"Who is to blame--you or your genes?"

by Kenneson 10 Replies latest watchtower bible

• 

  Kenneson

  That is the name of the first article on the left hand of the page at http://www.watchtower.org

  Interestingly, the article wants to lay the root of all mankind's troubles to Adam: "While generations of Adam's offspring are not responsible for Adam's sin, they nevertheless are all born with sin, imperfection, and death as their inherited lot." We are further told that Adam & Eve's sin did not originate in their genes. They learned how to disobey and sin because they chose to. On the other hand, if Cain did not inherit violence in his genes, we are not told how he learned to murder Abel--since no one had murdered anyone before. Nor are we told that Jehovah or Adam told him what murder was. Neither was he told not to murder and what would happen if he did. Since, according to Jws, "efforts to find genetic causes for human behavior have been unsuccessful," we are not told how all are born with sin, imperfection, and death as their inherited lot. Sounds a lot like the original sin doctrine. Because of Adam, we all get the shaft. But it's not passed on in the genes.

  So anyone who is an alcoholic or homosexual need not appeal to genes as justification for who you are, according to this article. There is no such thing as predisposition to alcoholism and homosexuality. You're not born that way; you decided to be that way. Blame yourself and not your genes.

  This article gives "An Encouraging Experience." It's about a guy, who in boarding school got involved in homosexual practices--but he didn't consider himself a homosexual. Yet after he finished school we find him still engaging in these activities while in the military. Apparently sometime after his term of duty was over he encountered Jws and began studying with them and eventually was baptized. He was able to break free of his practices and is now a ministerial servant.

  Although this guy no longer may be actively engaged in homosexual activities, I wonder if his orientation has also changed (although he denies ever thinking of himself as being a homosexual). Even marriage doesn't prevent people from having proclivities towards homosexuality. The point of the article, however, is that he did what he did not because of his genes but because of his choices.

  The bottom line of the article is that we are responsible for our decisions and actions. We can't pass the buck to our genes.

  Is my understanding of this article accurate?

  Please feel free to add your comments. This article is certainly worth dissecting.
• 

  ESTEE

  My jeans???

  ESTEE
• 

  Mac

  The bottom line of the article is that we are responsible for our decisions and actions. We can't pass the buck to our genes.

  But I can still stick a dollar in the pocket of my Levis....right????????

  mac, of the day late and dollar short class
• 

  Faraon

  So Turretts Syndrome is a choice?
• 

  mattnoel

  HOW DARE THEY !!!!

  What a bunch of W*****s, so they are backing up their common belief that I am the way I am because of what I watched on TV ? my personality, the people I am attracted to, the job I do, is all related to my surroundings - uh I dont think so !

  Sorry to sound so harsh but I think when the US goes into Iraq and does their bit they should fly out via the society offices and do a bit of damage there.

  GRRRRRRRRR

  Sorry am off my soap box now !

  Peace to y'all
• 

  Kenneson

  Faraon,

  I've heard of Tourette's Syndrome and Turner's Syndrome (I don't really know anything about them). Never heard of Turrett's, at all. What exactly is it?

  I also wonder if hermaphroditism is a choice or decision.
• 

  back2dafront

  they are so full of it. I mean, at least they could state things for what they really are - there's no absolute proof either way from what i've read, but no...it's pure choice and they are the absolute authority on this no questions asked.

  http://serendip.brynmawr.edu/biology/projects97/Newman.html

  One of the most influential studies on the genetics of homosexuality was done by Dean Hamer and his co-workers at the National Cancer Institute in Washington DC (1993). Hamer's research involved studying thirty-two pairs of brothers who were either "exclusively or mostly" homosexual. None of the sets of brothers were related. Of the thirty-two pairs, Hamer and his colleagues found that two-thirds of them (twenty-two of the sets of brothers) shared the same type of genetic material. This strongly supports the hypothesis that there is an existing gene that influences homosexuality (4). Hamer then looked closely at the DNA of these gay brothers to try and find the region of the X chromosome (since the earlier research suggested that the gene was passed down maternally) that most of the homosexual brothers shared. He discovered that homosexual brothers have a much higher likelihood of inheriting the same genetic sequence on the region of the X chromosome identified by Xq28, than heterosexual brothers of the same gay men. Keep in mind though, that this is just a region of the X chromosome, not a specific gene. Although researchers are hopeful, a single gene has not yet been identified (7). Hamer's study also acknowledges the fact that while it does suggest that there is a gene that influences homosexuality, it has not yet been determined how greatly the gene influences whether or not a person will be homosexual (4). In addition, Hamer attempted to locate a similar gene in female homosexuals, but was unsuccessful (7). The results that Hamer's study did find though, cannot yet be accepted as absolute truth. Another study took place in 1993 by Macke et al. This study examined the same gene locus as the Hamer study, but found that it had no influence on homosexuality (8). As you can see, the results on this topic are still extremely varied and reasonably new, so it is difficult to come to any lasting conclusion.

