RebelEnigma and allhart:
Conditions in the uterus (hormones, nutrient intake of the mother, blood type of mother and fetus, and so on) are known to have major influences on the fetus. Homosexuality is very likely related to the environment in the uterus. It has been shown to occur more often in the youngest children of women who bear many children - the more children you have, the more likely that the youngest sons will be male homosexuals. That certainly appears to be a natural, and not chosen, end result to me.
Homosexuality has been a fairly consistent percentage of the human population, which also indicates a natural phenomenon. Homosexual behaviour has been observed in most mammal species, in avian species, and some fish are known to go all out and change genders as part of their life cycle.
Homosexuality in humans, speculatively, has value for the species. The previously mentioned large families with youngest as homosexual might serve to slow down population growth (beyond resource capabilities). In agrarian societies, it might mean more adults working to provide for the extended families' children.
Homosexuality in many cultures (but not all) has been punishable by death or torture or imprisonment, yet homosexuals still were and are homosexuals. There have always been those who hide or deny their orientation out of fear and shame and instead make life a misery for themselves and the opposite sex partner they marry. There is no indication, no evidence, that the socalled 'reformed' homosexuals are now heterosexual, just evidence that a few, for a while, can bring themselves to have sex with their opposite gender. I am a heterosexual woman. I can't imagine how repulsed I would feel if I knew the man I loved had to force himself to act as if attracted to my body. I think, psychologically, this would be akin to the raping of both of us.
All of the Biblical passages purported to condemn homosexuality and same sex marriage can and have been argued over, endlessly. Biblical 'marriage', as has been noted, included a lot of forms (all of them designed to ensure the male lineage, interesting, given Jesus was purportedly only human on his mother's side) we would find unacceptable and even illegal today. Using those dubiously interpreted passages in scripture to endlessly condemn homosexuality appears to make certain Christian heterosexuals feel good - at least there's one sin they aren't likely to commit. By harping on this issue (and a look at the archives here will show that homosexuality is the most often discussed and condemned 'sin', well above murder, rape, genocide, theft, covetousness, and greed) Christians make themselves appear unloving, judgemental, unable to review their own scripture with open minds, and even cruel in their attempts to keep apart couples who love each other dearly and harm none. If that is how Christians wish to appear, very well - it is your religion.
Good you will come to love the person not the sin
Amen means true!
