position among evangelical protestants, at 24 percent, (see chart) of the estimated 25.4 percent of Americans who identify as evangelical protestants (see Religious Landscape Study), evangelical protestant theistic evolutionists outnumber atheists nearly 2:1.

When considering the other varieties of Christianity, along with other religious faiths, it is apparent that theory of evolution owes almost nothing to an atheistic perspective, at least here in the U.S. I apologize that i am not able to provide equivalent sourcing outside my country.

Hence my question for you: Why is this question posed to atheists?

Religious Differences on the Question of Evolution

 

[Cute Tink]

Homosexuality means inappropriately touching the same gender.

That is not what homosexuality means.