A Call for the Acceptance of Homosexuals within the Christian Community
or not? If society feels justified in disagreeing with other sexual practices found
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within the Bible, it would seem that the same concepts would be applied to homosexuality as well.
Along with Biblical text, scientific research regarding homosexuality should also be considered. According to the American Psychological Association, a person’s sexual orientation is not a choice; and homosexuality is neither a mental illness nor an emotion problem (American 1). This view towards homosexuality has actually developed only in the past 20-30 years though. It was in 1973 that the APA “voted to delete homosexuality from its official list of mental disorders and issued a strong statement of support for gay rights” (Gay 1). Melvin Sabshin, MD, gives credit to scientific evidence as the force behind this social and political call for change (1).
The APA provides information on the development of sexual orientation along with other facts related to the topic. Scientists have yet to understand, completely, the development of a person’s sexual orientation; yet certain factors are considered. Genetic and hormonal factors are measured, along with the experiences a person has during their early childhood. It’s most likely, though, that biological, psychological and social factors all work together to determine any person’s sexual orientation (American 1).
Most individuals develop a certain attraction to either their own sex or the opposite sex without any prior sexual experience. For some people, who have an attraction toward the same sex, therapy might seem the only option. Many homosexuals report feeling alone and concerned over rejection from family, friends, and the religious institutions they are apart of. However, attempts at changing sexual orientation have met with little results. “In 1990, the American Psychological Association stated that scientific evidence does not show that conversion works and that it can do more harm than good” (2) They continue by saying that altering something that is part of a person’s inborn identity could have devastating consequences. It would be just as
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difficult for a heterosexual person to become homosexual; but does society expect that of them? No.
In regards to psychological causes of homosexuality, the Kinsey Institute had a hard time finding any. They interviewed around 1000 homosexuals and 500 heterosexuals, and asked questions concerning “parental relationships, childhood sexual experiences, peer relationships, (and) dating experiences,” but yet they found no conclusive evidence as to why one person would be homosexual in comparison to someone else (Scientific 2). Some theories would suggest why same-sex attraction occurs—perhaps someone was segregated by their gender during puberty, was a victim of sexual abuse, or lacked the influence of a male role-model while growing up. Despite the theories though, nothing concrete has been determined (3).
Researcher Simon LeVay attempted to break down the codes of cell clusters. His findings would lead some to believe that “sexual orientation is at least partly physiological.” He discovered that “The cell cluster [next page]