by Randy Duckworth

Created on: March 27, 2009

There's an old saying that the surest way to get into an argument with someone is to discuss one of two subjects: politics or religion. While that may be true, it is not necessarily the complete truth, because that list of hot topics should be expanded to include homosexuality in general, and this question in particular. This question has long been the subject of fiercely heated debate; few others can open that proverbial "can of worms" like the issue of nature vs. nurture.

I feel that homosexuality is an issue that can never be fully understood unless it has been a part of your personal experience; if you have never experienced homosexual feelings or had to deal with the related issues that arise from it...either for yourself, or because of a friend or loved one in your life who is gay...then there is no possible way that you could even begin to comprehend it, and you are therefore not even qualified to be debating the question in the first place! With that said, here are my views on the subject.

The first problem that we encounter when trying to answer this question, is that no one seems to be able to agree on exactly how the word "natural" is to be defined in this case. Using the most common definition of the word, natural is defined as "anything which exists in or is created by nature." Homosexual people come into the world in the same manner as every other type of person. We are not hatched from pods; we are not alien invaders; therefore, it stands to reason that this definition of natural would apply to us every bit as much as it applies to anyone or anything else!

I have never understood the logic that leads people to believe that homosexuality is chosen; it is just a complete mystery to me how anyone could ever arrive at that conclusion. Consider how gay people are regarded by the rest of society. We are hated; we are socially ostracized; we are accused of "recruiting" people into our lifestyle; we are accused of being child molesters, and sometimes even far more heinous things...and that's without even mentioning the horrible acts of violence that are often perpetrated against those of us who are gay. A person would have to be completely out of their mind to DELIBERATELY choose something that invites so much prejudice, hatred and ridicule into their lives.

Even though it has been more than thirty-five years since the medical and scientific communities removed homosexuality from their lists of mental disorders, and in spite of the fact that there is an

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