Jimmy Akin

What’s the origin of homosexuality?

I dunno.

I suspect, in a species as highly cognitive as homo sapiens, that homosexuality has an origin that is significantly cognitive. That is: Though few individuals may have a moment where they deliberately choose to be homosexual, most find themselves faced with homosexual temptations that they indulge over the course of time and that result in a pattern of temptations toward their own sex.

If the researches of some psychological professionals are a guide, such temptations may be especially strong among individuals who fail, for whatever reason, to form a strong, healthy relationship with their parents–and particular with their fathers (this is true regardless of whether it is male or female homosexuality).

Though I recognize that humanity is a highly cognitive species with a sexuality that is significantly susceptible to cognitive training, I can’t rule out that there are other factors involved in the genesis of homosexual temptations. There may be a genetic or hormonal component that is independent of the environment in which an individual is raised.

Suppose there is.

Suppose that researchers one day produce significant evidence that there is a specific gene or combination of genes that inclines a child toward homosexual temptations. Alternately, suppose that they find evidence that a specific combination of hormones at a particular stage of gestation that affects a child’s later sexual orientation.

What should happen in such a situation?

Many parents would choose, given the right resources, to correct the situation. They would ask that their unborn child be given genetic or hormonal therapy to correct the problem so that their child would experience only the ordinary sexual temptations that affect normal people and thus not be faced with homosexual temptations.

But suppose that such genetic or hormonal therapy is not available.

What would parents do? Some might willingly shoulder the burden of raising a child who will likely have homosexual temptations. But some may not. Some parents might shy away from this burden and choose, instead, to abort the child they have conceived.

THAT WOULD BE MURDER.

I’m sorry, but one cannot kill someone–before or after their emergence from the womb–on the grounds that they have a particular sexual orientation.

Do you support laws against murder?

YOU SHOULD.

And I ask you to join me in supporting a Maine bill that would prevent parents from aborting their children should future science be able to show that their children may have a predisposition toward homosexual temptations.

No man is the sum of his temptations. Nor is any woman the sum of hers.

ALL individuals are human beings who deserve respect and compassion, regardless of what their particular temptations may be.

If science can help allieviate some of these temptations, it is a cause for rejoicing. But whether science can or cannot do this, nobody may be murdered to prevent the arrival of an individual because of the temptations he may face.

Conscientious Christians should therefore support the current Maine bill against aborting babies that might one day be shown to have a predisposition to homosexual tempations.

GET THE STORY.

What’s the origin of homosexuality?

I dunno.

I suspect, in a species as highly cognitive as homo sapiens, that homosexuality has an origin that is significantly cognitive. That is: Though few individuals may have a moment where they deliberately choose to be homosexual, most find themselves faced with homosexual temptations that they indulge over the course of time and that result in a pattern of temptations toward their own sex.

If the researches of some psychological professionals are a guide, such temptations may be especially strong among individuals who fail, for whatever reason, to form a strong, healthy relationship with their parents–and particular with their fathers (this is true regardless of whether it is male or female homosexuality).

Though I recognize that humanity is a highly cognitive species with a sexuality that is significantly susceptible to cognitive training, I can’t rule out that there are other factors involved in the genesis of homosexual temptations. There may be a genetic or hormonal component that is independent of the environment in which an individual is raised.

Suppose there is.

Suppose that researchers one day produce significant evidence that there is a specific gene or combination of genes that inclines a child toward homosexual temptations. Alternately, suppose that they find evidence that a specific combination of hormones at a particular stage of gestation that affects a child’s later sexual orientation.

What should happen in such a situation?

Many parents would choose, given the right resources, to correct the situation. They would ask that their unborn child be given genetic or hormonal therapy to correct the problem so that their child would experience only the ordinary sexual temptations that affect normal people and thus not be faced with homosexual temptations.

But suppose that such genetic or hormonal therapy is not available.

What would parents do? Some might willingly shoulder the burden of raising a child who will likely have homosexual temptations. But some may not. Some parents might shy away from this burden and choose, instead, to abort the child they have conceived.

THAT WOULD BE MURDER.

I’m sorry, but one cannot kill someone–before or after their emergence from the womb–on the grounds that they have a particular sexual orientation.

Do you support laws against murder?

YOU SHOULD.

And I ask you to join me in supporting a Maine bill that would prevent parents from aborting their children should future science be able to show that their children may have a predisposition toward homosexual temptations.

No man is the sum of his temptations. Nor is any woman the sum of hers.

ALL individuals are human beings who deserve respect and compassion, regardless of what their particular temptations may be.

If science can help allieviate some of these temptations, it is a cause for rejoicing. But whether science can or cannot do this, nobody may be murdered to prevent the arrival of an individual because of the temptations he may face.

Conscientious Christians should therefore support the current Maine bill against aborting babies that might one day be shown to have a predisposition to homosexual tempations.

GET THE STORY.