Religion, science, foundationalism and astrology are all types of epistemologies. There are several other types. Epistemology establishes the basis for how we know the truth.
In determining what is true, it is necessary to ask four questions, in the following order.
- First, what is it? What is the nature of that which one is considering?
- Second, how do we know what it is? Is the knowledge the result of the application of the scientific method, for example, or a result of divine revelation or the pronouncement of an infallible leader or the alignment of the stars or something else.
- For religion, truth is based on God’s will and depends on others telling us what that will is—the authors of the Bible or Koran, the Pope, the clergy and others. For science, truth comes from the implementation of the scientific method. This means that finding out what is true is available to anyone who is willing to use the scientific method. Foundationalism is a type of epistemology where a person (such as Hitler) tells others what to believe and that becomes truth. Astrology depends on the alignment of the planets and the stars.
- The third question is—what good is our knowledge, what is it useful for? This involves law and ethics among other disciplines. Ask yourself how is this knowledge useful?
- The final question: does the truth produce harmony? Does the truth resonate with you as a whole?
Now, apply those four steps to homosexuality.
First, homosexuality is a sexual orientation where one is attracted to a person of one’s own gender and is a variation of human sexuality. Sexual orientation is not voluntary.
Second, we know this because Alfred Kinsey and subsequent scientists have applied the scientific method to human sexuality.
Third, because of the nature of sexual orientation, it is normal and moral to be gay.
Fourth, the steps above are in harmony with human nature and are completely consistent with our other human needs. This view gives us the ability to live side by side with all others and to do so in peace.
Some people start with the fourth step and then try to force the first three steps to arrive at truth. This can and does lead to an inaccurate truth at times. For example, a person may have a negatively visceral reaction to a gay person and try to answer the first three questions in reverse order to justify that negative reaction.