  Based on statements from homosexuals, I believe some are born that way and really can't change it. Others choose it.
• 

  back2dafront

  i'm editing this after reading their article. I dunno...I think they did an okay job on it actually. They say "true our genes may influence us one way or the other.." and then say we bear the responsibility to make the right decision.

  I don't have any genes that inspire me in such a way, but the way I see it, it would be hard for me to try to be gay if I wasn't just because that's what my religion said was the right thing to do.

  Can someone really learn a different sexual orientation???

  interesting article I found...

  http://serendip.brynmawr.edu/biology/projects97/Newman.html
  

  One of the most influential studies on the genetics of homosexuality was done by Dean Hamer and his co-workers at the National Cancer Institute in Washington DC (1993). Hamer's research involved studying thirty-two pairs of brothers who were either "exclusively or mostly" homosexual. None of the sets of brothers were related. Of the thirty-two pairs, Hamer and his colleagues found that two-thirds of them (twenty-two of the sets of brothers) shared the same type of genetic material. This strongly supports the hypothesis that there is an existing gene that influences homosexuality (4). Hamer then looked closely at the DNA of these gay brothers to try and find the region of the X chromosome (since the earlier research suggested that the gene was passed down maternally) that most of the homosexual brothers shared. He discovered that homosexual brothers have a much higher likelihood of inheriting the same genetic sequence on the region of the X chromosome identified by Xq28, than heterosexual brothers of the same gay men. Keep in mind though, that this is just a region of the X chromosome, not a specific gene. Although researchers are hopeful, a single gene has not yet been identified (7). Hamer's study also acknowledges the fact that while it does suggest that there is a gene that influences homosexuality, it has not yet been determined how greatly the gene influences whether or not a person will be homosexual (4). In addition, Hamer attempted to locate a similar gene in female homosexuals, but was unsuccessful (7). The results that Hamer's study did find though, cannot yet be accepted as absolute truth. Another study took place in 1993 by Macke et al. This study examined the same gene locus as the Hamer study, but found that it had no influence on homosexuality (8). As you can see, the results on this topic are still extremely varied and reasonably new, so it is difficult to come to any lasting conclusion.

  Based on statements from homosexuals, I believe some are born that way and really can't change it. Others choose it.
• 

  Faraon

  Kenneson,

  Sorry, I actually meant to say Tourette's syndrome. (It has been 29 years since I left college) I had a long explanation. It disappeared from my computer. I used it because of the use of coprolalia (talking shit) among other symptoms associated with the syndrome. This syndrome is genetically transmitted. You can read about it in http://members.tripod.com/~tourette13/

  Turner syndrome is also a genetic defect due to the sex chromosomes. It affects mostly girls http://www.turnersyndrome.org/downloads/TSfamily_guide092502B.pdf

  The main point here is that I encounter many people who still think that death is caused by Adam’s “original sin”. The same “loving” god that created Adam, also said that the sins of the father will not go to the son, which is a contradiction in terms. This god also created the viruses and germs that kill life on earth.

  I never observed my father to say a socially unacceptable word until he had a stroke and lost many of his abilities, such as to write in the beautiful handwriting he previously had. After the stroke, he lost the language control he had, and if he was a child, his teacher would have had to wash his mouth with soap many times daily.

  He didn't get the stroke because he committed a great sin. Some negligent nurse injected him \an air bubble.
• 

  greven

  efforts to find genetic causes for human behavior have been unsuccessful

  This is Totall Bull(tm) !! These guys have the same medical insight as a pack of yoghurt

  Human behaviour is a combination of genes, culture, religion, upbringing and countless other outside influences. Never ever can you take genes out of the mix. However I think that indeed you can not blame everything on genes only and that one has to take responsibility for his / her's actions.

  Greven