Do gays and lesbians CHOSE to be so , or do they have NO CHOICE in being so?
476920
Homosexuality is quite obviously no more a choice than heterosexuality is.  \n\nIf Homosexuality is a choice – then when did you choose not to be gay?  When did you look at the options, and choose to be heterosexual?\n\nCould you choose to be homosexual?  Then why do you think that other people can, and do?
955806
Yes I know someone who know longer chooses the homosexual lifestyle and they follow Christ.  Two actually.  A woman and a man.  The fell in love, got married, and have 2 kids.  They did not turn heterosexual, though.  Think of homosexuality like alcoholism.  That might make some mad, but that is the best analogy I can give.  If you are a follower of the Bible, certain things are wrong.  Just because you have a desire doesn't mean you should act upon it.  Homosexuals are just hurting people, many have poor if any relationship with their fathers and some were sexually abused as children.
530556
it isnt a choice. homosexuality is a psychological disorder. they didnt choose to have hte psychological disorder. people who were once gay become straight and vice versa. a significantly high proportion of gay men didnt have a father during their child. because of the lack of fatherly love from a fatherly figure, they turn to other men\n\nhomosexuality is just like anorexia, people dont choose to be sick. they cant help it. many do recover\n\n\nof course homosexuality isnt genetic. do two gays make a gay? do two straights make a straight? why can some people who were once gay become straight if its genetic?
1097550
I think people have as much choice in their sexuality as they have in being born male or female, or in falling in love with one person and not another.  I don't think there is a choice.
800352
Perhaps it's just an easy out for people who don't quite know what to do with homosexuality as a concept or as a practice.  There is a small part of the queer movement who believes that sexuality (important to note that not JUST homosexuality) is a choice which, I suppose, I could support more than just saying that homosexuality is choice.\n\nAnyway, other than that faction within the queer group, it is mainly heterosexual people who I hear that say that to be homosexual is a choice.  I would think it is simple for a person in a heterosexuals position to say that simply because the logic would be, "Well, I choose to be straight because I'm not attracted to (whatever)."  That is just an interesting statement (which I know I am generalizing, but I have certainly heard that one more than a few times) simply because it is defining sexuality based on what it's NOT.  \n\nAnother interesting thing is that it's always homosexuality that is the choice, but NEVER just plain old sexuality in whatever form it comes.  \n\nBuuuut beyond that ............ I have no clue why people think that sexuality is a choice.  You like what you like.  I like apples a lot, but I'm not such a fan of oranges (but I do like clementines).  I like women a lot, but I'm not such a fan of men (but I do like some).  That sums it up for me - it's not a matter of choice or really preference, but just what I like.
1159484
I don't know if it's possible for anybody to change who they feel attracted to. . . but then that's not the point.  It's possible for anybody to choose who they actually have sex with, because that doesn't really depend on attraction.  I'm a heterosexual, and it would be perfectly possible for me to have sex with another man if I chose to do that.  In the same way, it's possible for homosexuals to choose to have sex with members of the opposite gender, even if they aren't attracted to them.  It might not be an especially interesting experience for them, but they can't say it's impossible.  In time they might even learn to love that person, because love doesn't really depend on sexual attraction anyway.  So yes, it does boil down to a choice which is perfectly within your power to make.  The only thing that matters is what you do, not who you are.  Nobody ever asked more than that.
201990
Whether one is born gay, or whether it is a personal choice, no one has the right to condemn a person because of it.  If there were such people as true Christians, then they would follow  God's advice and  Not judge, lest they be judged themselves. Leave the judging to God.  And one who does pass judgement on gays, then, they certainly are not Christian.
