i am homosexual, yet i am Catholic

[kamz]

Equinox:

So you are stating that I should give up 18 years of upbringing, beliefs and values because I am homosexual, then you are basically saying that I am not excepted within the church. I have been told and I believe that the church accepts / loves everyone…

Did your parents bring you up thinking you could be actively homosexual in the Catholic church??? If they did, they have done you a great disservice.

I am 32 and my parents raised me Catholic and I have understood fully all my life that sex out of marriage is a sin and that marriage is one man and one woman, gay sex is a sin, so um, what did your parents teach you??

 

[YinYangMom]

Equinox:

The question I put to you is am I Catholic, if I am not should I forsake my religion?

Single heterosexual catholics are called to celibate living.
All Catholics are called to live a chaste life, even married people.
We are not to indulge in lustful thoughts or actions.
The same applies to you.

You are not being called to forsake the Catholic Church.
Being Catholic means following Christ.

Sodomy is a grave sin.
That was revealed by God in the Old Testament and reaffirmed by Christ in the New whether or not you ‘belief’ that’s what it says, it is very clear. Your interpretation/understanding of those passages has been clouded by rationalization. The mind, and the devil manipulating how we think, can distort reality.

Because the state of homosexual behaviors and all adulterous ones has been revealed by God, even the Church cannot teach against that Truth, no matter how many people cry out to Her to do so. It is not within the power of the Church to change any Truth. She is but the protector and disseminator of Truth.

Being homosexual is not the same as engaging in sodomy.
But since you believe you are homosexual, should you choose to act on your same sex attractions, you would be committing a mortal sin.
Just as a heterosexual single person who chooses to engage in premarital sex commits a mortal sin.
It is the action we CHOOSE which is sinful.
Not the condition.

So, the Church encourages you to join COURAGE so that you may learn how to come to terms with your belief that God created you a homosexual. You will probably find God created you in His image, like everyone else, but somehow, somewhere, somebody or some group of people or some circumstances you had no control over led you toward the path of homosexuality.

If that is the case, then COURAGE and the Church can help you live a chaste, single life for Christ and/or rediscover and embrace your heterosexuality.

You owe it to yourself, to God, and those who love you to explore all the teachings of the Church on the matter of homosexual behavior before deciding to remain or leave the Church. Don’t walk away from being able to receive Jesus in the Eucharist based on misconceptions.

 

[Equinox]

mike182d:

I understand that you may be in a great deal of pain, but I think it would help if you saw it from the Church’s point of view. For example, do you think pedophiles chose to be attracted to young children? Would you expect the Church to accept pedophilia or encourage them to change their ways to live a better lifestyle? Should the Church never speak out against it?

You are comparing me next to a paedophile, not very amusing; I do believe that that is a crime, and should be punished, however bring children into the equation is not valid, and therefore nothing to do with me or the related question

 

[mikew262]

mike182d:

Equinox, I notice that you have avoided my questions.

Do pedophiles *choose *to be attracted to young children?

Should the Church, then, support and encourage pedophilia?

He may be a little sensitive to you indirectly comparing (or least the appearance of) homosexuality and pedophilia. One is a crime, the other isn’t.

 

[montanaman]

Equinox:

So you are stating that I should give up 18 years of upbringing, beliefs and values because I am homosexual, then you are basically saying that I am not excepted within the church. I have been told and I believe that the church accepts / loves everyone…

He might have been too harsh there. No, you absolutely shouldn’t leave the Church. However, you can’t have an active homosexual lifestyle, just as unmarried heterosexuals can’t have intercourse outside of marriage. Since homosexual marriage is contrary to God’s law and design, that will never happen in the Catholic Church. What you decide to do is, ultimately, up to you, but nobody is saying you should leave.

