Homosexuality and morality
Many people have an opinion on the morality of homosexuality. Advocacy concerning this issue tends to fall into any of the following categories:
- It is immoral
- It is not immoral
- The question is irrelevant
Advocates of the view that homosexuality is immoral consist chiefly of followers of various religions, especially Christianity. Basing their opinion on interpretations on various verses in the Old and New Testaments, they conclude that God has forbidden homosexual acts. Adding this prohibition to their concept of sexual morality as a code of conduct or set of rules governing sexual behavior, these advocates conclude that homosexual acts are immoral.
Advocates of the view that homosexuality is not immoral include many highly vocal members of the above-named religions, but their intrepretation of the same scripture verses diverges sharply. While generally conceding the validity of the concept of sexual morality as a code of conduct or set of rules governing sexual behavior, these advocates conclude that homosexual acts are not immoral.
A third group of advocates considers the whole question to be irrelevant, on various grounds. Some of these advocates assert that rules governing sexual behavior are themselves immoral, on the grounds that each person must be free to make their own decisions regarding their sexual behavior. Others assert that it is wrong for one person to judge another's behavior (often citing Jesus' dictum "Judge not, lest ye be judged"); hence, all discussion about other's sexual behavior is off-limits.
The view that sexual orientation is not a matter of choice, but rather genetically determined, informs the views of many advocates in the latter two groups. If an individual's attraction to members of the same sex is the result of heredity, as is skin color and the shape of facial features, these advocates argue that it should not a moral concern at all. They further argue that homosexuals should enjoy the same rights as heterosexuals, just as blacks are regarded as being entitled to the same rights as whites. Advocates of the first position either deny that sexual orientation is genetically determined, or observe that not everything genetically determined is consequently healthy or moral.
Finally, yet another point of view states that it doesn't matter whether or not homosexuality is a choice - that the sex of one's sexual partner simply is of no ethical relevance.
See: causes of sexual orientation, Religion and homosexuality, sex, sexual morality