The original question was:
One zoologist claims the whole animal kingdom practices homosexuality to some degree, so this behaviour is natural. How do we handle such claims?
Answer by John Mackay and Diane Eager
Behaviour that has been interpreted as homosexuality has been observed in some animals and birds. The most notable is a pair of penguins living in New York’s Central Park Zoo. We wrote about this in our Evidence Newsletter when it was reported in 2004. (here)
A recent study of King Penguins on Kerguelen Island found courtship displays between some males. However, the authors of the study concluded: “A population sex-ratio bias in favor of males and high concentration of male sex hormones may help to explain non-reproductive homosexually displaying pairs.” In other words: too many males and too much testosterone. A report of this study and other “homosexual penguins” in the Telegraph 21 October 2010 summed it up as “Penguins are not gay, they are just lonely.” (Reference: Ethology, 116: 1210–1216. doi: 10.1111/j.1439-0310.2010.01835.x)
However, the real issue is whether animal behaviour can be used to determine what is right and good behaviour for human beings. If man was just another animal, which is the basic starting point of evolution, then you could logically study animals in order to discover what could be regarded as natural behaviour and then seek to apply it to mankind. This has been attempted many times and results in some interesting conundrums. Our supposed nearest relatives, chimpanzees steal from one another, fight and even kill and eat each other, as well as indulging in promiscuous sex. The cute friendly chimps you see in Hollywood films are juveniles bred in captivity. An adult chimpanzee is a large and dangerous animal.
A lot of animal mating behaviour would not be tolerated in an orderly human society. In one extreme example of aberrant sexual behaviour, some female spiders eat the male of the species after mating. Some radical feminists may sympathise with this, but chauvinist males might reply that the male horse really roughs up females, cuffing and biting them to keep them totally in line for forced sex, and many other male animals keep harems and spend all their time eating, fighting or having sex. Going back to penguins, an early Antarctic expedition recorded “sexual coercion, sexual and physical abuse of chicks, non-procreative sex”, and even necrophilia amongst penguins. See “Depraved’ sex acts by penguins shocked polar explorer” BBC, 10 June 2012.
The zoologist referred to in the question really is arguing that finding any life forms which practise homosexuality, means it is a practise which has naturally evolved on a widespread scale, therefore it is ‘natural’ and it cannot be labelled ‘wrong’, and therefore, that anyone who disagrees with such natural behaviour is in dispute with reality.
However, this whole argument depends on the relationship between man and animals. The Bible tells us clearly that man is a unique creation, created in the image of God, and not made from some pre-existing creature. Therefore, it is the Creator God alone who determines what is correct sexual behaviour for mankind. Christ the Creator stated this clearly: “In the beginning God made them male and female, therefore a man will take a wife.” (see Matthew 19:3-7). It then becomes irrelevant what hermaphrodite earthworms or hyped up horses do for sexual activity.
It should also be pointed out that if all animals practised homosexuality, then heterosexual mankind soon be the very lonely on planet earth. Only asexual reproducing creatures such as amoebas would continue to exist. Evolutionists should admit that natural selection eliminates homosexuality. As the scientists observing the penguins noted, homosexual behaviour is “non-reproductive” but Darwinian evolution depends of reproduction, and the passing on of genes. Homosexual activist groups are working so hard to force laws to give homosexual couples having rights to adopt children. However, taking other people’s children will not give the children the homosexual person’s genes.
An equally important point is that homosexuals who make such claims about “natural behaviour” cannot criticise Christians for resorting to the origin of human life to justify their moral stand, since that is exactly what they do. Hence, an important last point can be made here: get the origin of humanity wrong, and your whole moral system falls down because it has no foundation in the real world.
We also noted that the reference supplied with the question provides only a few anecdotes and assertions, but no evidence for the claim “the whole animal kingdom practices homosexuality”.
Update 2022: A new study of dolphins prompted another reader to ask about homosexual behaviour in dolphins. Dolphins may be popular animals, but we can only reiterate that no animal behaviour can be used as a basis for assessing human behaviour, no matter how appealing the animals may be.
Related questions:
You claim homosexuals are not born that way. What evidence do you have? Answer here.
HOMOPHOBIA? Why do you people hate homosexuals if you claim God is a God of love? Answer here.
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