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Ben Carson: Being gay is a choice

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  • Schmidt
    2015-03-04 05:17:12 PM
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    CNN: CNN scores latest shocking opinion of presidential hopeful Ben Carson
    CNN's Chris Cuomo interviewed Ben Carson. Here's an extract:

    CUOMO: You think they have control over their sexuality?
    CARSON: Absolutely.
    CUOMO: You think being gay is a choice?
    CARSON: Absolutely.
    CUOMO: Why do you say that?
    CARSON: Because a lot of people who go into prison, go into prison straight, and when they come out they’re gay. So did something happen while they were in there?

    What makes this so astounding is that Ben Carson is a neurosurgeon and supposedly knows about all this stuff because of his profession. He is not a Michele Bachmann. So for Carson to claim that being gay is a choice is like a geologist claiming the earth is 6,000 years old. I don't know if Carson really believes what he is saying or if he is just pandering to the Christian right that believes this stuff and votes. But either way it disqualifies him in my mind for presidential consideration, not that I would ever vote for a Republican anyway.
  • jaredsxtn
    2015-03-04 05:38:35 PM
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    Schmidt Wrote: What makes this so astounding is that Ben Carson is a neurosurgeon and supposedly knows about all this stuff because of his profession. He is not a Michele Bachmann. So for Carson to claim that being gay is a choice is like a geologist claiming the earth is 6,000 years old. I don't know if Carson really believes what he is saying or if he is just pandering to the Christian right that believes this stuff and votes. But either way it disqualifies him in my mind for presidential consideration, not that I would ever vote for a Republican anyway.
    I thought the exact same thing. He can't possibly believe this crap, but maybe he actually does. My guess is that he is just pandering to the evangelical Christians and also just enjoys seeing or hearing his name mentioned in the media.

    I liken Carson to former mayor Giuliani. Everyone knows he's a joke, but the media can't help but print the crazy shit he says. Then he gets to hear his name spoken on the television for a few days before everyone else moves on and completely forgets about him until he says something else that's crazy.
  • lonely bird
    2015-03-04 06:21:29 PM
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    They come out gay?

    WTF?

    Democratic outliers like kucinich actually have some ideas worth discussing like, iirc, secretary or department of peace.

    Republicans not only don't have outliers but those that should be outliers are buffoons and mainstream buffoons at that.
  • pr
    2015-03-05 07:27:08 AM
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    The Republican clown car is waiting at the curb to bring all these "candidates" to the American public!
  • Dutch
    2015-03-05 08:32:00 AM
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    pgr Wrote: The Republican clown car is waiting at the curb to bring all these "candidates" to the American public!
    Yes, I wonder how many more of these "religious" nutcases come forward before the 2016 elections; I guess they forget "Jesus" was "gay" too, running around with a bunch of guys only. The case is simple; happy people don't start wars; neither do married "gays".
  • TJ
    2015-03-05 12:12:26 PM
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    Carson is an idiot. I thought the discussion had been covered on all angles but the prison thing is a new niche. His comments, beliefs, ideas are still so very wrong. The fact that same sex people have sex in prison is because there are no choices. Don't believe that ? Try a coed prison....... There would still be prison rape but the results would be different. I'm not suggesting there would no longer be same sex rape but that it would be far less common.

    If repubs keep hating they'll lose LGBT votes, Mexican votes, women's votes, non-Christian votes, and whomever they will hate against next. The poor should be against them 98% but need doesn't always come with knowledge...... SAD.
  • johnnycee
    2015-03-05 04:57:05 PM
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    Does it really matter whether or not someone is born gay or has acquired the gay lifestyle by choice, what matters is the reluctance of so many to an acceptance of their lifestyle, that is to say not condoning or condemning, just accept who they are.
  • jaredsxtn
    2015-03-05 05:36:21 PM
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    TJ Wrote: Carson is an idiot. I thought the discussion had been covered on all angles but the prison thing is a new niche. His comments, beliefs, ideas are still so very wrong. The fact that same sex people have sex in prison is because there are no choices. Don't believe that ? Try a coed prison....... There would still be prison rape but the results would be different. I'm not suggesting there would no longer be same sex rape but that it would be far less common.
    Yea, I definitely agree. It's really not surprising that homosexual activity takes place in prison considering individuals are surrounded by the same sex for the entirety of their sentence. This is why I think Carson doesn't actually believe half the words that come out of his mouth and instead just has to say stupid shit in order to have people say his name on television.
    TJ Wrote: If repubs keep hating they'll lose LGBT votes, Mexican votes, women's votes, non-Christian votes, and whomever they will hate against next. The poor should be against them 98% but need doesn't always come with knowledge...... SAD.
    The Republican Party is fighting a culture war they already know they've lost. They have been on the wrong side of history in every major civil rights issue since the 1950's and are on the wrong side of history now. I'm glad the Democrats kicked out the racist elements of their party in the early 60's, but all those bigots did was just go over to he Republican Party and continue their ceaseless drive to tell everyone else in America exactly how they should live their lives.
  • lonely bird
    2015-03-05 05:38:29 PM
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    [url=https://www.democratichub.com/user/78196.aspx">johnnycee[/url] Wrote: Does it really matter whether or not someone is born gay or has acquired the gay lifestyle by choice, what matters is the reluctance of so many to an acceptance of their lifestyle, that is to say not condoning or condemning, just accept who they are.

