When did you choose to be straight?

[Little Jim P]

Exactly the same time I started liking girls. Amazing how things like that work out, isn't it?

[Raeyh]

Straight is just the default setting. like the black, red, and yellow flags new people on NS get.

I somewhat doubt that by simply doing nothing you'll magically become attracted to people of the correct gender, age, social class, appearance and whatever else is required to be straight. I can sympathize with homosexuals and their inability to find anyone who they are actually supposed to date attractive. To paraphrase Groucho Marx, I refuse to date anyone that would have me as a boyfriend.

[Ifreann]

Not according to some people here. On this page, in fact. They've tried it.

You can't change who you are attracted to any easier than you can change whether or not you like the taste of sewer water.

Im straight and can be attracted to some men, not many but I am attracted to some. You can decide whether or not you like this or want somthing different.

Sounds to me like you're just saying you're straight.

[Forsher]

Ehh fair enough. Although people can choose who they are attracted to.

Not according to some people here. On this page, in fact. They've tried it.

You can't change who you are attracted to any easier than you can change whether or not you like the taste of sewer water.

That is the poorest comparison I have seen. Tastes change, all too easily. It doesn't matter how strong ones distaste is initially, it can improve.

And, by the way, you can rationalise your way out of most attractions, mind you I think that may be on a more individual level only.

[Safed]

Ehh fair enough. Although people can choose who they are attracted to.

Not according to some people here. On this page, in fact. They've tried it.

You can't change who you are attracted to any easier than you can change whether or not you like the taste of sewer water.

Unfortunately the second half of that sentence has unfortunate implications.

[Gossia]

I agree it's not a choice no more than anyone born with a mental or physical disability! Yet we blame those who commit crimes with being a product of their surroundings or poor upbringing. Is it not true that these people had no choice in their actions? I for one am tired of being forced to except peoples actions as being normal (when in my understanding) it's just a matter of a birth defect! After all these actions of homosexuals do not fit into the prepetual design of life. This being said, I don't believe these people deserve any harm and are free to live their lives in the manner they choose!! But please stop with forcing others to except your lifestyle as much as you denounce theirs. And finally, I hope everyone with or with out a choice a happy life experience provided it brings no harm to another Human being. Thank You

[The United Soviet Socialist Republic]

I agree it's not a choice no more than anyone born with a mental or physical disability! Yet we blame those who commit crimes with being a product of their surroundings or poor upbringing. Is it not true that these people had no choice in their actions? I for one am tired of being forced to except peoples actions as being normal (when in my understanding) it's just a matter of a birth defect! After all these actions of homosexuals do not fit into the prepetual design of life. This being said, I don't believe these people deserve any harm and are free to live their lives in the manner they choose!! But please stop with forcing others to except your lifestyle as much as you denounce theirs. And finally, I hope everyone with or with out a choice a happy life experience provided it brings no harm to another Human being. Thank You

What? You choose to be gay or straight, you choose who you go out with.

[Condunum]

I agree it's not a choice no more than anyone born with a mental or physical disability! Yet we blame those who commit crimes with being a product of their surroundings or poor upbringing. Is it not true that these people had no choice in their actions? I for one am tired of being forced to except peoples actions as being normal (when in my understanding) it's just a matter of a birth defect! After all these actions of homosexuals do not fit into the prepetual design of life. This being said, I don't believe these people deserve any harm and are free to live their lives in the manner they choose!! But please stop with forcing others to except your lifestyle as much as you denounce theirs. And finally, I hope everyone with or with out a choice a happy life experience provided it brings no harm to another Human being. Thank You

What? You choose to be gay or straight, you choose who you go out with.

No to the first, yes to the second. I did not choose my sexuality, but I have the ability to choose who I date. It's not a hard concept.

[The Archregimancy]

The seven deadly sins have been a part of Christian morality from early Christianity.

Not necessarily.

The seven deadly sins weren't defined as such until 590 AD, when Pope Gregory I edited an earlier list of eight sins outlined by a 4th-century Greek monk (Evagrius Ponticus) who was only trying to come up with a personal reference list of 'evil thoughts' rather than a defined doctrinal set.

Even then, the Catholic list remained somewhat fluid over the following centuries, and didn't achieve broad popularity within Catholic European theology until the 14th century, largely in the wake of Dante's Purgatorio, which used Gregory's list.

As such, they've never been part of Orthodox theology; there is no Orthodox list of sins graded in some sort of hierarchical order, just as there's no Orthodox conception of Original Sin or Purgatory.

