Beliefs about homosexuality;
Studies of sexual orientation

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The most conservative view,
typically promoted by the  conservative religious groups, Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Sikh, etc.

The most liberal view,
Typically followed by  religious liberals, gays, lesbians, mental health professionals and human sexuality researchers.

What it is

Something that one does; a chosen lifestyle.

Something that one is; an unchosen orientation.

What causes it?

Multiple causes including: poor parenting, sexual molestation during childhood, perhaps demon possession. Addiction traps them in the lifestyle.

Genetically predetermined plus some unknown environmental factor in early childhood which "turns on" the gene or genes.

At what age does it become obvious in an individual?

Teenage years, after puberty, when it is chosen.

Homosexual orientation can be detected in pre-school children.

Is it sinful?

Yes. It is more serious than many other sins. It endangers the family and thus social stability.

It is not inherently sinful. It is free of sin if it is safe, consensual and within a committed relationship.

Is it natural and normal?

It is an unnatural, abnormal deviant behavior.

It is normal and natural, for a minority of humans.

What should a homosexual do?

Choose to remain celibate, or attempt to change their orientation.

Choose either celibacy or monogamy with a same-sex partner. Changing sexual orientation is not an option.

God's attitude

He loves the sinner, but hates homosexuality, which is always sinful.

Loves the person; approves of the relationship if it is based on love and commitment.

Is it changeable?

Yes, through counseling and prayer. But it requires effort because it is so addictive.

No. Sexual orientation is always or almost always fixed.

Is reparative therapy effective?

Yes; it is an effective method to changing homosexuals into heterosexuals.

It is a useless, ineffective, and potentially dangerous therapy that can lead to suicide.

Are anti-discrimination laws beneficial?

No. It would grant them special privileges, and encourage more youth to choose homosexuality.

Yes. They are a heavily discriminated-against minority in need of protection.

What happens to children of gays and lesbians?

A large percentage will become homosexuals. Those who don't will be disturbed by the presence of homosexuality in the home.

The vast majority of their children will be heterosexual -- apparently more accepting and less judgmental than average.

Should churches recognize committed same-sex relationships?

No. Gay relationships are an abomination, hated by God.

Perhaps. All loving, committed adult relationships should be recognized and supported by religious groups.

Should same-sex couples given benefits now given to opposite-sex married couples?

No. Same-sex marriages or civil unions threaten regular families and thus the stability of society.

Yes. Official recognition of their relationship and government benefits are a fundamental civil right.

Should gays be eligible for ordination

No. It would be a major lowering of standards. It would condone major sinful behavior.

Yes. One's orientation has no bearing on the ability to be a priest, minister or pastor.

Some conservative Christians believe that a homosexual's feelings of attraction to members of the same sex will dissipate once they trust Jesus as Lord and Savior and are saved. They base this on a Biblical passage: 1 Corinthians 6:11. One interpretation of that verse is that some of the recipients of his letter to the church at Corinth were homosexuals before they became Christians, but were converted to heterosexuality after becoming saved.

Some religious conservatives believe that homosexual behavior is an addiction similar to drugs and alcohol. 

All efforts to treat homosexuality as a normal and natural practice must be resisted. Otherwise, more youth will experiment with it and get trapped in the lifestyle. 

Some religious conservatives believe that the institution of marriage was created by God thousands of years ago. They interpret the Bible as saying that marriages must only be between one man and one woman, and that any sexual behavior outside of marriage is forbidden. Thus, since gays and lesbians cannot marry each other, (except for Massachusetts, Ontario, Quebec, British Columbia, etc.) they feel that all same-sex sexual activity is a sin. They conclude that homosexuals must remain celibate.

Heterosexual - a person who is sexually attracted only to members of the opposite gender, or

Homosexual - a person who is sexually attracted only to members of the same gender.

Asexuals - people who have feelings of sexual attraction to neither gender

Bisexuals - people who are attracted (usually to different degrees) to both genders

Those with solely heterosexual feelings form one extreme. They are free to select celibacy, or to seek sexual activity with members of the opposite sex.

Those with solely homosexual feelings form the other extreme. They are free to enter into relationships with members of their own sex; some can choose to remain celibate.

In the middle are bisexuals. Being sexually attracted to both genders they can choose:

Lesbians had their breasts amputated.

Lesbians had their perfectly healthy uteri removed.

Male gays were given aversion therapy; e.g. clients were shown pictures of naked men and simultaneously shocked with electricity.

brain surgery in the form of frontal lobotomies.

castration.

counseling and psychotherapy.

drug therapy: e.g. animal-organ extracts, cocaine, estrogen, testosterone.

positive therapy: e.g. men were asked to masturbate and then were shown pictures of women just before orgasm.

prayer and spiritual counseling.

therapy by tedium: men were shown homoerotic pictures until they became totally bored.

During the Nazi regime in Germany, Himmler attempted to "cure" gays by requiring them to visit the camp brothel at Flossenburg. "Ten Ravensbruck women provided the services with little success. The women [were later]...shipped to Auschwitz" for execution.

During the recent apartheid regime in South Africa, gays and lesbians were considered deviants. They were sent to a special ward of a military hospital to be "rehabilitated." This involved electric shock treatments and chemical castration. Those who could not be "cured" were given sex-change operations. A number of "patients" died.

Religious conservative belief: A common theme running through literature from the larger Fundamentalist and other Evangelical Christian organizations is that homosexual behavior is unnatural, abnormal, and despised by God as an abomination. This is echoed by many Jewish and Muslim writers. They derive this from their interpretation of some key biblical passages. They also believe that a person chooses their sexual orientation after puberty. Some individuals then experiment with homosexual behavior, and quickly become addicted to it. Because of this belief, many conservative Christians are opposed to positive representations of lesbian and gay characters on TV. (Ellen, Friends, Will & Grace, Queer Eye for the Straight Guy....). They feel that any move towards accepting homosexual orientation and behavior as normal and natural will cause more youth to experiment with same-sex relationships. Religious conservatives also frequently oppose educational programs about homosexuality, high-school support groups for gay and lesbian youth, etc. because they tend to also promote homosexuality as normal and natural for a minority of persons.

Scientific studies: