Re: OT: What? the clean-shaven outnumber the bearded?"YerUgly Mug," etc.

Sally Caves scripsit:

> Well exactly.  I have heard, however, some of my liberal gay friends refer
> to it as a "chosen lifestyle."
I think if the context is lifted from sexual orientation to the general
case then all becomes relatively straightforward:

1) We don't control what we feel;

2) We do control what we do;

3) How we feel may be a matter of nature or nurture; nobody knows which,
   and the question may not even make sense.

I think #1 and #2 are unexceptionable.  For the last part of #3, consider
the case of myopia.  To become myopic (nearsighted), one must a) have
the defective gene, and b) have learned to read (or do similar closeup
work) at an early age.  In literate societies, therefore, myopia looks
basically inherited.  In mostly illiterate societies, though, it looks
like an acquired defect: some of those who do become literate get it,
essentially all of those who do not become literate don't.  If we didn't
have both literate and illiterate societies, we would probably assume
that myopia was either purely inherited or purely acquired.

The Catholic Church, BTW, neatly distinguishes between the inclination
to sin (which is no sin, and falls under #1) from the intention to sin
(which is a sin, and falls under #2).  This distinction is useful,
no matter what your views are on what is or is not sinful.

--
John Cowan  www.ccil.org/~cowan  www.reutershealth.com  jcowan@reutershealth.com
In might the Feanorians / that swore the unforgotten oath
brought war into Arvernien / with burning and with broken troth.
and Elwing from her fastness dim / then cast her in the waters wide,
but like a mew was swiftly borne, / uplifted o'er the roaring tide.
        --the Earendillinwe

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