1028296
No, I don't think they can.  You are entitled to believe whatever you want to believe. Belief rarely makes things real however. \nHomosexuality is no more a choice than heterosexuality. People can tell you it is, you can believe them -- this is America, there is NO requirement that you not believe whatever you want. That won't change the belief from being false however.\n\nThe people with choice are the bisexuals. They can select either. My lover of nearly 15 years is bisexual. He selected to be with me. I understand this. The choice for gays however is to believe in themselves and live good, full lives -- or hide, be miserable and be someone/something other than what they are.\n\nHow do we know this? Well, let's start with animal studies. For hundreds of years it was commonly presumed that there were no exclusively homosexual animals -- I still hear that argument quoted occasionally. Yet, we know it is false. Not only do we know anectodally (I for example grew up on a farm. At one point we had a gay bull -- absolutely no response to the pheremones of females in heat at all -- much more interested in other bulls), but we also know scientifically. Hundreds of species have been studied, those species that had pair bonding also had homosexual pair bonding. The seminal study on this subject is Dr. Bruce Bagemihl -- "Biological Exuberance" from St. Martin's Press. You can probably get a used copy inexpensively from Amazon if you are interested, or from Barnes and Noble online.\n\nSo, what was classically the most powerful argument against the natural origins of homosexuality -- emasculated. And you can tell that many anti-gay leaders know it, because the argument is now much deemphasized compared to its usage 25 years ago.\n\nOnce you go beyond the natural law argument therefore -- you face the discussion of humanity itself.\n\nIs homosexuality a choice? Well, is heterosexuality? For bisexuals who elect to be straight or gay -- it is a choice, clearly; but the average straight boi never has the ability to choose to be gay -- and those who are honest would tell you the same. Likewise, the average homosexual simply doesn't have a choice to be straight.\n\nAgain, anecdotally, its easy enough. I am gay, I knew that I felt very special about boys and that they excited me somehow, gave me butterflies in my stomach when I liked them a lot -- when I was 8. I also knew I didn't feel the same way about girls. By 11 I realized it was sexual (the reasons I realized that should be evident without my spelling them out). I never, ever had even a single erotic or sexual thought about a girl -- nor did I have any romantic feelings toward them. I always had some friends of each gender, as most young country people do -- but I never had any butterflies for the girls -- so when did I choose? At 7? Without knowing it? Do you really, really believe that? I don't think you do. You can assert that I'm lying to you, that all the millions of gays who say they never remember being anything but gay are lying -- but again, it doesn't pass the smell test -- do you really believe it? I doubt it very much. You are too honest for that, aren't you? So that leaves you with -- we have all deceived ourselves. I doubt that you believe that either, not deep inside.\n\nBeyond that, study after study, piling up on one another. The eyeblink study strongly indicates a genetic origin. The pheremonal studies (there are multiple ones), even a logitudnal study that looked at prebirth reactions. And, most compelling, the fruitfly study. A colleague's husband, who is a medical researcher at Albany Med, sent me word the day after that came out -- saying simply "you've won, the troops in the trenches on both sides may take a while to realize it, but you've won, its natural." The counter attacks on the fruit fly study are, frankly, a joke -- and they depend on their readers not understanding the study to start w
1090355
I'm straight, and I don't think it's a choice.\n\nStraight people are the ones saying this because they're not actually gay, thus, they don't actually know jackshit about it. Gay people KNOW that they were born gay.
894824
My gay friends say that they knew they were different early on in their lives.  I don't think that they chose it.  I see they don't have the easiest life.  Why would you pick that?
1067809
When you're gay (like half the people who commented on this probably arent, so they dont get it) you don't choose it.  Theres a point where you realize you are different... and its usually kinda scary.  So yeah, its natural.  If not then why do most upper forms of mammalian life do it?  Hmm?  \n\nHello?  You idiots out there with no idea what its really like to be gay?  Tell me something,.. do you think we would CHOOSE to be something that gets us beaten up, politically isolated and denied some of our basic human rights?  Get real... telling us gay is not natural and we should get with the opposite sex is like telling you to hook up with someone of your own sex.
691592
i havent read all the responses to this ques so sorry for any over lapping ideas.\ni am of the opinion that being attracted to the same sex is the most natural thing, and man woman marriage is a part of conditioning. well now that may be refuted. but marriage, relation or watever is a very personal choice. its like telling someone publically not to wear a bra but continue with a breif! i mean its ones choice whether he/she wants to b with a man a woman or both. if any one tries to stop this sort of personal desire or right, they are coming in the way of a person's regular life - and that my dear friends is the very basic threat to all our natural, basic and fundamental rights. this is the root cause of a lot of evil, disharmony and unhappiness to many people. live and let live. support those who want to b with people of their own sex. its healthy for them as well as people around them. being gay is like saying i'm happy, why come in someone's way of happiness? \nso yes...ultimatum - lesbian/gay marriages should be supported ad not banned. everyone has the right to a happy pesonal life that is spent in the loving wake of the one they chose to loose their heart to.
970024
I know a lot of people who are Gay and in the closet.  It truly is sad to think that society will not accept someone becuase of their sexual preference, or gender expression.\n\nBe supportive and understanding.
862435
Homosexuality is determined at birth?  I completely disagree with this assumption.  I am sorry, sinning is a choice, whatever the form.
547959
coincence. \nno one has a destiny to become gay, it's a result of their choices.
783301
Unequivocally NO! If they chose that life style then so be it, but as far as benefits are concerned out of the question.  Societies fall from moral decay and that is a fact, and ours is well on it's way, I do believe all this gay and lesbian stuff is about to blow up in their faces.  It is a life style that destroys the vary meaning of marriage between a man and a woman, In my opinion they are an insult to humanity.  I believe it is time our religious leaders and government gives these people a loud and clear message that the party is over and will not be condoned by our society.
700252
I don't believe a person is born gay or lesbian.  I believe it is a choice.\n\nSecondly, yes.  If that person asked for forgiveness, repented and changed his/her life according to God's will, then he will be forgiven by God.