But seriously, I didn't mean to imply that evidence existed. In fact I assume it doesn't.
Oh, I see. Carry on then.
But for the record, IMO, it is mostly irrelevant anyway.
Oh I completely agree. However H seems (perhaps I'm wrong) to be arguing that we are able to convert all of the gays into straights and that gay people won't be a problem if we can just turn them all into straights. And if he's not arguing that, then I haven't a clue what he is.
Well, this is where I think the two sides of this argument often talk past one another. I do not like the term sexual orientation because I think it is both (1) a loaded term and (2) inaccurate. HOWEVER, putting that aside for a moment, let's assume for the sake of argument that sexual orientation is innate and unchangeable. (Again, I am not necessarily persuaded that that is true, but we'll go ahead and assume that) In that case, yes, you are correct that environment alone will not likely change one's orientation one way or the other. I would argue that, from a Christian standpoint, orientation is not the most relevant issue. The issue is, as I think H is trying to argue, solely one of expression. And no matter what one's orientation, Christianity gives only two options in terms of the expresssion of one's sexuality: (1) express it by engaging in sex within a marriage between a man and a woman; or (2) abstain and do not express it. No matter the source of one's desires, whether because of sexual orientation or some other factor that may for argument's sake be innate and unchangeable, or whether a product of one's enviroment, those are the only two options. So Christianity therefore teaches that if one is inclined to express their sexuality through any other means than those two options, one must discipline him- or herself to struggle against the temptation to do otherwise and to utilize one of those two options and to learn to be content with that. And I believe (and I think this goes more to what H is trying to argue) that most
can (and some
do), through a self-disciplined approach, come to change their expression and, over time, to varying degrees, change their preference of how they express their sexuality, whether they ever truly change their orientation or not.
That was not easy to articulate, but hopefully I got my point across, whether you disagree with it or not.