Catholicism and the Gay Gene

[Hope1960]

Well, I know about depression. My mom had it and so did I. I also have OCD, but is the Church wrong? I mean I suppose homosexuality is either genetic; biological or from something that happened in utero.

 

[Rau]

but is the Church wrong?

The church takes no position as to the causes of homosexuality.

As to its moral teaching - the only thing you should be concern with - no.

 

[Hope1960]

If the Church has no opinion on the causes of homosexuality, why does the Catechism imply it’s psychological?

 

[Joe_73]

I don’t think the catechism is infallible. It’s only infallible when teaching on faith and morals already infalibbly defined. So it could be wrong in theory. It doesn’t define anything, but just acts like its apparent.
In my opinion, it is a phsycological problem, influenced by genetic and enviromental causes, with the enviroment being more important. the genetic factors might make one more prone to be enviromentally affected by personality, like greater emotional sensitivity, or sex atypical interests, but the enviromental factors can either waylay the problems associated with those, or feed into them.

 

[Hope1960]

Even with what you quoted from in the Catechismin post #47

 

[Rau]

See prior post which addressed this.

 

[Hope1960]

Post number…what?

 

[Rau]

Try post #60 for that.

 

[Hope1960]

I don’t think I understand, except the part about depression.

 

[Rau]

Don’t worry too much about it.

 

[Hope1960]

Too late. I already am.

 

[Rau]

Too late. I already am.

Perhaps turn the TV on?

 

[Hope1960]

Or, you could just answer simply for the simple minded.

 

[Rau]

I’m sure you’re not simple minded. See post #60.

 

[Hope1960]

I did. Thats the one I don’t understand.

 

[Rau]

Don’t worry. As it is not even a question of morality, it is not important to understand. All that is important to know is that choosing some kinds of sexual relationships is not moral.

 

[DarkLight]

If the Church has no opinion on the causes of homosexuality, why does the Catechism imply it’s psychological?

I think it’s using that in the loose sense - as in it’s a mental inclination. Some psychological things are mostly environmental; some are mostly biological, and everything in between.

 

[Hope1960]

The Catechism uses the word psychological.
The psychological genesis seems largely unexplained.

 

[Hope1960]

The DSM says it’s not a mental disorder.

 

[Rau]

Hope: see the following:

The Catechism and Homosexuality Apologetics

Again, the mistake could very well be where it talks about the PSYCHOLOGICAL GENESIS.

In particular, post #64 and #69 in that thread.