Love, care and acceptance are always available to those who struggle with their crosses. But when you decide to reject your cross for some other temporary pleasure, that’s when you’re going to run into resistance. We can hate the sin and love the sinner–and there IS a difference–but the Church cant’ wholeheartedly embrace someone who embraces his sin. If you’re dealing with same-sex attraction, that can definitely be a heavy cross, but it is a cross nonetheless. You will always be loved in the Church, but love doesn’t mean embracing sin, and as the Bible and the Church has taught for millenia, God loves you through it all–but he allows us to make our own choices, even if that means choosing something other than his will.

 

[mike182d]

Equinox:

You are comparing me next to a paedophile, not very amusing; I do believe that that is a crime, and should be punished, however bring children into the equation is not valid, and therefore nothing to do with me or the related question

No, I am a philosopher and I’m using an analogy to get you to understand a couple points:

1. The inability to choose which desires you have do not legitimize having those desires.

and

1. If homosexuality is perfectly acceptable, there is absolutely no logical reason to punish pedophiles either. Sexual deviancy no longer becomes based on an objective norm but rather the whim and feelings of a given society and so the only reason one can deduce from that line of thinking is that pedophilia is only wrong because most people think its wrong.

You really need to understand what you’re asking before you can find the answer.

 

[Equinox]

Della:

From the Catechism of the Catholic Church:

The Catholic Church calls all those who are not married to live continent lives. If I were not married I would live my life without sex and in service to God and my neighbor in whatever vocation God called me to. The fact is, I didn’t have sex with anyone except my husband whom I married at age 35. It can be done and all those who truly love Christ and his Church can find all the help they want to live as God has asked us to live no matter what our inclinations or station in life. I will pray for you, plesae pray for me.

However, I have not partaken in the act that we are referring. I believe in no sex before marriage. So what I am asking is in the future at some point when I get married to somebody of the same sex, moral values etc. Will I committing a sin by partaking in the act.

 

[kamz]

Equinox:

However, I have not partaken in the act that we are referring. I believe in no sex before marriage. So what I am asking is in the future at some point when I get married to somebody of the same sex, moral values etc. Will I committing a sin by partaking in the act./QUOTE

YES

 

[Marauder]

Equinox:

However, I have not partaken in the act that we are referring. I believe in no sex before marriage. So what I am asking is in the future at some point when I get married to somebody of the same sex, moral values etc. Will I committing a sin by partaking in the act.

The answer is yes because the Catholic church does not recognize the validity of a same-sex marriage whether the law does or not.

Since in the eyes of the Church you will not be married you will be having sex outside of marriage.

Only God can judge what will ultimately happen to you but based on his revelations to the Church you will be taking a risk.

 

[fix]

Equinox:

However, I have not partaken in the act that we are referring. I believe in no sex before marriage. So what I am asking is in the future at some point when I get married to somebody of the same sex, moral values etc. Will I committing a sin by partaking in the act.

What is marriage? If one may self define it then one may self define morality as well. Marriage intends something specific.

 

[mike182d]

mikew262:

He may be a little sensitive to you indirectly comparing (or least the appearance of) homosexuality and pedophilia. One is a crime, the other isn’t.

Why is one a crime and the other not?

That’s my point. The discussion of homosexuality is too clouded with emotions and feelings and an objective, logical reason supporting one form of sexual deviancy over another has never been established.

What makes pedophilia worse than homosexuality? Both are forms of sexual deviancy and in both cases, the person never *chooses *to have those tendencies. And yet we scorn and punish pedophiles. I’m, personally, not saying they’re more equilivants, but I’m trying to get people to seriously think about why they believe what they do.

 

[montanaman]

Equinox:

However, I have not partaken in the act that we are referring. I believe in no sex before marriage. So what I am asking is in the future at some point when I get married to somebody of the same sex, moral values etc. Will I committing a sin by partaking in the act.

Well, you wouldn’t be validly married, either. The Church has no power or authority to wed people illicitly–whether it’s two men, or a heterosexual couple still bound by previous wedding vows.

