//Josephus, I doubt that unless they are male homosexual (or perhaps a kinky heterosexual!) the other contributors to this discussion would not consider anal sex 'normal'. However, it IS normal for gay men to consider it normal.//

I wouldn't be so sure about that, Suse. Have you seen this documentary? It's brilliant. Be sure to watch out for Pastor Marlay (spelt phonetically, I may have the name wrong). I'm pretty sure he posts on this forum.

http://iview.abc.net.au/programs/stephen-fry-out-there/ZX9731A001S00

It was fascinating to me that in cultures as diverse as Uganda and Australia, the vehement homophobes always fixate on anal sex to the total exclusion of everything else. It's also fascinating how they stick their head in the sand the moment anybody brings heterosexual anal intercourse.

Josephus,

Either you’ve forgotten a lot since the course you did in the early 60s, or they were really naive back then.

<<You can sum a person up by what they actually believe is reality.>>

And I don’t think they were quite that naive, despite knowing relatively little back then.

There are a seemingly infinite combinations of beliefs about what reality is and I can assure you that no-one has charted out what each combination says about a person.

<<What one actually believes influences their behaviour>>

Now this is correct. I even remind those, who ask me what the harm in religious belief is, that our beliefs inform our actions and that our actions have consequences. But this doesn’t mean that one can sum a person up by what they believe reality to be.

<<...you see nothing abnormal in anal intercourse.>>

Whether or not I do depends on how you’re defining “abnormal”. According to the Oxford definition (i.e. deviating from what is normal or usual, typically in a way that is undesirable or worrying), no, I don’t think it’s abnormal. But if you are defining “abnormal” as that which does not result in the fertilization of an ovum, then yes, I guess it is abnormal. But then so is oral sex, and we’ve all engaged in that in one way or another.

Whether or not anal sex is normal, however, has nothing to do with the wrongness or badness or otherwise of homosexuality. Nor does it have anything to do with whether or not same-sex couples should be allowed to adopt.

Hi Everybody,

My apologies for not responding earlier but I've
had a few personal problems and wasn't able to
reply to anyone.

I'll try catching up - after I've had a chance to read
the posts.

For now - Thanks to everyone for all your contributions.

Well I've managed to browse through most of the posts
on this controversial issue - and goodness me what a
wide variety of opinions there are.

This issue is being discussed from so many angles -
from religious viewpoints, to individuality, to sex,
to paedophilia, to all sorts of things. Everyone sees
things according to their own viewpoints and I guess
that's to be expected and is a good thing.

My viewpoint if still undecided.
I'm for same-sex marriage - I suppose because that's a
decision that will be made between two consenting adults.
However - when children are involved I hesitate.
Simply because I guess I need to look at this issue from
what would be best for the child. And I'm still not
convinced that having same sex couples as parents would be.

I know that there are so many children in foster-care who
would jump at the chance of a happy loving home - and I
don't doubt that same-sex couples can provide that. However,
I still hesitate.

And I can't fully explain why.

Dear Foxy,

Perhaps it may help you to decide if you note that there are two different questions here:

1. Should homosexual couples be allowed to adopt children?
or rather its opposite:
1a. Should homosexual couples be prevented from adopting children?

2. Is it a good thing when homosexual couples adopt a child?

I believe those questions to be unrelated.

Hope things are getting back on track for you, Foxy...

"However - when children are involved I hesitate. Simply because I guess I need to look at this issue from what would be best for the child. And I'm still not convinced that having same sex couples as parents would be."

'Best for the child' is such a high ideal that to achieve it should require all prospective parents to be accredited before they create children because all of the "so many children in foster-care who would jump at the chance of a happy loving home" that you know of come from opposite-sex couples - and that does not begin to account for the untold numbers of children still in unhappy, unloving and abusive opposite-sex homes.

"However, I still hesitate. And I can't fully explain why."

I accept the honesty of your hesitation... Whilst you are considering it, maybe we could discuss what opposite-sex parents are doing that is not "best for the child" in society? They have, after all, created the need for adoption and fostering in almost all cases.