AIDS & Abortion: 2M deaths yearly

[Redefeatbush04]

Bram, I have to say this - you don't know as much about pyschology as you think you do. No offense, and I'll correct you on the biggest thing I saw wrong with your argument - schizophrenia.

You say schizophrenia is a cognitive disorder - you are wrong. It is cognitive, in the sense that it affects behavior, but unlike a phobia the biggest causes are not cognitive. Most recent research on schizophrenia shows that the major causes of it are neurological and probably genetic(having a close relative with it increases your chances of having it, twin studies also show this as well) - for more info go here. I'm not denying the possibility of some cognitive causes, but for the most part science shows it to be biological in nature.

Other diseases that have cognitive effects but biological causes: 
- Manic-depressive disorder, or bi-polar disorder
- Obsessive-Compulsive disorder
-Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, though admittedly this one is probably overdiagnosed. In many cases I think we just don't give children enough exercise time to release pent-up energy(I heard that the elementary school I used to go to cut recess out as well as shortened gym time, for instance.

Of course, then there's mixed bag cases like depression. Some people are biologically vulnerable to depression, but it usually takes cognitive factors to set it off, and treatment often involves both cognitive and medicinal therapy. All I listed above may also sometimes have cognitive factors, but usually biology is the biggest factor and medication is the biggest treatment.

Homosexuality is clearly behavioral in effect, but the causes are probably not all cognitive. We are not sure which it leans towards. Biological causes of something are vast, and just because they have not been found that does not imply they don't exist. I linked studies, very recent ones, that still need to be followed up - but that does not mean we should discount them, unless at some point they are disproven. I disputed many of the studies you listed, too much to really dig up and list, but, just as an example one of the journals used in a report you linked was misused by the author(I remember the researcher being furious her work was used in that way). I suppose only time and more research will tell. However, I think that it is more likely to lean on biological causes than cognitive, though in many cases it's probably 'mixed bag'. If genetics are involved, it may only be in terms of increasing risk - there is no one 'gay gene' as was insisted in the past. Like schizophrenia, the causes are not the same for everyone.


Now, as to the 'healthiness' of homosexuality. Based on what I've read from your posts, you think that homosexuality is unhealthy in itself - that being attracted to the same sex instead of the opposite is unhealthy. Please do correct me if I'm wrong on that. I do not think that is the case. I do believe that unchecked promiscuous behavior, whether homo or heterosexual, is unhealthy in that is has so many risks to one's health, both physical and mental, but simply being attracted by the same sex is not in of itself unhealthy.

I don't view two homosexuals who are monogamous with eachother, in a non-abusive relationship, as living an unhealthy lifestyle. If they are supportive and loving, it's a healthy relationship. There might be a few health factors, such as increased chance of anal tissue damange/infection during their gay sex, but overall that is not a big factor on the scale of health.

If two homosexuals are in a relationship, but they are promiscuous or abusive, then it's unhealthy.

I'm not really a relativist in the sense that you described - personally I think society can be filled with idiots, as it is in many places on the planet, and they are ignorant on what's actually healthy. Now, you do have to distinguish that healthy and moral are not the same things - some people view masturbation as unhealthy, but any doctor will tell you it has no real negative health effects. Society often defines what it views as moral or healthy, and that gives a general sense of the culture of the society, but not what is actually healthy. As far as health goes, I'd be more willing to ask for the consensus of studied medical professionals as well as some common-sense bolstered by self-study to determine what is healthy.

What I actually am is an individualist - I think people can hold their own standards of morality, though for society to function there usually has to be some consensus and compromise in the laws made. And, being an individualist, I don't generally lump people into groups - there are healthy homosexuals and there are unhealthy ones, just as with heterosexuals.

Excellent post Dibble. I agree wholeheartedly

BTW on a semi-random note, I have ADHD, and I do think it is overdiagnosed. While I know I am correctly diagnosed (13 of 15 symptoms and you only need, I think, 4), my friend was misdiagnosed