As I understand it, what counts as flourishing would be different for each person, because there are both universal and particular aspects, and because virtues are not standardized rules that apply to everyone regardless of their specific circumstances.
Really? Remember your an admin. Stop trying to purposely incite people.
It’s a moral failing not to have certain desires?
If desires are uncontrollable, that aspect of morality would then be out of one’s control, would it not? Or is the point that desires can be cultivated or engineered? Seems dubious to me.
Well which desire is beyond one’s control? Desire springs from the mind itself. It is its origin. Being its creator, does that not then infer it can also be its destroyer?
Sage took no offense to it, and that was the appropriate response.
So, I guess, people aren’t born gay then.
No. Homosexuality is just a sexual preference just like any other. We can no more be born gay then we can be born with a ‘leather fetish’ gene, or a ‘masochist’ gene.
I’m a sucker for watching someone drown.
If depends how you define the word “homosexuality”. If, according to the definition that you use, that one is a “homosexual” simply implies that one performs certain actions, to be “homosexual” is indeed merely a preference “just like any other”. But, if, according to the definition that you use, that one is a “homosexual” implies that one possesses a certain psychological state of mind which one may or may not reflect in his action, to be “homosexual” is not merely a preference “just like any other”. For, if you change your response from “[w]e can no more be born gay then we can be born with a ‘leather fetish’ gene, or a ‘masochist’ gene” to “[w]e can no more be born gay then we can be born with a set of taste buds which respond to sugar more readily than the average set of taste buds”, your response becomes absurd.
I define it as having sexual satisfaction with the same sex. That is it. There is no differing in the state of mind of homosexuals, that would lead to a belief in polylogism.
I guess those fanatical Christians are right. “Just destroy that gay preference already and Heaven everlasting can be yours.”
Well you can’t really destroy preference, and why would you want to try?
Well which desire preference is beyond one’s control? Desire Preference springs from the mind itself. It is its origin. Being its creator, does that not then infer it can also be its destroyer?
We are talking about Christians trying to destroy homosexual preference. Meaning Christians trying to destroy homosexual preference in the minds of others. I don’t think that is possible. If homosexuals wanted to end their preferences. I think it is possible. I’ve had a friend who was once a lesbian and yet is now going to get married to a guy.
No. We definitely are not.
What does it mean to be “born gay,” anyway?
What?
You say that, then you say we’re not talking about Christians and homosexuals?
This presumes gender identity is a preference.
I guess something similar to being “born straight.” Most of the gay people I’ve know basically said they “just are” whether that means its caused by genetics, culture, environment, …, or temperature of their mother’s uterus, or a mix I don’t know. But it doesn’t matter, the point is they cannot just stop.
What does it mean to be “born straight”?