Homosexuality - What is your stance on it?

[Shaft]

All religions teaches that homosexuality is wrong, saying that God created man to breed with women and it is forbidden for a man to lay with another man.
But the Quran,Bible, etc. also teaches us to love our neighbours and fellow man. But what if my fellow man is homosexual? Does that make him any less of a man and my neighbour? I belive that any man or woman of a homosexual nature is still and always shall be my neighbour and deserves to be loved as much as any other.

But I want to hear out your personal opinion on this matter.

Please refrain from slander or insults if that is your opinion, simply state how you feel in a polite and sincere way.

[childeroland]

Homosexuals should be regarded as equal to heterosexuals in every way. The Bible and the Quran, among other great religious texts, were created by far different societies and social contexts centuries ago and should not be regarded as absolute yardsticks concerning everything they teach, regardless of their relevance to one's personal faith.

[Xray]

Originally Posted by childeroland

Homosexuals should be regarded as equal to heterosexuals in every way. The Bible and the Quran, among other great religious texts, were created by far different societies and social contexts centuries ago and should not be regarded as absolute yardsticks concerning everything they teach, regardless of their relevance to one's personal faith.

Truth! Bring on the gay marriage!

[ken]

Gays should walk point and take the first hit. That makes me the site's homo hater.

[Zen_ish]

I feel like the religious aspect is not really the problem here. Since as with many other topics religions can give two completely opposite answers to the same question.
I like to look at the situation from a scientific aspect.
So my opinion is simple...
What is the scientific purpose of sex? Answer... reproduction.
What is the scientific function of the penis and the vagina? Answer... to fit into one another for the purpose of sperm transfer to the egg.
So then the question is... what is the function of joining together of a man and a woman in a marital bond? Answer... for the purpose of reproduction and help in raising the offspring of that union. This happens in the natural world all the time.
So what does that make a union of the same sex? Answer... an unnatural coupling of unmatched sexual organs. In other words, homosexuality is unnatural and would obviously (and logically) mean an end to an evolutionary line. (i.e. a dead end for a species)
So why are some people attracted to the same sex? I would answer that question with other questions? Why are some adults sexually attracted to children? Why do some people feel a sexual attraction to exposing themselves publicly to others?
There are always going to be deviant behaviors when you are dealing with sexuality. Because everyone has a genetic sex drive and everyone deals with it in their own way. But there is also an evolutionary purpose behind the basic genetic drives. (survival of the species)
I know that a few years back they said that they found some evidence that homosexuality may be genetic but I believe that it was more propaganda than actual scientific evidence. So as far as the homosexual genetic argument goes...
There are many (MANY) genetic malformations that can happen in an organism and many of them would be considered a negative evolutionary step.
So far as the health and continuation of the species is concerned, homosexuality is a negative step for the human race.
It seems simple to me...

(I knew my biology degree would come in handy some day)

[childeroland]

By that logic, blowjobs and anal sex should be illegal, since the penis's function is not to fit into someone's mouth or anus, and people who cannot reproduce should not be allowed to have sex since they're not bearing children. And given homosexual behavior in the animal kingdom, who's to say it is deviant, or that the only purpose for sexual organs is to reproduce? Where did that idea come from anyway (the only purpose)? Given the mysteries and complexities of nature, who's to say what 'nature' meant with any certainty?

[Zen_ish]

Originally Posted by childeroland

By that logic, blowjobs and anal sex should be illegal, since the penis's function is not to fit into someone's mouth or anus, and people who cannot reproduce should not be allowed to have sex since they're not bearing children. And given homosexual behavior in the animal kingdom, who's to say it is deviant, or that the only purpose for sexual organs is to reproduce? Where did that idea come from anyway (the only purpose)? Given the mysteries and complexities of nature, who's to say what 'nature' meant with any certainty?

Actually "purpose" is just that... the main and only reason for a sperm and egg is for reproduction.
Also I didn't say anything about what should be legal or not. Laws don't play any part of nature. I was just saying that if sperm and egg never meet there would not be any more humans. And that if there is a natural way of doing that then what purpose does anal or oral sex have except pleasure? But the point is that we're not talking about what is pleasing we are talking about what is the natural function of body parts.
Pleasure is wonderful and I'm not saying that people shouldn't pursue pleasure but don't try to make a sexual choice into something scientific. Think of how an addiction works. It may bring a great deal of pleasure and some people spend their whole lives seeking another good feeling but it may be devastating to their body.
So I'm just trying to draw the line between physical needs and desires.

[childeroland]

"Illegal" was the wrong word (and a dumb one for me to use in this context, sorry). I meant 'deviant' where I wrote 'illegal' -- don't know why I made that mistake.

I'm not sure sexual choice should be categorized scientifically, but I do suggest homosexual behavior may not be deviant since there are examples of it among animals and thus it may be a harmless part of the natural world. I'm not sure a natural behavior (if it is natural) represents a step backwards if it does not represent a forward progression.

As research into biology and sexual orientation is ongoing, I'd bet evidence for both points of view will continue to be found for some time to come.