As one Orthodox priest wrote when quizzed on the relevance of the Catholic 'deadly sins' to Orthodoxy, "Rather than worry about developing a list of sins to avoid, it would be much wiser to make a list of virtues and attitudes ... to achieve. While it is good to avoid places of temptation, it is better to seek places of inspiration".

Apologies to everyone else for the derail, but I thought that worth addressing quickly.

[Kalaspia-Shimarata]

I didn't chose to be straight it just happened.No one choses their sexuality. If they did, why would gays WANT to enter that life of ridicule and condemnation?

[The United Soviet Socialist Republic]

What? You choose to be gay or straight, you choose who you go out with.

No to the first, yes to the second. I did not choose my sexuality, but I have the ability to choose who I date. It's not a hard concept.

Sexuality revolves almost completly around dating.

[Varijnland]

I didn't choose to be straight, I just am. gays don't choose to be gay

[Ifreann]

No to the first, yes to the second. I did not choose my sexuality, but I have the ability to choose who I date. It's not a hard concept.

Sexuality revolves almost completly around dating.

Since when?

[Condunum]

No to the first, yes to the second. I did not choose my sexuality, but I have the ability to choose who I date. It's not a hard concept.

Sexuality revolves almost completly around dating.

No, it doesn't. If you want to claim that, prove it. Almost nothing revolves around dating; dating is a method of social bonding.

[The United Soviet Socialist Republic]

Sexuality revolves almost completly around dating.

No, it doesn't. If you want to claim that, prove it. Almost nothing revolves around dating; dating is a method of social bonding.

Sexuality is who you are attracted to, who you date, and who you have sex with.

[Condunum]

No, it doesn't. If you want to claim that, prove it. Almost nothing revolves around dating; dating is a method of social bonding.

Sexuality is who you are attracted to, who you date, and who you have sex with.

No, it's who you're attracted to, full stop. Nothing past that defines sexuality. Who you date and have sex with is personal choice, and is influenced by sexuality.

[Northern Dominus]

No to the first, yes to the second. I did not choose my sexuality, but I have the ability to choose who I date. It's not a hard concept.

Sexuality revolves almost completly around dating.

....and you have citations regarding studies to back that up? Because I have a few saying you're very wrong.
http://www.religioustolerance.org/hom_caus.htm
http://www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/about-a ... ation.page
http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/arc ... logy/4683/

And while there is no discernible concrete reason as to why one person is hetero, and another is gay, but ethical research is shedding new light on the subject.
http://www.gaybros.com/

Any questions?

[Raeyh]

As such, they've never been part of Orthodox theology; there is no Orthodox list of sins graded in some sort of hierarchical order, just as there's no Orthodox conception of Original Sin or Purgatory.

Huh, didn't know that. I'll still consider myself damned anyway, since I was born a Catholic.

As one Orthodox priest wrote when quizzed on the relevance of the Catholic 'deadly sins' to Orthodoxy, "Rather than worry about developing a list of sins to avoid, it would be much wiser to make a list of virtues and attitudes ... to achieve. While it is good to avoid places of temptation, it is better to seek places of inspiration".

You mean chastity, temperance, charity, diligence, patience, kindness, and humility?

[Farnhamia]

No to the first, yes to the second. I did not choose my sexuality, but I have the ability to choose who I date. It's not a hard concept.

Sexuality revolves almost completly around dating.

Ah ... no. Wherever did you get that idea?

[Condunum]

Sexuality revolves almost completly around dating.

Ah ... no. Wherever did you get that idea?

He has never specified, and I doubt he ever will.

[Farnhamia]

Ah ... no. Wherever did you get that idea?

He has never specified, and I doubt he ever will.

Then he should be asked whenever he says it.

[Kalaspia-Shimarata]

No, it doesn't. If you want to claim that, prove it. Almost nothing revolves around dating; dating is a method of social bonding.

Sexuality is who you are attracted to, who you date, and who you have sex with.[/quote]
No. You can be a male who is attracted to males but chose not to persue it, instead date women who you not in the slightest attracted to and have sex with tose same women simply because you want to fit in and/or you are pressurised by your family, you are still gay, aren't you?

[Northern Dominus]

He has never specified, and I doubt he ever will.

Then he should be asked whenever he says it.

Gawd at this rate with all of the non-info I'm gonna run out of CITATION PLEASE! bombs.

If only NSG worked on APA citation standards...

[Condunum]

He has never specified, and I doubt he ever will.

Then he should be asked whenever he says it.

It's USSR. He doesn't base his information off of much besides the bible, so it'll probably never happen.

[Condunum]

Then he should be asked whenever he says it.

Gawd at this rate with all of the non-info I'm gonna run out of CITATION PLEASE! bombs.

If only NSG worked on APA citation standards...

Posting would be hell.