Does Homosexuality among Animals Make It OK?

Proponents of homosexuality argue that it is natural and acceptable behavior because it is found within the animal kingdom. Is this a valid argument?

True homosexuality within the animal kingdom is very rare. It is certainly not a strong argument for proving that homosexuality is normal. If anything, it affirms that homosexuality is not typical, being an aberration of the norm. Consider, for example, penguins. Because of their habit of mating for life, and because of some high profile “gay penguins” at zoos, penguins have often been cited in support of true homosexuality within the animal kingdom. However, this claim has been proven false. According to The Daily Mail, “Penguins do not form long-term homosexual relationships despite same-sex flirting, a new study has found. … Experts believe that the penguins might indulge in some same-sex flirting because they are ‘lonely’ due to a lack of female penguins in the colony. Gay ‘flirting’ could also be due to high levels of testosterone within the colony among males.”^[1]

More importantly, we are not animals. We are created in the image of God. Unlike us, animals are controlled by their passions and instincts. One need only observe a dog clinging to its owner’s leg to realize that animals may relieve their sexual passion on anything and everything. Were we to determine moral behavior based upon practices within the animal kingdom, then we could murder and maim others to acquire their position because they are weak; we could eat fellow humans; and we could abandon, or even murder, our spouses after procreation. Certainly, behavior within the animal kingdom is not sufficient to condone human behavior.

This article is excerpted from the book Laid Bare: Uncovering the Relationship Between Homosexuality & the Gospel.