There is this post floating around Facebook about how to respond to a son “outing” himself. But it contains one of the most ridiculous reasoning I’ve ever seen, to quote a segment:

Mom says: Yes I am listening
Ryan says: well i don’t know how to say this really but, well……, i can’t keep lying to you about myself. I have been hiding this for too long and i sorta have to tell u now. By now u probably have an idea of what i am about to say.
Ryan says: I am gay
Ryan says: i can’t believe i just told you
Mom says: Are you joking?
Ryan says: no
Ryan says: i thought you would understand because of uncle don
Mom says: of course I would
Mom says: but what makes you think you are?
Ryan says: i know i am
Ryan says: i don’t like hannah
Ryan says: it’s just a cover-up
Mom says: but that doesn’t make you gay…
Ryan says: i know
Ryan says: but u don’t understand
Ryan says: i am gay
Mom says: tell me more
Ryan says: it’s just the way i am and it’s something i know
Ryan says: u r not a lesbian and u know that it is the same thing
Mom says: what do you mean?
Ryan says: i am just gay
Ryan says: i am that
Mom says: I love you no matter what
Ryan says: i am white not black
Ryan says: i know
Ryan says: i am a boy not a girl
Ryan says: i am attracted to boys not girls
Ryan says: u know that about yourself and i know this
Mom says: what about what God thinks about acting on these desires?
Ryan says: i know
Mom says: thank you for telling me
Ryan says: and i am very confused about that right now
Mom says: I love you more for being honest
Ryan says: i know
Ryan says: thanx

I just know? Imagine if we construct an alternative scenario, this time with an atheist parent.

Ryan says: can i tell u something
Mom says: Yes I am listening
Ryan says: well i don’t know how to say this really but, well……, i can’t keep lying to you about myself. I have been hiding this for too long and i sorta have to tell u now. By now u probably have an idea of what i am about to say.
Ryan says: I think God is talking my heart
Ryan says: i can’t believe i just told you
Mom says: Are you joking?
Ryan says: no
Ryan says: i thought you would understand because of uncle don
Mom says: of course I would
Mom says: but what makes you think God is in your heart
Ryan says: i know He is.
Ryan says: i don’t like living without God
Ryan says: it’s just a cover-up
Mom says: but that doesn’t mean God is talking to your heart.
Ryan says: i know
Ryan says: but u don’t understand
Ryan says: God is in my heart.
Mom says: tell me more
Ryan says: that’s just the way it is and it’s something i know
Ryan says: u r not a believer and u know that it is the same thing
Mom says: what do you mean?
Ryan says: God is just in my heart
Ryan says: it is that
Mom says: I love you no matter what
Ryan says: i am white not black
Ryan says: i know
Ryan says: i am a boy not a girl
Ryan says: i am attracted to God not secularism
Ryan says: u know that about yourself and i know this
Mom says: what about what science thinks about acting on these desires?
Ryan says: i know
Mom says: thank you for telling me
Ryan says: and i am very confused about that right now
Mom says: I love you more for being honest
Ryan says: i know
Ryan says: thanx

Now, would any atheist simply accept that, “oh, I just know that God exists” without asking for proof, reasons or even an explanation of what one means? Would anyone accept a proposition upon a say so? Of course not. But somehow when it comes to sexual orientation, suddenly reasons and arguments go right out of the window and a sort of irrationality sets in. If it is perfectly reasonable and rational not to accept a believer’s claim to “just know” that God exists upon a say so, without asking for an explanation or proof of what one means, likewise must it be perfectly reasonable to not simply accept a teenager’s claim about something as nebulous as “sexual orientation” upon a say so but to interrogate what one means by that.

And you can begin here: Introduction to the Rationality of Sex; Ambiguity of Sexual Orientations and Desire or What Gays Want