Catholic Beliefs on Homosexuality

[GrowingInTheFaith]

Hello everyone!

I’m here to bring up a tough topic that I haven’t seen directly asked on Catholic Answers. Before I dive into this, I just wanted to say that I want everyone to be respectful to each other in the comments. If you are going to argue, please do it respectfully and kindly. We are all brothers and sisters in Christ. Alright, so I’m quoting parts of an answer to a question about Christianity and homosexuality on Quora. I’m omitting parts of it because I don’t think Ruth and Naomi were gay and I don’t like the answer referring to people as homophobic just because they don’t agree with them. I just wanted to hear your thoughts about their answer from a Catholic standpoint as well as for some other questions I have. I also linked a video that I’d really appreciate if you watched.

(Start quote.) "It is noticeable that, almost without exception, these quotes come from translations of the Bible written in the last 200 years.

Doubtless, many Christian pastors, let alone ordinary Christians, firmly believe that they are an accurate translation, and therefore genuinely believe that the Bible speaks out against homosexuality.

The truth is somewhat different.

The three biggest passages quoted are the story of Sodom in Genesis, a passage from Leviticus 18-20, and Corinthians (a similar passage appears in Timothy.)

Sodom is just a misunderstanding. No-one actually quotes a verse from the Bible, because the Bible explicitly talks about the crime (gang rape) and it doesn’t actually mention homosexuality. In fact, the book of Ezekiel gives a commentary on the story, and actually says that it was the abuse of hospitality in trying to force the guests to have sex that was the issue - the actual form that such a sex act might have taken is omitted.

On the other hand, the Leviticus passage seems clear-cut - to the extent that I’m not going to attempt to give it a different interpretation than the common translations do - Homosexuality is forbidden under Jewish law. However, Christians aren’t subject to Jewish law (read, well, pretty much all of the book of Acts and most of the Epistles.) Christians don’t consider themselves forbidden from, say, eating shellfish, or rare steak (both non-kosher), and no-one seriously expects their neighbours to be arrested for letting mildew grow (another serious offence.)

(Part 1/3)

 

[GrowingInTheFaith]

The Corinthians passage is what the argument seems to stem from:

Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God.

• New American Standard Bible translation

Effeminate is a translation of the Greek word ‘malakoi’, which is used elsewhere to mean effeminate in the sense of dressy and posturing!

However, the word that the NASB translates as homosexuals wasn’t, in fact, given such a translation until the 19th Century.

The King James gives the word as:

abusers of themselves with mankind

What does abusers mean?

The word in question is Arsenokoiti / ἀρσενοκοῖται. It’s a word that isn’t used elsewhere in the Bible, except in Timothy (which says it’s a sin, but doesn’t otherwise define it) It’s also a word whose use completely died out, so any modern meaning is a guess. However, in other texts contemporary with the Bible, the word’s meaning is ‘person who obtains sex through abuse of power.’

Why the 19th Century revivalists chose to substitute the word ‘homosexual’ into this passge, in first their preaching, then their translations isn’t clear.

On the flip side, there are numerous references to same-sex couples in the Bible, if you bother to read the original rather than a homophobic translation. Let’s pick a quick three, in the interests of Christian perspective, mainly from the New Testament (there are many more from the Old testament.)

Matthew 8:5-13. Jesus affirms a relationship between the Centurion and the sick man that is describes as ‘pais’ - a word used to describe a same-sex relationship.

Matthew 19:10-12. The word used is ‘eunochoi’. The word is normally translated as ‘eunuch’, and people tend to only know the sense of ‘sexually incapable’ without realising that the Greek word often meant ‘homosexual.’

Acts 8:26-40… eunochoi again.

Obviously, interpretation of the Bible is down to the individual… but I find it impossible to believe that the God who gave his own self to redeem mankind would condemn a part of it, outright, because they loved people with the same number of X-chromosomes as themselves." (End quote.)

Please also watch this video: What The Bible Really Says About Being Gay - YouTube

(Part 2/3)

 

[GrowingInTheFaith]

Okay, so after you read that and watched the video and formed a response, I have some more questions from a personal standpoint. I struggle with same-sex attraction. I’m pretty sure I’m bisexual because I have felt this way for at least a year. I’ve only told strangers on the internet and one friend I know in real life that I actually don’t know very well but she is good at keeping secrets and she came out to me as bisexual (as a Christian) earlier this year so I knew she would understand better then my other friends would. Even over text, it was hard to do. I was so stressed and I was literally shaking but after I told her about it I felt better. It was hard to keep that secret in so long and I felt I had to tell someone. The thing is, I’m not really sure about what to do. I’ve researched A BUNCH online and I’m kind of torn, but I’m definitely leaning towards following the “traditional” view on homosexuality. I’m in a safe situation with my parents if they figured out about how I feel but I don’t think I’ll tell them until I am out of the house if I ever do. I’ve researched resources and I found one Catholic one even though I’m not Catholic and it looked good. The website promoted chastity for people who have the same struggle as me, but the website was only for people who are 18 and older because “young peoples’ sexuality changes and even though they feel gay now they might not later.” (paraphrase) Just because you’re under 18 doesn’t mean you don’t need help abstaining from a same-sex relationship or that your feelings aren’t as serious as adults’ feelings. Do you have any resources for me? If so, please link them to your answer.

