Gays disappointed at US Catholic Church stance on homosexuality

[justawhisper]

BALTIMORE (AFP) - Gay and progressive Roman Catholic groups are disappointed with the US Catholic Church’s decision to remain opposed to contraception and giving communion to sexually active homosexuals.

The US Conference of Catholic Bishops, during a meeting in the eastern city of Baltimore ending Thursday, adopted pastoral guidelines saying that homosexual “inclination” is not a sin but that communion should not be given to gay worshippers who have sexual relations.

Bishop Gregory Serratelli, who chairs the conference’s doctrine committee, said the guidelines are “a welcome call” for gays to return to the Catholic community.

news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20061116/ts_alt_afp/usreligioncatholic

 

[Riley259]

news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20061116/ts_alt_afp/usreligioncatholic

The liberal progressives are upset at this document, aren’t they. Take a look at this column by noted liberal journalist Ellen Goodman. She slams the idea of reparative therapy and of course the Catholic church’s unwavering stance on the disordered nature of homosexuality. Sorry Ellen, but a tantrum won’t change the Church’s teaching on this matter.
boston.com/news/globe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2006/11/17/the_closet_of_self_hatred/

 

[goofyjim]

The liberal progressives are upset at this document, aren’t they. Take a look at this column by noted liberal journalist Ellen Goodman. She slams the idea of reparative therapy and of course the Catholic church’s unwavering stance on the disordered nature of homosexuality. Sorry Ellen, but a tantrum won’t change the Church’s teaching on this matter.
boston.com/news/globe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2006/11/17/the_closet_of_self_hatred/

While remaining celibate I slam the idea of repararive therapy myself. It is offered only by therapists who accept no insurance and charge tons of dollars. Sounds like a get rich scheme at our expense. There is nothing disordered about me thank you very much.

 

[Dale_M]

This quote is from the first article

Frances Kissling, president of the progressive group Catholics for a Free Choice, criticized Church reasoning that condemns out-of-wedlock sex while continuing to forbid gay couples from marrying.

“This is hurtful (for homosexuals),” Kissling said. “If you express your sexuality in a loving and just way, you are still sinful. It’s unacceptable.”

As a divorced man I can not marry or engage in sex either. Its not a situation which is pleasant, but it is a cross which can be carried.

BTW, the effectiveness of reparative therapy is debatable. I think that is why the bishops left it out of their pastoral guidelines for homosexuals.

 

[Crow]

“Catholics worldwide have rejected the Church position on contraception,” Kissling said. “Nobody is listening to them any more.”

What a blatant lie.

I am Catholic.
I am 33 years old.
I am a professional engineer.
I listen to the church, I obey the church. It is my free choice to do so, and I do so because it holds the Truth.

And I am very very far from being alone!

 

[luke2219]

While remaining celibate I slam the idea of repararive therapy myself. It is offered only by therapists who accept no insurance and charge tons of dollars. Sounds like a get rich scheme at our expense. There is nothing disordered about me thank you very much.

That is correct, there is nothing disordered about you. However, desires you may have may be disordered. Desires and inclinations can be disordered but not persons.

I honor your choice to remain celebate and to not seek reparative therapy. I know that it can be quite expensive. There are ways of seeking it that don’t cost much money and I know that there are some reparative therapists that accept insurance. My experience with it has been very good and none of the people I know that are doing it are just trying to make a buck. Reparative therapists are looked down upon and rejected by their peers. They do it because they truly belive in their work and they have helped thousands of men.

BTW, the effectiveness of reparative therapy is debatable. I think that is why the bishops left it out of their pastoral guidelines for homosexuals.

It is debatable, but they did not leave it out. They mentioned it and said that people are not morally bound to seek it. However, reparative therapy does work for many men but it is still relatively new. Earlier practices were hardly effective at all, but what is practiced today shows a LOT of hope.

 

[dapper]

That is correct, there is nothing disordered about you. However, desires you may have may be disordered. Desires and inclinations can be disordered but not persons.

I honor your choice to remain celebate and to not seek reparative therapy. I know that it can be quite expensive. There are ways of seeking it that don’t cost much money and I know that there are some reparative therapists that accept insurance. My experience with it has been very good and none of the people I know that are doing it are just trying to make a buck. Reparative therapists are looked down upon and rejected by their peers. They do it because they truly belive in their work and they have helped thousands of men.

I have no problem with the idea of reparative therapy but I honestly am very happy with my sexual orientation. I would never change the fact that I am gay, though I understand why one would want to. It ain’t easy being in the closet and it’s even harder to be out. However, I really am happy that I came out. I don’t feel like I am living a lie anymore. I have been out for almost 10 years.

I wanted to ask you really quick question and not stray too far from the OP’s initial post - Does this sort of therapy attempt to get you to find women sexually attractive? What’s the main objective with it? Thanks.

It is debatable, but they did not leave it out. They mentioned it and said that people are not morally bound to seek it. However, reparative therapy does work for many men but it is still relatively new. Earlier practices were hardly effective at all, but what is practiced today shows a LOT of hope.

 

[dapper]

That is correct, there is nothing disordered about you. However, desires you may have may be disordered. Desires and inclinations can be disordered but not persons.

I honor your choice to remain celebate and to not seek reparative therapy. I know that it can be quite expensive. There are ways of seeking it that don’t cost much money and I know that there are some reparative therapists that accept insurance. My experience with it has been very good and none of the people I know that are doing it are just trying to make a buck. Reparative therapists are looked down upon and rejected by their peers. They do it because they truly belive in their work and they have helped thousands of men.

