Homosexuality
Intro
Ok, some are not going to agree and will probably get all bent out of shape. If there is going to be such an emotional reaction to this subject, maybe it would be better to skip this page and essay entirely.
But if you have an open mind, then definitely keep reading. Aside from the inferences and implications found in Genesis with the Sodom and Gomorrah narrative, the Bible has specific comments on this subject. The book of Leviticus has a couple of unambiguous statements.
“You shall not lie with a male as with a woman. It is an abomination” (Lev 18:22 TLV)
“If a man lies with a male as he lies with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination. They shall surely be put to death. Their blood shall be upon them.” (Lev 20:13 TLV)
A friend commented the other night: “Homosexuality isn’t natural” and “it’s a sin”. As for it being a sin, that has been covered and overwhelmingly demonstrated and is within the realm of faith; an abstract concept which is not the scope or target of the next section of this discourse. What I am going to look at and present are in the physical realm of Nature itself.
The Question
Is it unnatural? How does Nature (Mother Nature to some) view this subject?
Let's take “homosexuality” just as it stands; sexual contact or relations between two members of the same sex (and species). (I don't believe I have to qualify with a statement of between the species.)
The first point is the question of why “we” or any other mammalian species engages in the act of “sex”. What is the purpose?
All parts of a living organism, (of which we are one of many), have a systemic part to play within the whole of an individual member of the species. This is the case with all mammals, which category the humans fall into. In this collection of parts there are the sexual organs. What are these for?
They are for the propagation of the species. (Contrary to popular belief they are not sets of pre-attached toys.) Simply put, people have these parts to make more people, the continuation of life. This is Mother Nature’s only concern. It has been said that there is no particular “natural” or “normal” type of sex. This begs the question “Where does Nature stand on this issue?”
Mother Nature and Her Children
Mother Nature is blind to any particular species, race or gender when her “rules” are invoked. Mother Nature is seemingly cold and unforgiving in the way she deals with the myriad of life forms on this planet where some survive and others are never seen or heard of again. Why? What happened? They were “culled” from the lists through natural selection.
Natural Selection
According to natural processes, it is for the male to impregnate the female through the biological function known as “sex” or “intercourse”. The male fertilizing the egg within said female, thus continuing the species. This is Nature’s purpose for sexual organs, to replenish the species. The “fun” that is associated with the act is a conditioned response to the act; the internal chemical reactions which cause the male and female to mate for said continuation. This is oddly enough coupled through the same nerve paths associated with the human desire to “eat”. For sustenance, again, the continuation of life.
In virtually every species there are members that engage in homosexual actions. This would imply to some that it is “natural”. How does this fit into Mother Nature’s “rules”? The “Natural” implications of any homosexual action are non reproduction. If one is homosexual, they are not reproducing. This is the measuring bar of nature. There is no prejudice to a race, individual or gender. Whether or not the species’ continuation is helped or hindered is Mother Nature’s only concern. However, sometimes Mother Nature does things in some very interesting ways. For example, if there is a latent genetic problem within an individual,
Mother Nature will try to “isolate” that defect away to prevent a degradation of the overall gene pool of the species. It could be a disease, a possible defect, a latent genetic problem that Nature has reason to prevent. It could be any one of a number of things that Nature has selected to eliminate for the betterment of the species. It may seem callous on its surface, but that is how Nature to works. It is only trying to maintain the species as best it can.
There is no personal opinion involved with this selection process. Therefore the “Natural” implication of homosexuality is that Nature does not want those individuals to reproduce. For whatever reason, the unseen hand of Nature has caused these particular animals', or individuals' genetics to be culled out of the gene pool. Not necessarily from life’s lists, but from the gene pool. Unless it helps the species survive, it is culled out. Homosexuality is only one method on a list which will be presented shortly.
The Numbers
If a species were to have an over abundance of homosexuality, it would begin to eliminate itself as a species. That species overall numbers would decrease. Nature would then somehow have to step in, in some fashion to save the species. The numbers of homosexuals within the human community that have been bantered about are apparently unsubstantiated and blatantly false according to Newsweek.
“We used that figure [10%] when most gay people were entirely hidden to try to create an impression of our numerousness,’ says Tom Stoddard, former member of the Lambda Legal Defense Fund,
“The Homosexual Numbers” Newsweek March 22, 1993, p37.
Nature works for the continuation of life and the species. If man is a part of this planet and its bio-systems, a true part of the Earth’s living family, then there is no reason to suspect that we are so extremely different than most any other species within the collection of the natural processes. When Nature encounters something that is against its goal, it is eliminated through “evolution” or “Natural Selection”.
There is not a personal opinion of something being “right” or “wrong”. This is just “Nature” and how it deals with it.
Step by step
As noted, the sexual organs of the human (a variant of mammals), is designed for the reproduction of the species. Just as each mammal generally mates and bears young, so too the human, (AKA Homo-Sapien-Sapien to some). Nature provides life on Earth with the ability to adapt or it eventually disappears from the planet. In Evolutionary terms this is called “Natural Selection”. That which does not enable continuation of the species or threatens it is then “selected” out of the future of Earth’s animal kingdom. Or to the opposite end, if something will make the species survive better, it is selected “in” to the gene pool. When a species encounters a situation within its environment, it either adapts or it succumbs.
