In 2005 a study conducted at the University of Illinois at Chicago and published in Human Genetics
indicated there were three different chromosomes that appeared to be
linked to sexual orientation. The researchers made it clear there is
not one “gay” gene, rather several areas associated with a tendency to be homosexual.
Other studies have focused on hormonal factors. One such
investigation, conducted at the University of California, Berkeley, and
published in the journal Nature, found that the level of male hormones in the womb could influence an unborn child’s future sexual orientation.
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Researchers in Sweden conducted the world’s largest twin study regarding sexual orientation. As reported in the Archives of Sexual Behavior,
the study involved 3,826 same-gender twin pairs. Some were identical
and some fraternal. By comparing the incidence of homosexuality among
the identical twins and contrasting that with the rate among the
fraternal twins, the researchers could estimate the influence of
genetics on sexual orientation.
They concluded that genetics accounted for around 35
percent of the difference between men in homosexual behavior. The
remainder was due to environmental factors after birth and factors
operating during fetal development. For women, genetics explained about
18 percent of the variation in same-sex behavior.
From these studies, it is clear that
sexual orientation is not determined by just one gene, nor is it
determined by choice. Yet legions of devoutly religious people
disregard the findings of science and contend that homosexuals are
making a choice to behave in a wicked manner that the Bible calls an
“abomination.”
In this age of supposed enlightenment,
homosexuals are still being condemned. A Google search of the phrase
“Homosexuality is a sin” illustrates this point when it produces nearly
2.5 million results.