It is debatable, but they did not leave it out. They mentioned it and said that people are not morally bound to seek it. However, reparative therapy does work for many men but it is still relatively new. Earlier practices were hardly effective at all, but what is practiced today shows a LOT of hope.

Sorry - I botched my last post

I have no problem with the idea of reparative therapy but I honestly am very happy with my sexual orientation. I would never change the fact that I am gay, though I understand why one would want to. It ain’t easy being in the closet and it’s even harder to be out. However, I really am happy that I came out. I don’t feel like I am living a lie anymore. I have been out for almost 10 years.

I wanted to ask you really quick question and not stray too far from the OP’s initial post - Does this sort of therapy attempt to get you to find women sexually attractive? What’s the main objective with it? Thanks.

 

[luke2219]

Sorry - I botched my last post

I have no problem with the idea of reparative therapy but I honestly am very happy with my sexual orientation. I would never change the fact that I am gay, though I understand why one would want to. It ain’t easy being in the closet and it’s even harder to be out. However, I really am happy that I came out. I don’t feel like I am living a lie anymore. I have been out for almost 10 years.

I wanted to ask you really quick question and not stray too far from the OP’s initial post - Does this sort of therapy attempt to get you to find women sexually attractive? What’s the main objective with it? Thanks.

I honor your choice. And I thank you for honoring my choice to seek a heterosexual inclination.

I believe that finding women sexually attractive has been the goal of many reparative therapies that have proved harmul and ineffective. The main objective in my experience is to go to the root of the problem and fix that. In my case, the problems I’ve discovered have affected every aspect of my life. They have to do with how I see myself and how I see other people. My intention when starting was to find women sexually attractive. But once I discovered the problematic ways that I view men, myself, and women and the unhealthy coping methods I use my main goal has been to see myself and others in light of the truth and to deal with pain in a straightforward and healthy way. The diminishing same-sex attraction is now mearly a side-effect (although a much welcome one) of the work I’m doing.

“In his book, Growth Into Manhood (Harold Shaw Publishers, 2000), Alan Medinger writes (page 239) that homosexuality is not a single problem or conflict, but a group of problems that together produce homosexual attractions. Each of these problems must be dealt with individually, he writes.”

For more I invite you to visit peoplecanchange.com/MANSIntro.htm
and see what you think of their proposed solution. This has proven very effective for many men.

 

[dapper]

I honor your choice. And I thank you for honoring my choice to seek a heterosexual inclination.

I believe that finding women sexually attractive has been the goal of many reparative therapies that have proved harmul and ineffective. The main objective in my experience is to go to the root of the problem and fix that. In my case, the problems I’ve discovered have affected every aspect of my life. They have to do with how I see myself and how I see other people. My intention when starting was to find women sexually attractive. But once I discovered the problematic ways that I view men, myself, and women and the unhealthy coping methods I use my main goal has been to see myself and others in light of the truth and to deal with pain in a straightforward and healthy way. The diminishing same-sex attraction is now mearly a side-effect (although a much welcome one) of the work I’m doing.

“In his book, Growth Into Manhood (Harold Shaw Publishers, 2000), Alan Medinger writes (page 239) that homosexuality is not a single problem or conflict, but a group of problems that together produce homosexual attractions. Each of these problems must be dealt with individually, he writes.”

For more I invite you to visit peoplecanchange.com/MANSIntro.htm
and see what you think of their proposed solution. This has proven very effective for many men.

Thanks. Very interesting.

Would you say that part of your homosexual inclinations have something to do with your lack of identification with men? Being “one of the guys” as this book suggests?

Either way, I hope that you find happiness in your endeavors with this matter. It took some time for me to come to grips with my sexuality but once I did, it was very liberating.

 

[David_Paul]

Frances Kissling, president of the progressive group Catholics for a Free Choice

Newspeak. Everything I read about Kissling is that she opposes virtually everything the Church teaches–from life issues to a male priesthood. So what is a “progressive” Catholic? Anyone who opposes the Magisterium and puts “Catholic” in their title?

 

[Riley259]

I honor your choice. And I thank you for honoring my choice to seek a heterosexual inclination.

I believe that finding women sexually attractive has been the goal of many reparative therapies that have proved harmul and ineffective. The main objective in my experience is to go to the root of the problem and fix that. In my case, the problems I’ve discovered have affected every aspect of my life. They have to do with how I see myself and how I see other people. My intention when starting was to find women sexually attractive. But once I discovered the problematic ways that I view men, myself, and women and the unhealthy coping methods I use my main goal has been to see myself and others in light of the truth and to deal with pain in a straightforward and healthy way. The diminishing same-sex attraction is now mearly a side-effect (although a much welcome one) of the work I’m doing.

“In his book, Growth Into Manhood (Harold Shaw Publishers, 2000), Alan Medinger writes (page 239) that homosexuality is not a single problem or conflict, but a group of problems that together produce homosexual attractions. Each of these problems must be dealt with individually, he writes.”

For more I invite you to visit peoplecanchange.com/MANSIntro.htm
and see what you think of their proposed solution. This has proven very effective for many men.

Thank you for your courageous witness. I know this type of therapy is not for everyone but your progress (and many others like you) essentially confirm that homosexuality is not strictly genetic (although there are likely some predispositions in at least some individuals) as gay activists so often claim. I think that happiness will only be found when you and others like you find an authentic identification (masculinity) - it’s clear that this is the way it was supposed to be and it’s hopeful to hear that many can recover that authenticity that leads to a healthy sexual identity. God Bless and thanks for your testimony.