Is being gay a sin?;';';

  • Thread starter Thread starter ineeksjd
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
This applies to anybody: If you act on any sinful behavior, in thought or deed, you have to repent and confess, if not you have sin on your soul.
 
Here’s a thought experiment. What if someone made himself gay, for e.g., by having lots of sex with other men until he learned to interpret it as pleasurable? In addition to any sins committed along the way, would it not also be a sin to have made himself gay?
 
Flopfoot said:
Here’s a thought experiment. What if someone made himself gay, for e.g., by having lots of sex with other men until he learned to interpret it as pleasurable?
Click to expand...
Doesnt work that way. People who masturbate experience pleasure. It doesn’t mean that they develop a sexual attraction to their hand.
 
This is a bit off topic, but there is a difference between physical and moral evil

If someone is gay through no fault of their own it wouldn’t be a sin (a moral evil). But would we say that it is a physical evil like diseases and natural disasters? Or would we say the person is just different?

You could imagine a religion that doesn’t allow gay sex but at the same time doesn’t consider homosexuality to be a physical evil. But I don’t think that is the case for ours. Firstly, it’s clearly not part of God’s plan (c.f. Genesis 2). And if it was just a matter of chastity then there’d be no reason for the big fights of the last few decades

Physical evil like getting killed by a volcanic eruption could become a moral evil if a person was reckless with their life and chose to build their house next to an active volcano. Regarding homosexuality, the brain is too plastic for it to be purely a genetic condition. It appears to be out of our control because we don’t really know all the factors that influence someone to be gay. But, we are starting to see programs in schools that tell children things like “it’s normal to be gay”, which seems like it would be an influence on them, so clearly this sort of encouragement is sinful just like building a house next to an active volcano
 
They are fetishes that don’t exist to the exclusion of sexual orientattion.
 
My language may be confusing or maybe I’m using it wrong. You might have heard of the “problem of evil” which is usually phrased “why do bad things happen to good people?”

These ‘bad things’ include things like diseases and natural disasters, which are sometimes thought to be here because of original sin, rather than something God created directly, because God doesn’t create bad things. So to put it another way, is homosexuality a bad thing that might only exist because of original sin?
 
I thought maybe that’s what you meant.

There are people who very affirmatively say yes. For all I know, Catholic theology supports the idea.

My belief is that being gay has nothing at all to do with original sin and everything else associated.
 
Sometimes I think we as Catholics miss the mark. It’s not exactly clear to say homosexuality and the acts are sinful for the sole reason they are done outside of marriage. That’s confusing in a world where we have very different definitions of marriage. Sodomy and active sexual acts outside of the natural order of procreation are sinful for many other reasons. It’s like saying nfp is moral because it’s natural. That may be a benefit but that is not what makes it moral or immoral. When we as Catholics say it’s bad because its outside of marriage we encourage the idea of marriage to be extended to homosexuals. It does a disservice to our cause and a disservice to those who struggle with SSA. It belittles their struggle and pain they must fight through to be holy, reach heaven and remain chaste.
 
Last edited:
No, he was not wrong. I was wrong, and I sincerely apologize. I think I may have misremembered, despite fairly clearly remembering something. Maybe I misunderstood. Sorry.
http://www.newadvent.org/summa/3154.htm

Might I reccomend deleting your previous comment so as to keep others from getting the wrong impression of the saint and doctor’s words, and of him? Thank you.
 
Last edited:
TheLittleLady said:
The kind of sin is “against chastity”. Your priest will ask for details, including station in life, if he needs this information.
Click to expand...
Why be vague and wait for the priest to maybe ask for details. Better to be honest and confess exactly what the sin is.
 
I have heard from a few priests that they actually prefer more generalized statements in these situations. They say if the person has come for reconciliation, that is what matters (paraphrasing here) as opposed to being overtly specific in itemizing their sins.
 
Well I know priests who prefer more specific. If you commit the sin have the courage to admit exactly what it is. It’s the easy way out otherwise. Confessing shouldn’t be easy.
 
I disagree. That is the attitude that keeps a lot of people from going to confession. It should be much easier to confess, than to hold on to the sin.

I like to think of it as going to meet up with a friend you have been missing, and filling them in on what has been going on with you, knowing that they aren’t judging you but just accepting how you are and encouraging you to be your best. And forgiving you, of course, if you did something to offend or hurt them.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top