Originally posted by Skinwalker:
I think your perspective on the population problem is a bit misdirected. It isn't population that is the problem, as has been demonstrated many times by many anthropologists and sociologists. It's easy for the neo-Malthusians to point the finger at population, since the correlations are easy to show. But correlation does not imply causation.Of course population is the problem. Once again you disregard the practical reality of the human condition in favour of dry best-case scenarios: Our society is intractable. It's not going to change to make our massive population growth "alright".
If you throw two wild animals into a bag together, you don't blame their "social maladjustment" for the fact that they rip each other to shreds. No, you blame the fact that you threw them into the bag together. Their nature was not the "problem", your actions were the "problem". Likewise blaming social issues for the fact that our massive population problem is ripping the natural world to shreds and ensuring our doom along with it... is meaningless.
Population growth can be directly affected, by war, by releasing diseases into the population, by compulsory sterilisation,.. All methods that I advocate, by the way. :D Society cannot be changed so easily.
Originally posted by Skinwalker:
A female who is inexperienced often doesn't lubricate well at first.And men, experienced or inexperienced... don't naturally lubricate at all. So once again we see that anal intercourse is naturally, inherently riskier under all circumstances. Even if artificial lubricant is used on the anus, it can equally well be used on the vagina so the formula is:
Anus + KY = lubricated
Vagina + Natural lubricant + KY = better lubricated.
Anus loses, flawless victory.
Originally posted by Skinwalker:
With regard to anal intercourse, the average penis isn't that large, but the anus obviously adapts well enough to accept one -otherwise, it wouldn't occurWhat? :confused: The anus will theoretically stretch to accomodate a beach-ball. That doesn't mean that shoving a beach ball into your bottom is in any way "okay". It's not designed to accomodate such an object, and therefore its structural tolerances are not high enough to safely do so.
Originally posted by Skinwalker:
The use of lubrication and the adaptive ability of the anus create a situation that is about as likely to be damaged. This is all basic anatomy/biology.As likely to be damaged... as the vagina? Surely you're joking. I've stated quite clearly previously the "basic anatomy" that the rectal walls are both thinner and less elastic than vaginal walls. That is why epidemiologists discussing the spread of severe STDs refer specifically to anal sex as "the highest risk".
Originally posted by Skinwalker:
But if you want to continue to claim otherwise, I'm open to seeing your sources since it's your claim that the anus is more prone to damage than the vagina during sex.
Well this is pretty basic stuff, Skin. You'll be asking for my "sources" to confirm my assertion that the sky is blue, next. :D
Seriously, here are some mentions:
http://66.102.9.104/search?q=cache:ydr5GltbVRkJ:www.howsthat.co.uk/03/07/030705.htm+&hl=en)
"... unprotected anal intercourse poses a greater risk of transmission than any other sexual activity. The tissue inside the anus is much softer than vaginal tissue and it is also less elastic and less well lubricated. Therefore, anal tissue is more prone to tearing during intercourse: this increases the risk of bleeding and therefore provides more opportunity for viral transmission.
..."
http://www.stdservices.on.net/std/hiv-aids/details.htm)
"... Anal intercourse without a condom is the highest risk sexual activity because the rectal lining is fragile and prone to tearing, thus allowing easy access for infected blood and semen. ..."
http://health.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=2700http://health.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=2700)
"... Unprotected anal sex is one of the high risk behaviors associated with HIV/AIDS. The anus has a more fragile lining than the vagina that can tear very easily. ..."
Here I have shown that under the same conditions, the anus and the vagina do NOT have the same structural tolerances. I think therefore, on the topic of whether anal sex is inherently more risky than other forms of copulation... The day is mine.
Originally posted by Skinwalker:
Your risks are based on promiscuity. Not homosexual behavior. It isn't the nature of the sex that creates the risk, it's the promiscuity.Wrong.
A man with HIV has consentual unprotected vaginal intercourse with a woman who does not have HIV. They use KY jelly.