 

[kaj3]

Equinox:

Ok so in the bond of marriage I may partake in such activities such as sexual intercourse? If that is the case than why dose the Catholic oppose the legalisations of gay marriages, and have ‘dismissed’ directly or indirectly priests who have ‘came out’ as homosexuals?

Equinox, I am sorry you are struggling with this teaching. It is no doubt confusing to be one in your position and not understand the reasons for Church teachings. But please know that the Church teaches what it does for the good of our souls. The purpose of this life is to know, love and serve God. It is easy to become blind-sided by this world with all of its temptations. We all do it, just in different ways because of original sin. Yours is of particular interest in our culture right now, which is why I suspect you are asking these questions.

I certainly am not an expert, but I would refer you to a couple of books. If you are serious in seeking answers to your questions and if you wish to uncover the truth, then I think it will require some study and prayerful discernment.

“Men and Marriage” by George Gilder does not deal with homosexuality per se, but it does a good job, I think, of explaining why the one woman/one man marriage is best for society.

“Theology of the Body for Beginners” by Christopher West. I have not read this book yet, but it is based on the teaching of Pope John Paul II, and if you can come to understand these principals of love and marriage, I think it will get to the heart of your question.

 

[Equinox]

setter:

The Catholic Church recognizes and upholds the purpose and moral use of human sexuality is only licit in the marital bond of heterosexual love.

BTW – I know on no priests who have been dismissed for “coming out” as “homosexuals”.

As I stated indirectly or directly, meaning they were pressured out of the church, im sure you will fine news articles on it if you search Google…

 

[fix]

mikew262:

He may be a little sensitive to you indirectly comparing (or least the appearance of) homosexuality and pedophilia. One is a crime, the other isn’t.

Pedophilia is a crime? If one has those tendencies, yet never acts on them, is it a crime in some states?

 

[Equinox]

mikew262:

He may be a little sensitive to you indirectly comparing (or least the appearance of) homosexuality and pedophilia. One is a crime, the other isn’t.

Thank you very much, that was my point however with so many people writing Im finding it very hard to read fully and write a reply.

 

[mike182d]

Equinox:

Thank you very much, that was my point however with so many people writing Im finding it very hard to read fully and write a reply.

Why is pedophilia a crime?

 

[setter]

Equinox:

As I stated indirectly or directly, meaning they were pressured out of the church, im sure you will fine news articles on it if you search Google…

Let’s not confuse “kicked out” of ther Church with a self-inflicted injury resulting in their choice to leave the Church for the public stance that they chose to take in opposition to Church teaching.

Unless you have documentation otherwise.

 

[Equinox]

kamz:

Did your parents bring you up thinking you could be actively homosexual in the Catholic church??? If they did, they have done you a great disservice.

I am 32 and my parents raised me Catholic and I have understood fully all my life that sex out of marriage is a sin and that marriage is one man and one woman, gay sex is a sin, so um, what did your parents teach you??

I was parents taught me the same in a catholic context, however I was born this way and my parents understand, they love me for who I am and have never had the bigoted view that being homosexual is a crime against the church or the state. All I am stating is if I choose to get married and partake in the act of sex does this mean I am not catholic for committing one sin (in my head) against God, when paedophiles and killers may be forgiven in the eyes of the church etc

 

[kamz]

Equinox:

I was parents taught me the same in a catholic context, however I was born this way and my parents understand, they love me for who I am and have never had the bigoted view that being homosexual is a crime against the church or the state. All I am stating is if I choose to get married and partake in the act of sex does this mean I am not catholic for committing one sin (in my head) against God, when paedophiles and killers may be forgiven in the eyes of the church etc

Yes, if you have sex with a same sex partner even if it is a state marriage, it is a sin in God’s eyes, is that what you want to know, it is a sin, I’m sorry, it is a difficult cross but your salvation is at hand. Gay sex is a sin in the Catholic church and in God’s eyes, that will never change.