    Actually, it does matter. It matters to those who oppose gay rights because a lifestyle choice can simply be changed and thus there is no rights to be discussed. Simply stop choosing to be gay. When science says that this is not the case then those who oppose seek other methods for denying rights which U.S. where the freedom of religion argument evolves from. Of course the federal government must not take a stand against religious viewpoints unless they intrude upon other rights including equal protection under the law. Thus lawsuits, scotus cases etc, ad infinitum, ad nauseum. One day the pharisaical right will awaken to discover that their impact has been marginalized.

    One can hope it is soon.
  • johnnycee
    2015-03-05 07:22:34 PM
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    So since I don't oppose the Gay life style but as a Christian I don't condone it either so then it does not matter to me what the Dr. has to say about it.
  • lonely bird
    2015-03-05 09:33:21 PM
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    [url=https://www.democratichub.com/user/78196.aspx">johnnycee[/url] Wrote: So since I don't oppose the Gay life style but as a Christian I don't condone it either so then it does not matter to me what the Dr. has to say about it.

    As a Christian? Christian theology is interesting. Acts negates prohibitions on eating certain animals based upon a dream supposedly had by Peter. Paul writes that the law is not in force. But he neglects to note that the christ never said this. It is a construct of his theology and not the theology of a zealous, itinerant jewish rabbi. So why does christian theology neglect the very law that the christ supported? Because they must. To do otherwise makes them jewish and that is not acceptable owing to the strains of anti-semitism that started in the christian sects that grew in the early c.e. Thus christians pick and choose various parts of the law as suits their needs.

    So what does this mean? It means that lifestyle is a term of questionable usage. The implication is that those who are gay can simply change their lifestyle.
  • TJ
    2015-03-05 11:43:53 PM
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    I believe that being gay is determined at birth or by your second birthday. The reason I believe this is because much of American society including religious groups and those who insist on disregarding those who aren't exactly the same as them are very common. It must make for a difficult life with many closed doors. Therefore if it's a choice, why would anybody choose a difficult path ???? Live and let live. Most of us have persons who are very close to us that have faced these narrow minded persons.
  • Dutch
    2015-03-06 10:14:16 AM
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    TJ Wrote: I believe that being gay is determined at birth or by your second birthday. The reason I believe this is because much of American society including religious groups and those who insist on disregarding those who aren't exactly the same as them are very common. It must make for a difficult life with many closed doors. Therefore if it's a choice, why would anybody choose a difficult path ???? Live and let live. Most of us have persons who are very close to us that have faced these narrow minded persons.
    Tony, yes you got it right; these people did not ask for it; again the society interferes in peoples life's; there is already enough meddling in your privacy the way it is; either by the government, churches, the military, your house, taxes, the community, you name it. When does an individual have any "living room" anyway. I guess the only choice you have depart to Alaska and built a "hut" in the middle of no-where; even then "something" may meddle with with your life. Sorry to say "meddling" is a national decease; ask any Iraqi, Korean, Afghanistan,Vietnamese or Cuban etc etc.
  • pr
    2015-03-07 06:55:44 AM
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    It just occurred to me - perhaps Dr. Ben is Gay? ;) some of the most prolific gay bashers always seem to have problems facing their own sexuality. I can think of quite a few "prominent" religious and political personalities that have been exposed by their own actions in this lifestyle.
  • skys the limit
    2015-03-07 05:05:20 PM
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    I think you have something there. I can think of some too. Maybe by bashing gays they are drawing the attention from their own gay-ness. I have no issues with gays. Some of my best friends over the years have been gay, some of them better friends than non-gays. I feel strongly it is something a person has in their genetic makeup, not an acquired trait. Some people are latent gays, never "coming out", and they live what one considers a normal life. But what really is normal? My feeling is that we should judge the person as a book, seeing what is within, not what is on the cover. Some of the most productive and talented people through history have been gay. It should not be an issue. Obviously I am a liberal, and no religious affiliation.
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