Third question, what boundaries should I set for myself? I have a crush on another girl, should I continue to text her regularly? What if she likes me back? Can we still be friends? What if I become ‘friends’ with a girl but we act like we are in a relationship without the title or physical contact. What then? These are the kinds of things I need to consider. I’m also willing to consider the fact that maybe homosexuality isn’t a sin. I apologize for the length of these questions, I needed to go into detail. Please give me your thoughts and interpretations of the Bible. Please pray for me and answer my question with delicacy.

Thank you and God bless, (Truly, may God bless you if you took the time to answer all my lengthy questions. )

GrowingInTheFaith

(Part 3/3)

 

[VanitasVanitatum]

However, the word that the NASB translates as homosexuals wasn’t, in fact, given such a translation until the 19th Century.

The Douay-Rheims says liers with mankind and that’s a translation from the Vulgate which was written in the forth century.

What if I become ‘friends’ with a girl but we act like we are in a relationship without the title or physical contact.

That’s essentially being in a relationship and depending on what that means could be a bad thing.

 

[po18guy]

Are you asking a question or putting forth an agenda? I simply cannot tell. Do you have a catechism? FAR FAR better that you read the catechism to get the revealed truth and not simply argumentative discourse.

 

[poche]

From the Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church;

492. What are the principal sins against chastity?

2351-2359
2396

Grave sins against chastity differ according to their object: adultery, masturbation, fornication, pornography, prostitution, rape, and homosexual acts. These sins are expressions of the vice of lust. These kinds of acts committed against the physical and moral integrity of minors become even more grave.

493. Although it says only “you shall not commit adultery” why does the sixth commandment forbid all sins against chastity?

2336

Although the biblical text of the Decalogue reads “you shall not commit adultery” ( Exodus 20:14), the Tradition of the Church comprehensively follows the moral teachings of the Old and New Testaments and considers the sixth commandment as encompassing all sins against chastity.

 

[poche]

I forgot the link;

http://www.vatican.va/archive/compendium_ccc/documents/archive_2005_compendium-ccc_en.html

 

[Lea101]

Third question, what boundaries should I set for myself? I have a crush on another girl, should I continue to text her regularly? What if she likes me back? Can we still be friends? What if I become ‘friends’ with a girl but we act like we are in a relationship without the title or physical contact. What then?

The same boundaries a person would set if they know they shouldn’t be in that relationship (e.g. Married couples, vowed celibacy etc).

There’s no right answer about these boundaries because you would have to think about it yourself, so take these as suggestions/what I would do.

I wouldn’t stop texting someone I liked, but I wouldn’t be as emotionally intimate as I would like to. I wouldn’t text her as regularly as I would like to,as well. Not because it’s a sin, but because I’m not going to make things worse for myself and tempt myself over ‘what could have been’.

What if she like me back? I would reduce my contact with her because it’s now not fair to her. Why talk and lead someone on? It will make things hard for the both of us.

Can we still be friends? I guess so. Not a sin. But again, it wouldn’t help your emotions (and hers too). I would be prudent in this area. Spending a lot of time would only make it difficult for me to avoid a relationship.

What if I become ‘friends’ with a girl but we act like we are in a relationship without the title or physical contact. What then?

You would need to be clearer, because it just look like a relationship of two best friends since there’s no physical (romantic/sexual) contact?

Gay/BI people can have best friends of the same sex.

 

[Lea101]

On the other hand, the Leviticus passage seems clear-cut - to the extent that I’m not going to attempt to give it a different interpretation than the common translations do - Homosexuality is forbidden under Jewish law. However, Christians aren’t subject to Jewish law (read, well, pretty much all of the book of Acts and most of the Epistles.) Christians don’t consider themselves forbidden from, say, eating shellfish, or rare steak (both non-kosher), and no-one seriously expects their neighbours to be arrested for letting mildew grow (another serious offence.)

This isn’t a good response. Leviticus also forbids incest and sexual acts with animals. In the same part I believe. Would we say that we are no longer bound by this law because we eat shrimp, and hence it’s not sinful to sleep with your parent? Nope!

Because there are different types of laws. I’m not an expert on this so someone needs to jump in or you need to Google it, but homosexuality falls under the moral laws. Basically laws for everyone to follow.

