Author Topic: Gay Marriage  (Read 11758 times)

Offline Thrawn

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« Reply #150 on: June 26, 2005, 05:40:38 PM »
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Originally posted by Gunslinger
ants and bees are insects.  They have very little in common with humans.


You implied that it is "unnatural" for a member of a species not to have an imperative to procreate.  I have shown you where in nature not only does it occur but is part of the survival system for a species.
« Last Edit: June 26, 2005, 05:45:50 PM by Thrawn »

Offline Gunslinger

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« Reply #151 on: June 26, 2005, 05:48:19 PM »
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Originally posted by Thrawn
You implied that it is "unnatural" for a member of a species not to have an imperative to procreate.  I have shown you where in nature not only does it occur but is part of the survival system for a species.


well what about humans, primates, dogs, cats, and pretty much the rest of the mammle world?

I have now showed you in nature were it is un-natural and counter productive to procreation and survival.  

bees and ants have no bearing on the subject nor are they applicable to the current conversation.

Offline -dead-

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« Reply #152 on: June 26, 2005, 06:01:18 PM »
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Originally posted by Gunslinger
not to be a jerk but go back and read everything in this thread that lead me saying those statements.

The orriginal context was that homsexuality was against nature and/or unatural.

The above examples you give prove my point.  In those times humanity as a species was thriving NOT barely on the edge of survival.  If it were on the latter homosexuals would not be usfull for procreation of the species itself.

Im not saying Gayness is a bad thing I am saying it is un-natural.  Men flying through the air is unatural.  We don't have wings, if the ones we built to fly us fail we fall to the ground to our deaths
Well in that case to make your point, you'll have to define a few of those rather ambiguous terms.

For example: what is natural? What is nature? What is against nature?

I'm a bit of a literalist, so I'd basically define anything that happens in nature as being natural. So in my book, things that are against nature by definition can't happen. So flying is natural, and gayness is natural - after all they both happen in nature (yes, even aeroplanes are natural). Indeed anything that actually happens no matter how odd it may seem is by definition not against nature. My definition is a bit all-encompassing to be of much use to you, but I find it avoids a lot of hypocrisy, confusion and subjective judgement on the whole natural/unnatural dichotomy.

Also once we've got past the 3 easy questions above, you should probably go into a little more detail to clarify your stance further:

What other "unnatural" traits or things that are "against nature" are not useful for the species? The blind? Deaf people? Asthma? Diabetes? Six fingers? Extra nipples? Autism? Albinos? Pygmies? Schizophrenia? A short temper? Tall people or Short people? Long sighted? Short sighted? Dyslexia?Where do you draw the line?

Should you subscribe to gayness being a genetic thing, given that we're all ultimately African (according to the accepted scientific theories so far) — are white people more or less natural than gay people? How about even smaller groups - like people with blue eyes? And seeing as you feel left-footers are against nature, what are your views on left-handers?

If on the other hand, you prefer to look at homosexuality as being down to just a sexual preference, to make things clearer, you'd best include  some of the other sexual preferences and point out which are natural and helpful for the species and which aren't: is liking blondes good or bad for the species? Is it natural?

In fact, it's probably best if you lay out in as precise detail as is possible in the new O club what exactly is "normal" or "natural" in human sexuality. Because we all have our likes and dislikes, so I'd submit that there is no such thing as normal or natural when you get right down to the details — I think it was Masters & Johnson that came up with the thought-provoking statistic that around 80% of what people considered perversion was perfectly normal human sexual behaviour.

You'll also have to pinpoint at what point humanity was on the edge of survival - because I'm entirely unclear as to when this time may have been. Do then please point to the research showing that there were no homosexuals during that period of humanity balancing on the edge. Otherwise it would seem that this is merely speculation on your part about the sexual behaviour of the human species at your posited "edge of survival" time.

And unless you can provide a time, and some convincing evidence pointing to a distinct lack of homosexuality at that time, the examples I posted prove nothing more than that an individual can be useful to the species without having to reproduce or be heterosexual.
« Last Edit: June 26, 2005, 06:06:30 PM by -dead- »
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Offline Gunslinger

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« Reply #153 on: June 26, 2005, 06:10:36 PM »
Sorry -dead-

I don't contemplate  or put that much thaught into gayness.  

By your definition if it happens it's natural.  That's not the way I see it.  Nature has an order to it, a natural cycle if you will, if it happens it's natural doesnt allways fit into the cycle of life as we know it.

Offline -dead-

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« Reply #154 on: June 26, 2005, 06:29:13 PM »
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Originally posted by Gunslinger
Sorry -dead-

I don't contemplate  or put that much thaught into gayness.  
Somehow, this doesn't surprise me. But it does beg the question: why then are you arguing so vehemently about what you think about it?
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By your definition if it happens it's natural.  That's not the way I see it.  Nature has an order to it, a natural cycle if you will, if it happens it's natural doesnt allways fit into the cycle of life as we know it.
Still no idea what you mean — nature to me is everything in the universe/multiverse. Thus it has no cycle or order that can exclude things that exist. So indulge me, and start at the beginning: define nature.