A man with HIV has consentual unprotected anal sex with another man who does not have HIV. They use KY jelly.
Patently, the latter has a greater chance of infecting his partner. The number of other partners either of them have had has no bearing on this simple comparison. My statements have in NO WAY been based on the "promiscuity" angle, quite deliberately so I might add. QED.
Originally posted by Skinwalker:
Promiscuous heterosexuals are just as likely to contract HIV as a homosexual.
I'm sorry but this statement is just UTTERLY wrong, because it is patently without meaning.
A promiscuous heterosexual who does not use contraception has vaginal intercourse once with... twenty different women in the space of a month.
A promiscuous homosexual who does not use contraception has anal intercourse once with twenty different men in the space of a month.
Here we have something with MEANING. Here we see the obvious, that the risk of blood-borne infection is greater in the latter case.
Originally posted by Skinwalker:
Being homosexual in orientation, doesn't imply that there is sex.Once again, fantasising about a something in your HEAD... has little or no meaning in the real world. You can fantasise about a beanbag, but unless you actually hump said beanbag, it is an entire irrelevance. Celibate people have no impact on the sexual portion of society. ;)
Originally posted by Skinwalker:
There are definite risks associated with engaging in homosexual acts because of the promiscuous nature of the population. That can't be denied.Glad you've added the culturally intrenched promiscuity angle. I couldn't, lest I be accused of homophobic generalisations. ;) Yes, presuming your statement that homosexual culture is inherently more promiscuous than hetero culture is correct... the risk of being drawn into it is another logical reason not to engage in homosexual practices.
Originally posted by Skinwalker:
Yes, but legislation to ban or make illegal the consumption of fast-food or refusal to excercise wouldn't stand a chance.Maybe you're labouring under the misapprehension that I've lobbied to "ban" homosexual practices? I haven't. I've merely stated the fact that those engaging in homosexual practices are taking greater risks. It's a logical reason not to engage in homosexual practices, therefore.
Originally posted by Skinwalker:
That statement assumes that homosexuality is a behavior that is decided upon rather than a sexual orientation that the individual has no control over.Well, engaging in homosexual practices IS a matter of choice. And as I said before, if one were to merely be a homosexual in one's HEAD... then one's sexuality wouldn't be a practical issue. Simply wouldn't.
Originally posted by Skinwalker:
Your responses to others that raised this objection are absurd. You really mean to say that two people cannot be romantically involved -feeling "love" for one another- and thus considering themselves to be in a heterosexual relationship?Friends feel love for one another. What separates a sexual relationship from a friendship? Why, sex of course! Sexual relationships will at one point or another, involve sexual activity of some sort. Love has nothing to do with sexuality. One loves one's family, one's dog... one does not necessarily HUMP the dog. Biologically speaking, the romantic love between partners that you are referring to is a prelude to- or a result of- mating, that is all.
I think you're tied up with social conventions and terminology, Skin. I can call any girl "my girlfriend". Any girl could call me "her boyfriend". I can THINK of any girl as "my girlfriend," any girl could THINK of me as "her boyfriend". But mating or the pursuit of mating is what defines these relationships as "sexual". The fact that the concept of romance has become socially divorced from mating... is a cerebral topic entirely unrelated to sex. And sexuality without the act of sex is merely fantasy.
Plus, something I failed to add earlier: If all you've ever done is fantasise about something, you have no idea whether you'll enjoy the reality or not. Hetero people have experimented with homosexuality, realised it's not for them, and remained firmly hetero until their demise. And vice-versa. So if even an instance of ACTUAL SEX isn't enough to define one's sexuality, how much less does fantasy define one's sexuality?
A lot less, that's how much.
Originally posted by Skinwalker:
I'm not suggesting that there is compelling evidence.I never said you suggested so. You said specifically: "There actually is some evidence to suggest that homosexuality has genetic roots." I showed that that evidence was NOT compelling. It was important to make the point, because you yourself did not include any mention of the comparable evidence to the contrary.
