Homosexuality - myths and popular opinions

I've been taught the story of Sodom and Gomorrah even before I could understand what it was all about. As I grew up, the popular sentiment was always against homosexuality. The Bible definitely says, in no uncertain terms, that homosexuality is a sin (both in the old and new testaments) and that it will be severely punished.

It seemed a little harsh, but then I wasn't really bothered about the whole issue when I was a kid. Now that more and more people are coming out of the closet regarding their sexuality and homosexuality is a legal, social and moral issue in our own country, it is impossible for me (or anyone else, for that matter) to ignore the issue.

1) Some of the first results I got when I ran a Google search on this issue screamed in bold letters about how God is against it. I believe that any issue which spans human history, different cultures, countries and religions should not just be judged based on the sentiments of a single religion.

To be honest though, most religions do not support homosexuality while some (like Buddhism) are entirely silent on the matter, only speaking against sexuality outside marriage. I'm not going to look at it from a religious point of view here. In my opinion, whatever your religious sentiments may be, don't force it on other people. However, keep in mind that homosexuality between consenting adults does not breach any human values. Our society is tolerant of far worse.

2) There is a common cry that 'it is not natural'. I want you to do something: Run a Wikipedia search on homosexuality in animals. You'd be surprised. Almost every species shows signs of homosexuality.
However, there is an argument saying that animals may have homosexual relations to maintain bonds in the pack or to show dominance. Also, there are definite cases of cannibalism and murder in the animal kingdom. The basic argument here is that natural does not make it moral or right.

3) Some say that it is biological and therefore, not a personal choice. There might be something in this. Research has shown that genes may play a vital role in how sexuality develops in humans. Hormones may have nothing to do with it at all. This is not conclusive evidence, however.

A med friend of mine says that in her opinion, it is entirely dependent on the environment and is triggered by experience rather than by genes or naturally by your own body. On the other hand, eunuchs and hermaphrodites are born that way and are still ostracized by society (but surprisingly, not by many religions). In any case, I doubt it will make a big difference.

4) The productive society and family unit argument is by far the most tricky. It cannot be said that homosexual people do not contribute to society in any way, because bearing children is not the most important contribution they can make. At least, not in a society where over-population is prevalent as is the case today.

When it comes to the family unit, you have a host of other factors like acceptance and societal norms to take into consideration and it may not matter in an ideal world but in reality, it is not an environment you should bring up a child in. In my opinion, this is also true of divorces and broken, abusive homes.

5) As for the government refusing to provide equal rights to these people and making it a moral and social issue, I have little patience with that. You cannot call yourself a democracy if you deny equal rights to a person who does nothing to violate another person's rights or the nation's welfare and security.

6) It is said that they contribute heavily to the spread of various sexual diseases. So do straight people. There are millions of heterosexual people with AIDS all over the world. Homosexuality doesn't equate to promiscuity. If you say that it is outside the institution of marriage, who denied them that right in the first place?


I'm not for or against the homosexual issue. While it is not my personal preference, I can't speak for other people. All I'm saying is that the extent and magnitude of the outcry and the kind of treatment meted out to these people is just not fair. The Bible, for instance, says that a disobedient child must be stoned to death and takes an equally strict view about adulterers, prostitutes and divorce. Why do we feel that those things are not as much of a threat to society as homosexuality?