Freethought & Rationalism Archive

Mageth · 06-28-2002, 08:06 AM

In case anyone is reading this thread late, please read the original context I said the above in...

god-free-pen · 06-29-2002, 10:51 AM

Can someone help me with this?

Nature always has a purpose for variations in the human species (animal species, too). Sometimes the male animal (like seahorses) carries the eggs, etc.

WHAT IS NATURE'S PURPOSE FOR THE HOMOSEXUAL VARIATION?

I have tried for years to get an answer to this or even to explore it and come to my own conclusion but cannot settle on anything I feel is reasonably correct.

bonduca · 06-29-2002, 11:23 AM

What is nature's purpose for any sort of enjoyable sexual activity which does not result in pregnancy?

Shadowy Man · 06-29-2002, 11:28 AM

The simple answer is that Nature has no purpose.

One of the last sane · 06-29-2002, 02:33 PM

I haven't read this book, but at <a href="http://www.daedalusbooks.com" target="_blank">www.daedalusbooks.com</a> you can buy a remaindered book called Biological Exuberance, which apparently is all about the fact that "homosexuality in its myriad forms has been scientifically documented in more than 450 species of mammals, birds, reptiles, insects, and other animals worldwide".
I don't know if the author has any theories on why it is so common. Anybody here read it?

Jezebel · 06-30-2002, 01:14 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Princess of Peace:
<strong>Not all Christians are like that. Up here in Seattle, there's a Methodist minister who proclaimed he was gay at an annual conference, and the bishop didn't even throw him out! He still preaches with full authority.</strong>

Yeah, I live right up the street from that particular church. I remember the story and was really quite impressed. The congregation also was very supportive of him. It certainly is an exception to the rule though. I used to live in Pittsburgh and I can't imagine people reacting the same way there.

Yellow3 · 06-30-2002, 12:35 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by One of last of the sane:
<strong>I haven't read this book, but at <a href="http://www.daedalusbooks.com" target="_blank">www.daedalusbooks.com</a> you can buy a remaindered book called Biological Exuberance, which apparently is all about the fact that "homosexuality in its myriad forms has been scientifically documented in more than 450 species of mammals, birds, reptiles, insects, and other animals worldwide".
I don't know if the author has any theories on why it is so common. Anybody here read it?</strong>

Read it when it came out as a new book in my school library (I was bored). Well, more I skimmed it - it's a pretty thick book. I got the impression that some of the examples were really stretching. His example of male giraffes getting visibly aroused while necking each other in territorial battles, then the winner mounting the loser, sounds more to me like a dominance thing than a homosexual thing, for example. I think a lot of the other behavior was explained as subordinate males unable to get access to the females 'making do' with one another instead (what this means, I don't know). It seemed like he was hell-bent on proving that this sort of thing is natural, and that a lot of the 'evidence' he presents was shoehorned into that bias.

But hell, I suppose the same could be said for any animal-behavior book, and as I said it's just a first impression based on skimming. YMMV.

- Jen

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06-28-2002, 08:06 AM	#31
Mageth Contributor Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Deep in the heart of mother-lovin' Texas Posts: 29,689	In case anyone is reading this thread late, please read the original context I said the above in...

06-29-2002, 10:51 AM	#32
god-free-pen Regular Member Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Navarre, FL Posts: 109	Can someone help me with this? Nature always has a purpose for variations in the human species (animal species, too). Sometimes the male animal (like seahorses) carries the eggs, etc. WHAT IS NATURE'S PURPOSE FOR THE HOMOSEXUAL VARIATION? I have tried for years to get an answer to this or even to explore it and come to my own conclusion but cannot settle on anything I feel is reasonably correct.

06-29-2002, 11:23 AM	#33
bonduca Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: . Posts: 1,653	What is nature's purpose for any sort of enjoyable sexual activity which does not result in pregnancy?

06-29-2002, 11:28 AM	#34
Shadowy Man Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: A Shadowy Planet Posts: 7,585	The simple answer is that Nature has no purpose.

06-29-2002, 02:33 PM	#35
One of the last sane Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: hereabouts Posts: 734	I haven't read this book, but at <a href="http://www.daedalusbooks.com" target="_blank">www.daedalusbooks.com</a> you can buy a remaindered book called Biological Exuberance, which apparently is all about the fact that "homosexuality in its myriad forms has been scientifically documented in more than 450 species of mammals, birds, reptiles, insects, and other animals worldwide". I don't know if the author has any theories on why it is so common. Anybody here read it?

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