by 
Every time someone’s life is taken by the use of a gun, there are a familiar set of refrains that get sung from the gun control hymn book. First is the one that talks about how the violence was perpetrated by the gun. Next comes the call for less access to firearms– since they believe that if there were less access to lethal weapons we would be safer (they say). Following that is an inquiry into the shooter’s mind– what was he thinking, how did this happen, what could have been done to prevent it.
In an article written by Newsweek entitled The Anatomy of Violence, there’s an interesting discussion that pertains to the part that genetics play in creating a killer.
The “violence gene” theory soon found itself on shaky ground, however. In 2002, scientists who had followed 442 New Zealand men since their birth found that the MAOA link was not nearly as straightforward as the Dutch study suggested. Yes, men with the low-activity form of the MAOA gene were more likely to engage in persistent fighting, bullying, cruelty and violent crime than were men with the high-activity version. But that was so only if they had been neglected or abused as children. If they had not been mistreated, men with the low-activity MAOA gene were not much likelier to be violent. The gene alone was not sufficient. It was not strictly deterministic in the sense of always causing someone to become violent, but merely “permissive”: if two boys are severely abused, the one with the low-activity gene is more likely to grow up to commit violent crimes, and even then only if society provides fertile ground for this weed to grow. [emphasis mine]
It wasn’t enough for these people to have a gene that pre-disposes them to violence. Their environment had to be a factor– the environment in which they grew up and the environment of which they were now a part. One in irritation and building of anger, and the other in not seeing the problem and stepping in to help.
How does this relate to homosexuality, you ask? Good question!
You see, this current culture is one in which homosexuality is being forced into the mainstream. The current environment is being fashioned as to encourage and promote it as a valid lifestyle.
And then there’s the search for the gay gene. You see, we’re being told that it’s not something that people can help– they are born that way. We can’t judge them because they have no choice.
But if you read and understand what the article about violence is saying– a gene was not enough to make these people killers. It was a choice. It was something fed them by their environment. And most important of all– just because there may be a gene part of the equation that doesn’t make it right.
It’s sin. If we know the truth then we choose to sin or follow truth.
Right– both are sin. People try to justify both by saying that it’s ok because of genes. Since we’re all born with the tendency to sin, genes to do not justify anything. And this information helps prove it!
I think we will be seeing alot more of this “gene blame” going on for a while. Then people will realize that even predisposition doesn’t guarantee action. Really we are all predisposed to some sort of sin… I find it very interesting that there is something in our flesh (our genes) that predisposes us towards sin. Seems a familiar concept… I think I heard somewhere *big grin* that we are “born in iniquity” and “come out of the womb speaking lies”. So Adam’s sin incurred sin in our flesh which is not only spiritually but PHYSICALLY passed down from generation to generation. It brings death and destruction.
We can choose not to sin once we have accepted Christ, who makes all things new. Though even Paul still struggled with the sin in his flesh (read Romans). So we can all expect to struggle with the sin in our flesh (DNA) until that glorious day when we receive a glorified body, wich will be completely whole and without deficit.
Sweet.
Mrs. Meg Logan
Great article. I am tired of our society’s endless push toward ending personal responsibility.