Scientists have discovered that certain genetic traits exist almost exclusively in homosexuals opposed to heterosexuals. This can be proven. But if we're looking at a homosexual and know that they had some event occur in their life, how can we deduce that this event played any role in their homosexuality?
I don't know who Bennett or Sneeringer are, but I do know that homosexuals can't "leave" homosexuality anymore than heterosexuals can leave heterosexuality. I'm a heterosexual and it would be impossible for me to make a choice to become homosexual. Simply impossible. I can make a choice to do a lot of things, and actually go through with them, that I wouldn't otherwise do. But I could NEVER make myself attracted to another man. Nothing is there because I was born straight, not gay.
It appears that, like Nordic, you're using a floating definition of "homosexual" or "gay". As for your NEVER being able to make yourself attracted to another man, one well-placed traumatic event can make that attraction a reality. Do you think male prisoners go into the slammer, intially attracted to other men? I don't. But, if some of them get beat up or raped enough times, their minds can get bent to the point, when the attractions emerge.
That reminds me of a movie I saw years ago. You may have heard of it, "Higher Learning". If you've seen it you may recall the girl in that movie gets raped by a frat guy (actually, she initially consents to sex but, while actually doing, she tells him to stop because he doesn't have a rubber on him).
Fearful that the police won't believe her, because she did consent (and had been drinking), she feels isolated and vulnerable. The one person who befriends her just happens to be a lesbian. Next thing you know, her friendship becomes attraction and she has her first lesbian encounter.
My father was estranged when I was a child. Yet I'm totally heterosexual. You're finding some random event in someone's life and trying to apply it to something later in their life, but it just doesn't fit. Is there any proof that this persons estranged father (or the womans abuse) had any affect on their sexuality? Any proof?
I'm not finding some "random" events. The events are recurring, as I've mentioned earlier. And the proof is in the lives of the people themselves. Once again, you show your tendency to ignore real-world observations and actions, because they clash with certain scientific studies that support your view on the issue.
There have been plenty of studies done showing genetic characteristics of homosexuality. It's a very complex thing, and there is no 1 single thing that can influence homosexuality. It's a lot of things. Hormone levels during birth are one big influence.
Why can't doctors figure out who is gay and who isn't before they become adults? Doctors probably can to some accuracy, but who would support such an initiative?
If they could, they would have done so, long before now. They are studying people AFTER they have "come out" (likely having already engaged in homosexual activity).
Can homosexuality influence a persons genes? I don't see how. Genes are influenced by things like sexuality. The only things that can influence genes are traumatic life events like exposure to radiation or chemicals, etc. Genes are quite concrete and are rarely changed during life, especially not by someone's sexuality.
Can sexual contact permanently alter the brain? I don't know. Perhaps more likely if someone is a child. I'm not disputing the fact that molestation can have a role in later sexuality. Children brains are very plastic and can be changed quite easily, and thus some experience like this may have an influence on the persons sexuality.
But this would only mean that an environment factor (like child abuse) would simply make it "more likely" for someone to become homosexual as an adult, as their genes for such are already there. This is why not all kids who were molested are gay today.
(and why only a few % of gay people were molested) So in the end, Genes make the difference.
If genes made the difference, people like the ones mentioned would be gay, no matter what behavior changes were made or any aspects of their lives addressed. But, as seen in these people (and others like them) that simply isn't the case. Plus, you said it yourself, there are multiple factors involved and, as is often the case, those factors play their part in one's sexuality.