Other laws are directed specifically for Jewish worship. This would be your pigeons, shrimp etc laws, lol.

 

[Lea101]

Matthew 8:5-13. Jesus affirms a relationship between the Centurion and the sick man that is describes as ‘pais’ - a word used to describe a same-sex relationship.

He didn’t affirm the relationship, he affirmed the centurion’s faith. This passage always gets twisted, but it’s pretty straightforward once you read it. Jesus’ love for sinners doesn’t equate to approval, anyway.

 

[De_Maria]

Thank you and God bless, (Truly, may God bless you if you took the time to answer all my lengthy questions. )*

GrowingInTheFaith

(Part 3/3)

I didn’t read your three part question because there’s no need for a Catholic to
refer to Scripture in order to know what the Catholic Church Teaches on this matter.

The Catholic Church Teaches you God’s will. It sounds to me as though you’re struggling between doing your will and doing God’s will. We all have the same struggle. Same sex attraction is only different in the sense that it also goes against the natural order. God made us to procreate and be fruitful within the Sacrament of matrimony. Homosexuality can not achieve that.

But same sex attraction is no different when it comes to sex outside of marriage. Fornication is forbidden to all, regardless of age or sexual attraction.

As to the Catholic Teaching on the matter:

2357 Homosexuality refers to relations between men or between women who experience an exclusive or predominant sexual attraction toward persons of the same sex. It has taken a great variety of forms through the centuries and in different cultures. Its psychological genesis remains largely unexplained. Basing itself on Sacred Scripture, which presents homosexual acts as acts of grave depravity, tradition has always declared that “homosexual acts are intrinsically disordered.” They are contrary to the natural law. They close the sexual act to the gift of life. They do not proceed from a genuine affective and sexual complementarity. Under no circumstances can they be approved.

 

[GrowingInTheFaith]

I’m not putting forth an agenda. I don’t have a catechism. I’m not Catholic, I just wanted to hear this issue from a Catholic viewpoint.

 

[Diaconia]

Catholic Teaching has always been, is now, and will be forever:

• Homosexual acts are always disordered, contrary to the Natural Law, immoral, and they also constitute grave matter
• Marriage is the union of one man and one woman - so called “gay marriage” is not, and cannot, (by definition) ever be marriage

Neither Sacred Scripture nor Sacred Tradition have ever taught anything contrary to these points, nor could they.

Deacon Christopher

 

[De_Maria]

I don’t have a catechism.

This is a fully searchable catechism on the internet.

I’m not Catholic, I just wanted to hear this issue from a Catholic viewpoint.

We’re not people who rely upon Scripture alone. We have an authority which was passed down by Jesus Christ. Posting Scriptures and then giving the impression that you are looking for a reasonable interpretation which aligns with your preferences is not the way that we learn about our faith.

We learn our Faith from the Church.

 

[Saxum]

Church teaching is clearly stated in the Catechism of the Catholic Church.

For an accurate secular explanation of homosexuality, see Dr. Joseph Nicolosi. He explains its cause and treatment.

 

[Pattylt]

One thing you have to realize when looking at scriptures is that in the ancient world they had no concept of homosexual orientation. Sure, they knew about sexual acts but not that people were sexually oriented to the same sex. Homosexual orientation wasn’t understood until around 1820.

I’ve asked about the Greek word pais…it usually refers to a youth or young slave.

The proper translation for malakoi is very disputed and hard to translate.

This is what I’ve learned from NT scholarship…YVMV.

 

[Saxum]

One thing you have to realize when looking at scriptures is that in the ancient world they had no concept of homosexual orientation

God is the author of Scripture. God knows everything about homosexuality. The Biblical teaching about sodomy is true and certain.

 

[Pattylt]

They knew about homosexual acts and condemned them. They did not know about homosexual orientation. God may know but the writers did not.

 

[Saxum]

(post withdrawn by author, will be automatically deleted in 24 hours unless flagged)

 

[SeekSalvation]

The good news is you’re seeking truth. You’re doing exactly what Jesus is asking you to do (even though you may not know you are). Seeking truth means you are also seeking Salvation. You obviously are concerned about the possible ramifications, results, of future actions and how that will impact your salvation. Might I suggest you remember to follow God’s will first? You don’t want to repeat man’s Original Sin by defining what’s Good and Evil over God the Fathers definition of Good and Evil. Perhaps this suggestion may feel a bit scary, but I recommend you contact a local Catholic church and setup a time to discuss this concern with a Priest. I know you’re not a Catholic but you might be surprised how helpful this discussion with your local Priest maybe? Please continue to seek the truth before making a final decision. You’re doing the right thing. You’re in my prayers and I hope for the best.