What is nature?

What is natural?

What is unnatural or against nature?

And how can things that are against nature exist in nature?
« Last Edit: June 26, 2005, 06:31:58 PM by -dead- »
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Offline Gunslinger

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« Reply #155 on: June 26, 2005, 06:40:34 PM »
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Originally posted by -dead-
Somehow, this doesn't surprise me. But it does beg the question: why then are you arguing so vehemently about what you think about it?


quite simply my ideas about gay marriage were logical and unarguable thus ignored completly to those in favor of.  I made a few comments about what I think of homosexuality and that is were the discussion has swung to.

Offline Manedew

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« Reply #156 on: June 26, 2005, 06:43:21 PM »
GunS

what a simple black and white world you live in


... no sorry ... things aren't that simple, it's a fact of sicence

You refuse to even argue points, saying it's to complex, and you don't want to think about it?

that's kind of the point here....why are you here if you don't want to think about it?

the more you know-you realize how little you know.

and you don't want to think about it?

sorry you points are a joke to me after you say that ... but just my POV

____________________
BTW you could define natural as biological..... if you put some thought into it :rolleyes:
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sorry if i'm dripping with sarcasim .. but you simply say i don't want to think about it I WISH things were simple.

that's Bull; not only that, you think I say things that I don't even imply ... you just don't want to think about evolution; so it's a bit hard for you to understand me.

the only knuckle draggers I see are tho's who refuse to think.

Offline -dead-

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« Reply #157 on: June 26, 2005, 06:48:57 PM »
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Originally posted by Gunslinger
quite simply my ideas about gay marriage were logical and unarguable thus ignored completly to those in favor of.  I made a few comments about what I think of homosexuality and that is were the discussion has swung to.
So am I to take it that whilst you feel being gay is logically and unarguably unnatural, you can't actually logically or unarguably define what you mean by natural or unnatural.

That's certainly unarguable, mostly by virtue of the complete lack of any actual argument as such, but I think you might get into trouble over the logical claim. ;)
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Offline Gunslinger

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« Reply #158 on: June 26, 2005, 06:59:56 PM »
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Originally posted by -dead-
So am I to take it that whilst you feel being gay is logically and unarguably unnatural, you can't actually logically or unarguably define what you mean by natural or unnatural.

That's certainly unarguable, mostly by virtue of the complete lack of any actual argument as such, but I think you might get into trouble over the logical claim. ;)


HUMANS naturally have to to procreate to survive.  Without going into too many off the wall what ifs with out gender to opposite gender procreation the species would die.

Thus homosexuality is un natural.  It goes against natures cylce of life and survival of the HUMAN species.

You can talk about monkeys and bees/ants all you want but what we are talking about here is HUMANS and nothing else.

Offline Manedew

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« Reply #159 on: June 26, 2005, 07:02:36 PM »
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with out gender to opposite gender procreation the species would die.


You repeatdly show you just don't understand evolution

but then i guess we wouldn't be 'human' anymore..... but you might want to make clear what your saying .... if your sayign that.

If hermaphodites were succefully and the rest of us died off... or some such trait... point is .. THAT IS EVOLUTION

If haveing two fingers on each hand became the succesufull trait .. that would happen!

understand yet?
« Last Edit: June 26, 2005, 07:07:05 PM by Manedew »

Offline Gunslinger

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« Reply #160 on: June 26, 2005, 07:14:54 PM »
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Originally posted by Manedew
You repeatdly show you just don't understand evolution

but then i guess we wouldn't be 'human' anymore..... but you might want to make clear what your saying .... if your sayign that.

If hermaphodites were succefully and the rest of us died off... or some such trait... point is .. THAT IS EVOLUTION

If haveing two fingers on each hand became the succesufull trait .. that would happen!

understand yet?


WE (I am assumeing you and I) are both HUMAN.  We both have a GENDER.  I don't know about you but I am a MALE CLEARLY DEFINED.  It's that simple.  Humans  AS  A  WHOLE  will not have the ability for Asexual reproduction this year, next year, and I would even gather to say the next ten years, more than likely 10,000 years.  

In addition show me were HUMANS in the past AS A WHOLE (I keep saying this because we are talking about a SPECIES and not a few hermaphodites) could reproduce Asexually?????????

With that said we are talking in the present.  Not the past and not the distant future 10 milinia away.

Since we ARE talking about gay humans to begin with and that is the topic since animals and non-humans can't get married one would surmise that when I referr to a species your OWN would be the asssumed subject.

