Graham,
The real question here is, "Is it possible to either encourage or discourage homosexuality?" the ACL spokesperson believes that education should be used to discourage children from taking up homosexuality, I disagree, that's akin to trying to talk someone out of taking up cystic fibrosis. The idea is laughable, homosexuality is a physical condition which some people manage to the extent that they lead successful lives and which others succumb to and die, just like some people manage their depression and others commit suicide.
The fact is that no parent would want their child to be homosexual,homosexuality is something that people just have to deal with in their lives, it's natural in the sense that myopia or autism are natural but it isn't "normal" and it's not a desired trait in a child or for that matter an adult. There is no real acceptance of homosexuality just a range of responses ranging from empathy to antipathy, personally I do agree with Rev' Jensen's point on compassion for those less fortunate or those afflicted with conditions over which they have no control .

John J,
Oh come on, be fair, we hear all this nonsense about "Bashing, burning and hanging" but never any actual evidence, come up with some actual cases, then prove a widespread pattern and you'll look less of a bitter crank.
You take this "persecution" as an article of faith but like all Liberation myths it's blown way out of proportion.
Examples: How many Black people were lynched by Whites in the U.S.A? Wikipedia gives a figure of about 2500 cases between the 1880's and 1968, by contrast Blacks murder about 450 Whites every single year in that country, twice the number of White on Black murders.
How many people were killed by the government in the 40 plus years of Apartheid? About 7,500 is the generally agreed upon figure including by military operations in other countries such as Angola, the ANC however is accused of killing over 14.000 people in the same time period.
You like to think of Gays as a "persecuted" group bu the reality is that if you view them as a standalone community they export more crime to the rest of society than they are subjected to, some simple googling can demonstrate this conclusion. Even down to simple everyday crimes like drunk driving and drug possession, Gays are far more likely to commit crimes compared to society as a whole.

I can't see why some are getting their – or other's – knickers in a twist… It's not as though Alan Austin was citing or giving credit to the fatally compromised 'data' from the American Colorado Spring's Family Research Institute.

What is missing is a breadth of rigourous and statistically valid epidemiological studies.

Scientifically there is nothing in same-sex attraction that is inherently unhealthy. Behaviours that put human health at risk impact equally on heterosexuals.

Statistics involving youth suicide need to be considered separately from general health studies. The externalities of social, family and peer pressures and their contribution to depression and its consequences require a different analysis of causality.

Alan, the old joke may go some way to explaining the question of married men living longer… It's relativistic; it's not that they live longer, it's just that their living hell feels like it will last an eternity.

Then again, maybe it just reflects the importance of emotional companionship?

Jay of Melbourne now is the time to put your money were your mouth is, and post valid documented evidence that Gays are not persecuted and contribute to crime in society.
You may dislike gays or even hate them, but there for the grace of god go thee!

Kipp,
I'm not the one making allegations, It's not my responsibility to provide evidence to back a statement offered by someone else and of which I'm skeptical.
I suggested that due to the fact that these foundation myths of Liberation movements are always grossly exaggerated and fall apart under scrutiny that the mantra of historical Gay "persecution" is really a belief rather than a set of facts. You guys IMAGINE a past where Gays were rounded up and burned at the stake because you strongly empathise with minority groups, but in general you feel the same about Whales or battery hens, or the planet, or refugees, emotional responses and their resulting blind zealotry don't need "facts" to grip the imagination of one such as yourself.
Unfortunately the way pro Gay posters behave doesn't fill me with confidence that they really know what they're talking about, when you get angry and start using words like "Hate" it's a sure sign that you have no solid case to put forward or that you lack self confidence.
If you read my posts I'm mostly playing devil's advocate but neutrality can be aggressive too in the sense that objectivity and emotional detachment tend to highlight contradictions and hypocrisy.

Intriguing discussion. Thank you.

@GrahamY: Yes, I‘ve reservations about the Canadian research. Concur with your comments.

Reference in this article was to affirm Jim Wallace had at least quoted a document from a reputable gay group, and done so accurately.

His analysis, however, and that of Dr Jensen and others, of the underlying factors is inadequate. Hence also are their proposed remedies inadequate.

@Raycom: Re “The choice of engaging in a homosexually active lifestyle is the contributing factor to the identified outcomes.”

Yes, on one level perhaps. But what choices are there?

Do you believe we all get choose our sexual attraction? This is now virtually completely discredited. Just this week prominent “gay cure” leader John Smid was in the news again reaffirming that reorientation therapy just doesn’t work.

Or are you of the current Catholic view that orientation is fixed but gay people must remain celebate?

Raycom, the experience here in Europe, where several countries have had gay marriage for years, is that gay and lesbian couples who opt for faithful marriage have the same health profile as opposite-sex married couples.

Yes, anal sex has inherent risks. But so does vaginal and oral sex. WmTrevor is right.

@Rhosty: You are right too. (I keep saying that.)

Was Jesus gay? Some scholars believe He was in a relationship with one of his disciples. John pointed to this, they claim, by repeating “the disciple whom Jesus loved”. Some see indicators in OT prophecies that Jesus would have been gay.

Not enough evidence either way, however, for me.

@Jay of Melbourne: Re “There is no real acceptance of homosexuality just a range of responses ranging from empathy to antipathy”

Yes, that seems to be the case in Australia at the moment. But are we stuck with this?

With education and awareness, is it possible for the community to embrace same-sex marriage in the same way we now accept interracial marriages – which were once taboo (Genesis 24:37-38).

Regarding persecution of gays, Jay, are you familiar with Christian movements like the push for the death penalty in Africa, or Westboro Baptist Church?