Originally posted by Skinwalker:
In the Aug. 6 issue of the journal Science, Hamer states, "as noted by Rice et al., there is substantial evidence from family and twin studies, such as those reported by Pillard, Bailey and colleagues, that sexual orientation is genetically influenced."
Since Bailey did not examine genetic sequences, Hamer's remark is somewhat irrelevant to the point of whether Rice's study was a valid recreation of Hamer's, isn't it. . ;) The point is that Hamer's study was recreated independently and this recreation did not support his results. Thus, evidence which is NOT compelling. Evidence... with a NEGATIVE value of compelling. "-compelling".
Originally posted by Skinwalker:
I think you'd have to actually read the articles rather than googling them and reading secondary or tertiary criticisms of them.Heh, please debate on the merits of my points, rather than trying to sidetrack the discussion by questioning my methods of acquiring the data from which I formulate the points. :p
Originally posted by Skinwalker:
If it was so irrelevant, it wouldn't be such a socially controversial subject.Of course it would, utterly trivial foolishness is considered by the majority of society to be of the most vital importance. Soap operas, reality TV shows, fashion, body-image... all the most meaningless tosh in society is simultaneously the most thought-about, read-about and talked-about.
Let's face it, sexual orientation is a trivial thing compared to the problems people face every day. And the problems we face as a race. But just as we can spend hours upon hours discussing... a movie, we can also discuss this issue. The trouble is some people just take it all too seriously, the homosexual activists, the bible-belt, and a lot of people in between genuinely think that this issue is in some way vital. Clearly they are incorrect. Their time would be better spent campaigning for ecological policy change rather than campaigning for their right to molest their pet sheep. :D
Originally posted by Skinwalker:
I'm assuming that you aren't that frustrated by the issue, since you've discussed it quite throroughly in this threadUh-uh, doesn't follow. I don't consider Star Wars to be the most important thing in the world... yet I'm willing to discuss it.
Originally posted by Skinwalker:
But where you see "bickering" among scientists, I see genuine curiousity and desire to discover the truth.... and bickering. Come now, you must admit that the scientific community is rife with petty self-interest. The trouble is that science is their career, and office politics infects all workplaces now, doesn't it.
Originally posted by Skinwalker:
Where you see "abberant, perverse sexuality being glorified," I see a class of people being discriminated against.
Yeah, the poor old plushies are oppressed, they can't legally marry their "tickle-me-Elmo".
Please. Those who have (harmless) sexual perversions in MY country don't know what discrimination IS. They can come back and talk to me about discrimination when their vote is taken away, or they're shipped off to Australia or something. I'm really not concerned about people's sexual perversions, they aren't concerned about mine, let's keep it that way and find something more vital to spend our time lobbying for. Marriage is outmoded anyway, campaigning for the right to marriage is like campaigning for the right to wear a medieval suit of armour.
Originally posted by Skinwalker:
Where you see "mad liberals," I see normal people fed up with the oppression and hatred of fascists and religious nutters.Liberalism can be just as mad as right-wing authoritarianism, Skin. Anyone who thinks it can't is naive. Conservatives take away the jobs of the poor and the immigrants... but liberalism pushed too far takes away the jobs of the middle class and the indigenous, to GIVE to the poor and immigrants. I saw it first hand in the UK. Reverse discrimination leading to a drop in the quality of employees and services, qualified people passed over in favour of unqualified- in some cases illiterate- people. If political culture is extreme in ANY way, someone suffers. It's an enormous see-saw of meaninglessness, where people trade places in jobs and class, over and over and over and instead of improving things for EVERYONE, the politicians give concessions to each pressure group IN TURN... and so they never have to spend too much money. ;)
It's the obsession people have with trivial and self-indulgent issues- such as the gay marriage issue- that allows us to be controlled by a malevolent ruling class that remains unaffected by all of our empassioned social "upheaval".
As for adoption, as previously stated there's no logical or scientific reason why homosexual couples should not be allowed to adopt... provided they meet the same stringent requirements as hetero couples, that is.