HOMOSEXUALITY

CONFLICTING VIEWS ON HOMOSEXUALITY: Christian vs. Christian

Joel C. Snell   Kirkwood College

Introduction: This article will compare research from a conservative evangelical research institute and two mainstream best selling introductory sociology and psychology textbooks by authors of Christian colleges. As, all three of the sources are Christian how do they differ at this point in the early 21st century and how are they the similar?

Background:

The conservative evangelical position is from the Family Research Institute (familyresearchinst.org, 2007) was founded in 1982 to research issues like homosexuality relative to traditional family values, and the two bestselling textbooks are   Sociology by Macionis (2005) and Psychology by Myers (2004) The first author is from Kenyon College (kenyon.edu) an Anglican school and the second is from Hope College (hope.edu) a Reformed Church of America postsecondary institution.

Discussion:

Evangelical Research Institute

Dr. Paul Cameron of the Family Research Institute, reviews selected literature and makes the following observations. They are: 1. No credible genetic research has been conducted in this area. 2. Gays believe their behavior is learned. 3. Older homosexuals approach youngsters 4.Behavior comes from early sexual experiences 5.Sex conduct influenced by religious convictions 6. Many change their sexual preferences 7.There are many ex-homosexuals 8.Homosexual desire comes from homosexual experience, family dysfunction, and unusual sex behavior in childhood, and cultural influences. Can homosexuality be changed? Yes. (familyresearchinst.org/FRI_EduPamphlet1.html)

From Best Selling Textbooks

The author then chose two best selling textbooks in the field of sociology and psychology. Both authors are from Christian liberal arts colleges with campus ministries.

From the sociology book:

1. Culture varies in interpretation of homosexual behavior as well as time and historical place 2. Anthropological studies of males encouraged to be homosexual as children are heterosexual as adults. 3. Homosexual behavior appears to be biological.  Biological studies include twins and hypothalamus analysis. There also appears among males that younger brothers inherit less testosterone. The key is when the unborn or fetus receives the testosterone in the uterus.4. To the extent of biological predisposition, this would strongly favor that homosexuality is not a cognitive choice but strongly impacted by genetics and bio-constitutional factors.

From the psychology book:

1. Research does not appear to support family dysfunction or parental treatment. 2. Gays do not appear to have hatred for the other gender. 3. Sex hormones in the blood stream related to desire for sex but not opposite sex partner. 4. Children who were sexually victimized as children do not appear to become gay adults any more than straight adults... 5. From 50 years of research in this area, environmental features do not appear to be salient.

Both textbooks however are not deterministic in the sense that select individuals may have had an environmental factor that impacted gay thoughts or behavior. Rather for the majority of the gay population, environmental features do not appear to differ from straight populations. Both text books maintain that sex between two individuals should not be casual. That it stems from desire and committed relationships.

Reparative Therapy

Family Research Institute indicates a high conversion rate to heterosexual behavior and monogamous family life through family and psychotherapy (Cameron, ibid.)

The textbooks do not directly deal with this question. However, if their narrative and findings are to be extrapolated, it would suggest that reparative therapy be aimed at the patient accepting one’s self and be involved in a committed same sex relationship.

A recent study with rams supports the hypothalamus argument in males. One source suggests that rams can become attracted to female ewes by manipulating testosterone (______, 2007) However, another source (Cloud, 2007) indicates that the study of manipulating testosterone in the males has had inconclusive results. As usual, female homosexuality was overlooked.  

Additionally, for Evangelicals , if the biological evidence increases or remains predominantly biological, 12 step groups may increase so that fundamentalists can remain celibate or marry into a celibate heterosexual couple relationship or if psychotherapy succeeds in conversion, a heterosexual relationship.

The sociology and psychology sources maintain that homosexuality should not be thought of as a separate category, there appears to be a continuum from straight to bi-sexual to gay.  Further, some humans may experiment with homosexual activity.

Conclusion

It would appear that there is a growing bifurcation between the literature from Evangelicals and Christian moderates who have authored best selling textbooks in psychology and sociology. Perhaps, future research may bring these two camps together. However, at this time, it does not appear to be the trajectory of these two perspectives.

References

Cameron, P. (2007) What causes homosexual behavior and can it be changed? Familyresearchinst.org/FRI_EduPamphlet1.html

Cloud, J. (2007) Yep they’re gay Time, 2/5 54.

_______ (2007) Homosexuality:’curing’ gay sheep The Week 2/2, 19.

Macionis, J. (2005) Sociology Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Prentice Hall, 230-231.

Myers, D. (2004) Psychology   New York: Worth Publishers 380-382.