Thoughts about homosexuality
A response to a somewhat intolerant email on the topic. My response:
Homosexuality has been around for as long as humanity has. Hominids and other primates exhibit it, too. As a naturalist, I find it prevalent in many other species as well. It's only human beings who see the need to attribute moral values to certain forms of behaviour.
Heterosexual behaviour shades from rape,abuse, and casual sex on one side of the spectrum to committed, loving, long-standing relationships on the other. In my experience...so, too, does homosexual behaviour.
I feel that any behaviour (of any kind) that harms others is morally and ethically repugnant. But any expression of love between two consenting adults (of any kind) cannot be bad. Love is so difficult to find, why abominate any form of its expression?
And if we think that gays or lesbians do not exist in India, we are putting our heads in the sand.
I feel that life would be simpler if we accepted people as they are, without worrying about who they are sleeping with, or judging them for it. It's always comforting to adopt a moral high ground upon which we stand and condemn others...but life would be simpler if we accepted our fellow human-beings as they are...and condemn only behaviour that harms others.
Well, that's my opinion, and I understand that there will be many people whose views differ diametrically...or to different degrees.
Thank you for making me think about this, and articulating my thoughts!
Homosexuality has been around for as long as humanity has. Hominids and other primates exhibit it, too. As a naturalist, I find it prevalent in many other species as well. It's only human beings who see the need to attribute moral values to certain forms of behaviour.
Heterosexual behaviour shades from rape,abuse, and casual sex on one side of the spectrum to committed, loving, long-standing relationships on the other. In my experience...so, too, does homosexual behaviour.
I feel that any behaviour (of any kind) that harms others is morally and ethically repugnant. But any expression of love between two consenting adults (of any kind) cannot be bad. Love is so difficult to find, why abominate any form of its expression?
And if we think that gays or lesbians do not exist in India, we are putting our heads in the sand.
I feel that life would be simpler if we accepted people as they are, without worrying about who they are sleeping with, or judging them for it. It's always comforting to adopt a moral high ground upon which we stand and condemn others...but life would be simpler if we accepted our fellow human-beings as they are...and condemn only behaviour that harms others.
Well, that's my opinion, and I understand that there will be many people whose views differ diametrically...or to different degrees.
Thank you for making me think about this, and articulating my thoughts!