The Editor, Sir:

Concerning the article 'Timely article on gay tolerance', by Anthony MacFarlane, April 21, like Anthony MacFarlane, I live in Hamilton, Ontario, and I can assure all Jamaicans that contrary to MacFarlane's claim, there is no prominent researcher here in Hamilton that "has proved that without question sexual preference is established in the womb due to testosterone."

Homosexuals tend to recklessly characterise those in society who disagree with them as 'homophobic'. The term 'homophobia' itself is intended to denote a disorder. The Bible, however, clearly and unequivocally condemns homosexual acts (Gen. 1:27-28; Gen. 2:24; Matt. 19: 4-6; Rom. 1:24-27; 1 Cor. 6:10; 1Tim. 1:10, etc.).

Men and women with homosexual tendencies must certainly be accepted with respect, compassion and sensitivity.

Nonetheless, homosexual acts must be considered wrong and intrinsically disordered. They are contrary to the natural law. They close the sexual act to the gift of life. They do not proceed from a genuine affective and sexual complementarity. Under no circumstances can they be approved.

At the core, we are dealing here, not with loving couples, but with homosexuality and the destruction of the family unit - the fundamental cell of society. Homosexuality promotes and is part of a culture of death because it thwarts the natural generation of life.

No scientific evidence

Contrary to Anthony MacFarlane's claims about gay research - the sources of which he cannot quote - there is, in fact, no scientific evidence to confirm homosexual activity as a normal behaviour.

Homosexuality is neither an entirely innate condition nor is it unchangeable. The so-called 'gay gene' has never been found.

The Laumann Report, published in 1994, is today universally recognised as definitive. In summary, its major findings are that homosexuality is not a stable trait and that it tends spontaneously to convert into heterosexuality as an individual gets older; that sexual identity is not fixed at adolescence but continues to change over the course of life; and, that there is no evidence for homosexuality being innate.

As natural law implies, sexual orientation does not constitute a quality comparable to race, ethnicity, gender or age in respect to non-discrimination.

Unlike these, homosexual orientation is an objective disorder and evokes moral concern. In suggesting otherwise, Anthony MacFarlane is merely exploiting tolerance in the service of a particular ideology.

I am, etc.,

PAUL KOKOSKI

paulkokoski@mountaincable.net

Hamilton, Ontario

Via Go-Jamaica