Homosexuality Men and woman complementarity, Catechism #2333
Gender Theory, transgender Same sex unions / Defense of Marriage Book: "Living the Truth in Love" Edited by Janet Smith and Fr. Paul Check. Ignatius Press. Support for those seeking chastity Testimony of those who turned to Christ Testimony of Women Raised by Same Sex Partnership
All unchaste behavior is sinful, not just homosexuality. We will be under increasing pressure not only to tolerate but to support sinful behavior. ¨By announcing their proclivities publicly, "open" homosexuals are not only telling others that they have accepted themselves as active homosexuals; they are insisting that others accept them on that basis, as well. What otherwise would be the reason for openly declaring their sexual proclivities?¨ -crisismagazine In face of this difficult times we cannot forget the Lord's command to LOVE even those who persecute us. We should lovingly support persons with same sex attraction who are seeking to be chaste. They need us more than ever because the culture will be pressuring them to yield to their attraction. They need brothers and sisters who LOVE them and support them in their struggle. It is not enough to hold the Catholic position. We need to understand it and be able to explain it. We should know the following and be able to teach it: Catechism of the Catholic Church, # 2358 and 2359 The number of men and women who have deep-seated homosexual tendencies is not negligible. This inclination, which is objectively disordered, constitutes for most of them a trial. They must be accepted with respect, compassion, and sensitivity. Every sign of unjust discrimination in their regard should be avoided. These persons are called to fulfill God’s will in their lives and, if they are Christians, to unite to the sacrifice of the Lord’s Cross the difficulties they may encounter from their condition. Homosexual persons are called to chastity. By the virtues of self-mastery that teach them inner freedom, at times by the support of disinterested friendship, by prayer and sacramental grace, they can and should gradually and resolutely approach Christian perfection.
The future of humanity at stake -"Although the particular inclination of the homosexual person is not a sin, it is a more or less strong tendency ordered toward an intrinsic moral evil; and thus the inclination itself must be seen as an objective disorder." -Cardinal Ratzinger, 1986 Letter on Pastoral Care of Homosexuals, written to the Bishops of the Catholic Church. -Having same sex attraction is not a sin. Engaging in such acts is. Every human being has passions and desires that, if acted upon, would be sinful. For example, any sexual behavior outside of marriage is sinful. These are opportunities to show our love for Christ by overcoming our desires. -The origins of same sex attraction are debatable. But the cause does not determine the moral value of an act. -Just because something comes from nature does not mean it is good. Earthquakes come from nature. Some people are born blind. These things are part of the brokenness of the world and not part of the goodness of creation. God does allow them and if we carry the cross they represent we can grow in virtue. -Same-sex attraction is disordered. It does not mean the person is evil. We don't say a a man born blind is evil but we do say blindness is a disorder of the eye. -Celibacy lived in Christ is a blessing and all those not called to the blessing of holy marriage (one man and one woman) are called to it.
Reflections of a Catholic celibate homosexual Where are all these bigoted Catholics I keep hearing about? When I told my family a year ago, not one of them responded with anything but love and understanding. Nobody acted like I had a disease. Nobody started treating me differently or looking at me funny. The same is true of every one of the Catholic friends that I’ve told. They love me for who I am. Actually, the only time I get shock or disgust or disbelief, the only time I’ve noticed people treating me differently after I tell them, is when I tell someone who supports the gay lifestyle. Celibacy?? You must be some kind of freak. Hooray for tolerance of different viewpoints. I’m grateful to gay activists for some things — making people people more aware of the prevalence of homosexuality, making homophobia less socially acceptable — but they also make it more difficult for me to be understood, to be accepted for who I am and what I believe. If I want open-mindedness, acceptance, and understanding, I look to Catholics. Is it hard to be gay and Catholic? Yes, because like everybody, I sometimes want things that are not good for me. The Church doesn’t let me have those things, not because she’s mean, but because she’s a good mother. If my son or daughter wanted to eat sand I’d tell them: that’s not what eating is for; it won’t nourish you; it will hurt you. Maybe my daughter has some kind of condition that makes her like sand better than food, but I still wouldn’t let her eat it. Actually, if she was young or stubborn enough, I might not be able to reason with her — I might just have to make a rule against eating sand. Even if she thought I was mean. So the Church doesn’t oppose gay marriage because it’s wrong; she opposes it because it’s impossible, just as impossible as living on sand. The Church believes, and I believe, in a universe that means something, and in a God who made the universe — made men and women, designed sex and marriage from the ground up. In that universe, gay marriage doesn’t make sense. It doesn’t fit with the rest of the picture, and we’re not about to throw out the rest of the picture. If you don’t believe in these things, if you believe that men and women and sex and marriage are pretty much whatever we say they are, then okay: we don’t have much left to talk about. That’s not the world I live in. So, yes, it’s hard to be gay and Catholic — it’s hard to be anything and Catholic — because I don’t always get to do what I want. Show me a religion where you always get to do what you want and I’ll show you a pretty shabby, lazy religion. Something not worth living or dying for, or even getting up in the morning for. That might be the kind of world John Lennon wanted, but John Lennon was kind of an idiot. Would I trade in my Catholicism for a worldview where I get to marry a man? Would I trade in the Eucharist and the Mass and the rest of it? Being a Catholic means believing in a God who literally waits in the chapel for me, hoping I’ll stop by just for ten minutes so he can pour out love and healing on my heart. Which is worth more — all this, or getting to have sex with who I want? I wish everybody, straight or gay, had as beautiful a life as I have. I know this isn’t a satisfactory answer. I don’t think any words could be. I try to make my life a satisfactory answer, to this question and to others: What are people for? What is love, and what does it look like? How do we get past our own selfishness so we can love God and our neighbors and ourselves? It’s a work in progress. Steve can be found at www.stevegershom.comMore info Medical Downside of Homosexual Behavior; 2003. >>> The Homosexual Person; John Harvey OSFS, 1987. >>> APA Ignored Evidence that Homosexual Behavior is Part of Psychiatric Disorder Says Noted Psychiatrist, 2005. >>> Federal Distortion of Homosexual Footprint (Ignoring Early Gay Death?)2007. >>> Homosexual Unions Last Only 1.5 Years >>> The Truth About Homosexuality. >>> Same Sex Relationships are not the Equivalent of Marriage >>>
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