This is what I'm referring to.....I DO GET IT..... I think you are trying to paint homosexuals as some kind of evolved man and I disagree

Offline Manedew

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« Reply #161 on: June 26, 2005, 07:23:34 PM »
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This is what I'm referring to.....I DO GET IT..... I think you are trying to paint homosexuals as some kind of evolved man and I disagree


and you show yet agin you just don't understand.....

it's about what works best ... evolution is natural

and mutations exsist... you stated earlier that you thought gay's were born that way- which implies they are a mutation.....

what don't you understand....

evolution dosen't always mean smarter or better... just better adapted

understand yet?

mutation will happen regaurdless .... it's natrual....

what lives and works best is what becomes the average for the species into the future

mutations mean we evolve.. otherwise we'd stagnate
« Last Edit: June 26, 2005, 07:27:18 PM by Manedew »

Offline Gunslinger

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« Reply #162 on: June 26, 2005, 07:28:46 PM »
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Originally posted by Manedew
and you show yet agin you just don't understand.....

it's about what works best ... evolution is natural

so are you saying homosexuality is they way of evolution or not?  

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evolution dosen't always mean smarter or better... just better adapted

understand yet?


no I don't.  I do not understand why evolution goes along with the current discussion.  We havnt evolved yet and live in the now.  We have to decide for the now.  Humans have been on this planet for a LONG time and we still seem to be reproducing the same way.  We may evolve a few hundred thousand years from now but we arent there yet.

The current topic is applicable to the current methods of reproduction.....get it?

Offline Manedew

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« Reply #163 on: June 26, 2005, 07:43:31 PM »
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so are you saying homosexuality is they way of evolution or not?


No it's mutation... it is one possible path of millions or billions or infinity


You say a homosexual is likely born that way

If a homosexual person is born that way they are diffrant...a mutation

just like a manic deprsseive person is diffrant, a mutation

or ADD

or a schizo

etc, etc


they are mutations ... some might even be advantages and survive better, who says ADD is all bad?

your proably correct in saying that a homosexaul won't be the human that survives and procreates..... but nature doens't know that

it's has to shoot it's scatter gun of mutation .. and what works ... lives.

get it?

and the main point is .. the average person doesn't exsist .. it's a stat.....

so how do you define it ....by your z score?

Offline -dead-

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« Reply #164 on: June 26, 2005, 08:39:52 PM »
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Originally posted by Gunslinger
HUMANS naturally have to to procreate to survive.
Sloppy thinking there — oxygen, water, sleep, food, shelter. That's all humans need to survive. Procreation is entirely optional.
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Without going into too many off the wall what ifs with out gender to opposite gender procreation the species would die.
Yes but here's the rub: Only some are required to procreate for the species to survive — not all of us. In fact only a few males are necessary: females are more important, but I'm guessing that you'll have much less issues with female homosexuals than with male ones, despite the rather larger impact of lesbianism in the whole species survival issue.
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Thus homosexuality is un natural.  It goes against natures cylce of life and survival of the HUMAN species.
And yet here we sit in nature, with all these naturally-occurring homosexuals all over the shop. So who's got it wrong here? You or reality? And if nature abhors homosexuality so much, why doesn't it go the same way as it does with vacuums? If heterosexuality is essential for survival, how have all these homosexuals survived? If they confer no evolutionary advantage why haven't they gone the way of the tail or the appendix?

This is really the crux of the problem in your logic —these two points are where it all falls down:

Not every member of a species has to procreate in order for the species to survive.

And procreation is not the only factor governing the survival of a species.

There are many others in play. A speculative example — homosexuality is often linked to creative stuff, so perhaps homosexuals had a part to play in the development of language and written language in particular, which has an immense importance in the survival and thriving of our species.

I have no idea if that's true or not — but it serves to illustrate that procreation alone is not necessarily the be-all and end-all of survival: there are other ways to contribute to the survival of the species, and homosexuals may well have contributed to it and may still be contributing to it.

I think life, evolution and genetics is rather more complicated than we think. In fact I suspect it's more complicated than we can think — the rules may well be simple, but the results are too complex to fathom. Which is why I use the all-encompassing definition of what is natural. Of course you still haven't defined what you think nature is, or what natural is, so I'm still working on my version.

Yeast procreates until it suffocates in its own waste and the whole colony kills itself, humans are currently in danger of doing pretty much the same. Procreation does not necessarily mean survival. In fact, adaptation is generally the defining factor in survival. Procreation is only one strategy used to adapt.

So all in all dismissing homosexuality as unnatural and contrary to nature based solely on the fact that homosexuals can't procreate seems a little premature. It also rather hinges on the view that a species dying out is unnatural, but the evidence points to the opposite being the case.

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You can talk about monkeys and bees/ants all you want but what we are talking about here is HUMANS and nothing else.
Humans are just jumped up monkeys anyway (all apes are), indeed our closest relative is the foully unnatural (by your standards) Bonobo who will pretty much do anything to anything at every opportunity. They're a very peaceful and content lot, with no wars and not much fighting — disputes are settled through sex. And we keep on insisting we're the clever ones...

I digress. I would also like to know what your feelings on childless heterosexual couples are, though: should they be allowed to marry? Even if they are so "unnatural" that they are not going to procreate? Are those who cannot procreate also unnatural? Should all couples who want to marry be forced  take a fertility test and sign a "We promise to procreate" affadavit? It's a logical step based on the premise of "couple X is unnatural because they can't/won't procreate, therefore they shouldn't be allowed to marry".
« Last Edit: June 26, 2005, 08:42:08 PM by -dead- »
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