To prevent this from happening until the group is eradicated, nature has allowed for this process of “Natural Selection”. It all focuses on the adaptation and continuation of the species, the continuation of life.
The various processes that Nature has come up with to do this can be considered brutal in some circles. Be it a chased down slow member of a herd, a sickly one that is not strong enough to get past infancy or a predisposition to one of the same sex for mating. All have exactly the same result within the parameters of the process of Natural Selection. To Mother Nature, all of those examples are the same with the same effect. If all are to be considered “natural” occurrences in their
own right, then they must be considered equally without the emotion. (Scientific information)
The effects of Mother Nature regarding Natural Selection including homosexuality, consider the following from http://www.jefflindsay.com/gays.htm:
“Here are a few examples concerning man and evolution to help gain understanding of the way evolution works. The effects shown are not necessarily caused by genetics, but evolution treats all conditions as if they were. Note that natural selection acts as if all genes are involved in the success or failure of the individual. Each case that reduces the expected offspring is considered a vote against each gene in the genome. Each case that equals or exceeds the expected offspring is considered a vote for each gene in the genome. The mixing of genes in recombination allow individual allele selection over the long period of time.
Effect1: The new gene shortens the life to 35 years. Natural selection would not see this defect as detrimental since the children will be old enough to fend for themselves by that time.
Effect2: The parent has too many children. If so many children were born that the resulting death or misery rate reduced the number of the children who had children, evolution would see this as detrimental. If society takes care of his children for him they will be healthy enough to raise more children and evolution would judge the condition as beneficial
Effect3: The parent does not take good care of his children. If society does not interfere by taking care of the children for him, the suffering children are less likely to raise children of their own and evolution would judge that the condition is detrimental. If society cares for his children, evolution will judge the condition beneficial.
Effect4: The new gene lengthens life to 150 years. Evolution will not see this change as beneficial. Neither will it see later mutations that degrade it as detrimental, until the life expectancy gets so low that it affects child bearing and raising.
Effect5: The man is a murderer of children. His murder of someone else's children will affect the evaluation of the genes of their parents adversely. If the murderer has sufficient children of his own, evolution will not see anything detrimental in his lineage.
Effect6: The man is cruel and vicious with his wife. As long as he does not kill her or otherwise render her unable to care for her children, evolution will see no harm. Even if he kills her and society takes over the raising of his children, evolution will still see no harm
Effect7: The man dies of an accident before he has children. Natural selection will see this death as detrimental.
Effect8: A young lady decides not to marry and have children. Natural selection will see this as detrimental.
Effect9: A man decides to adopt children instead of having his own. Natural selection will vote for the genes of the natural parents of the children and vote against the adoptive parent's gene set.
A great difference clearly exists between the goals of evolution and those of a compassionate culture. We are built one way, but we want to be another way. Luckily there is a large overlap where both evolution and man desire the same thing. Unfortunately, where we differ the choices are all quite painful….”
As we see, Homosexuality falls into effect “8”. In the end, it can be considered that “homosexuality” is a natural act in that it is “Nature’s” way of population control as well as the preventative maintenance of the gene pool. The student mentioned earlier was wrong in that Homosexuality IS natural, but only within certain parameters. Those parameters being, it is only natural if it is wrong according to Mother Nature and her rules on evolution.
The Rub
On the one hand there are the “opponents” to homosexuality that believe it is wrong because it is “unnatural”. On the other, there are proponents who belief it is “natural” and therefore “right” and should be a freely accepted practice or “lifestyle”.
To the chagrin of the first, it can be demonstrated that it is “wrong” not because of it being “unnatural” but because of it being a “natural” occurrence. The latter falls into it being “right”, only because its being the unnatural occurrence within Nature’s negative tenants of Natural Selection.
So both sides have merit, but for exactly the opposite reasons they would prefer. The morality concerning homosexuality can be considered a part of that norm in a sense; as that part of Nature which is fostering the growth of the species keeps in check, that part which would threaten it.
Whether or not one is for or against, Mother Nature has her own stand on it as just demonstrated. A problem is that people will not like this stand on the subject and will quickly reject the findings due to their personal opinions. And so the facts and truth behind it all will remain a mystery and the topic confusing to them.
This is the apple pealed back to reveal each part and aspect; as opposed to those who would try to convolute it all and make as stated “applesauce”. This IS the Apple in its “Natural” state not the processed flavored version.
Flee from sexual immorality! Every other sin that a man commits is outside the body—but the one committing sexual immorality sins against his own body. 19 Or don’t you know that your body is a temple of the Ruach ha-Kodesh who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? 20 For you were bought with a price. Therefore glorify God in your body. (1 Corinthians 6:18-20 TLV)
Reference information comes from the following pages which are no longer availab.e:
