I've been following this thread in silence and I just had to jump in here. A few comments made by various learned people recently made me question the level of common knowledge about homosexuality until Dr. Joaquim DeSouza took the time and trouble to get us all on the same page. Of course, there will be some who will question his sources as they question everything else and refuse to accept it. That is their prerogative.
Everyone seems to be caught up on the SEX part of homosexuality which is a natural tendency for moralists. However, it is the 'homo' part which interests me (taking the liberty to assign homo to the species ie. homo sapiens rather than the more appropriate and intended 'same'ness). As far as we know, there is little doubt as to the genetic component for sexual orientation but a far less known statistic is that a higher than normal percentage of male homosexuals have heterosexual older brothers bringing into question the immunologic effects of a second male pregnancy and the interactions of hormonal influences on the developing fetus (in a sense, environmental). I'm sure someone will come up with relevant references but for now you will have to contend with this googled link http://www.yawningbread.org/arch_1997/yax-061.htm As Dr. DeSouza stated, various sexual orientations are a natural part of humanity since humans evolved. However, it has been suppressed by various agencies for various reasons. But now that our knowledge base is expanding, we need to be the instruments of change within the agencies we maintain our affiliations with, whether it be the church or the government (which is greatly inflenced by its' constituents' religious values). If there is an inherent desire for us, as humans, to publicly profess our love and committment to a spouse as in the sacrament and universal ceremony of marriage, why should it be denied to some on the basis of their orientation? As a former Catholic, my limited knowledge of Christianity confirms that the attitude of the Catholic church towards homosexuality and same-sex marriages is based on an antiquated view of this segment of the population. There appears to be an aspect of self-preservation within this as well judging from the fact that most vocations come from families with more than one male sibling, the first born usually carrying on the family name. I don't intend to disparage any of the Catholic clergy but this observation is a personal one and needs to be taken in context with my irreligious quest for the truth. Kevin Saldanha Mississauganagar, Canuckistan.