You and I are in agreement about gay men and lesbian women being people who should be loved and accepted for who they are. What they do does have a material impact on them, as this is a major factor in their self-identity.
As an evangelical Christian I believe homosexuality (as an overt practice) is sin, no worse than any sin other committed by men. In the U.S. and other advanced countries Christian’s are called homophobic bigots since they don’t accept the “new” medical philosophy regarding sexuality. However, Islam treats homosexuals with greater prejudice and judgment, as to many Eastern religions. Since you were educated after the APA and the AMA took a very liberal and anti-Christian stance regarding homosexuality the past medical and psychological treatments forced on the gay community is not taught, therefore you have not been exposed to the bigotry and prejudice that was common in these professions. I, on the other hand have experienced this bigotry first hand. A person's sexuality is a factor the medical profession has no business meddling with, however, gay men do have unique medical problems as the result of their lifestyle. Psychology on the other hand needs to take a more scientific, let’s research this more thoroughly, since there is a whole lot of anecdotal evidence, and some good scientific studies (mostly prior to 1973) that homosexuality is not innate or immutable and those seeking to change their sexuality can and do!
The primary definition of “homosexual” has to do with sexual orientation, not sexual behavior. A man or woman can have a “homosexual” orientation yet live a happy, joy-filled, monogamous heterosexual life without ever engaging in homosexual activity.
If you think you have seen flip-flopping in your short life, I was born in 1943 and what I have seen is hard to believe or understand. The “flip-flopping” I have seen in the heterosexual majority’s sexual morality and lifestyles has changed more than the gay communities. In fact, the gay community has not changed much at all in the last 40 years with the one exception of political and religious activism. HIV/AIDS did cause a minor shift in activity for a decade, but that is over. The Judeo/Christian ethic has been eliminated from much of our lives due mainly to a New Age Liberal Supreme Court who has redefined much of our society and culture.
Why ignore the Middle East at this time? Some fanatical Arabs have taken Islam and used it as an excuse to try to totally eliminate Israel and in their war to convert the masses to Islam attacked America. Islam permits “Jihads” that kill innocent civilians true Biblical Christianity does not. We are told to “love our neighbors and our enemies”, not slaughter them for any reason.