What is your response to people who say that being gay is a choice?

By Dan Savage, November 10, 2010

I spoke at Pacific University in Forest Grove, Oregon, last Thursday night. PU students submitted a lot more questions—anonymous, on three-by-five-inch cards—than I could possibly answer in the 90 minutes we had together. So I’m going to use this week’s column to answer some of the PU questions I didn’t get to.

[Umninimuzi]

I have to agree with Dan Savage that the problem, basically, is ... well, Christians, all of them--the loud, conservative ones and the quiet 'NALT's, as he calls them, the ones who are 'not all like that' but refuse to speak up.

Which also answers the 'choice' question. In my experience, the claim that homosexuality is a choice is always raised in the context of "... and you made the wrong choice because the Bible says so." So it is not a genuine question, but an accusation, and therefore does not require an answer.

[Frank Stanton]

I tell them that their religion IS a choice and that they CAN change their religion IF they just pray hard enough.

(And contrary to popular belief, there ARE Christian denominations that welcome gay and lesbian people and ordain gay and lesbian people into the ministry. I have known many gay and lesbian pastors.)

[gemelk]

Frank Stanton wrote:

I tell them that their religion IS a choice and that they CAN change their religion IF they just pray hard enough.
(And contrary to popular belief, there ARE Christian denominations that welcome gay and lesbian people and ordain gay and lesbian people into the ministry. I have known many gay and lesbian pastors.)

Well Frank - another rare occasion on which we agree.

Religion is ALWAYS a choice and there are many good Christians out there fighting for LGBT rights and equality.

Eric

[Legal_American]

Christians need to stick with the teachings of Jesus who loves everyone and expects the same of us. In all his teachings there is not one word about love everyone, except homosexuals or others who are different from you.

Christians also need to learn that we have a Constitution in this country which governs us, not the Bible. Otherwise we would live in a theocracy.

[jlackey71]

Like i have always said a leopard can't change his spots.
we can't change who we are!!!

and we fight on

[Frank Stanton]

Sexual Preference is Innate. Religion is a Choice. If they refuse to change their heterosexuality, then I refuse (can't) to change mine, and that they have offended me to the highest degree with their selfish demand. They are selfish because they don't care about me, they only care about themselves and b@llshit their choosen religion has forced them to believe.

:(

PEACE.

Frank

[jlackey71]

Frank Stanton wrote:

Sexual Preference is Innate. Religion is a Choice. If they refuse to change their heterosexuality, then I refuse (can't) to change mine, and that they have offended me to the highest degree with their selfish demand. They are selfish because they don't care about me, they only care about themselves and b@llshit their choosen religion has forced them to believe.
:(
PEACE.
Frank

You tell'em Frank

and we fight on

[gemelk]

Frank Stanton wrote:

Sexual Preference is Innate. Religion is a Choice. If they refuse to change their heterosexuality, then I refuse (can't) to change mine, and that they have offended me to the highest degree with their selfish demand. They are selfish because they don't care about me, they only care about themselves and b@llshit their choosen religion has forced them to believe.
:(
PEACE.
Frank

Sexual ORIENTATION ... is innate.

It's only a "preference" for bisexuals.

Eric