Is having homosexual acts illegal in a country correct or incorrect?

[Stylteralmaldo]

I think an appropriate situation would be homosexual acts to be legal worldwide but not in public in front of children. I know that is a controversial position, but at least this way children are allowed to grow up and naturally come to their own conclusion about their own sexuality rather than being potentially influenced into a sexuality that they otherwise would not have adopted.

To think it wasn’t all that long ago (a mere few years ago) that it was an appropriate position that in most places throughout the world, homosexual acts were illegal and was considered non-controversial.

I’m worried that with all this normalizing of homosexuality in public, that some children that would otherwise have grown up to be straight would now grow up to be bisexual because they were exposed to public homosexual acts of affection at a time in their life when they were still developing and understanding their own sexuality.

This is a valid concern IMO.

 

[Thorolfr]

I think an appropriate situation would be homosexual acts to be legal worldwide but not in public in front of children. I know that is a controversial position, but at least this way children are allowed to grow up and naturally come to their own conclusion about their own sexuality rather than being potentially influenced into a sexuality that they otherwise would not have adopted.

I’m worried that with all this normalizing of homosexuality in public, that some children that would otherwise have grown up to be straight would now grow up to be bisexual because they were exposed to public homosexual acts of affection at a time in their life when they were still developing and understanding their own sexuality.

I know some gay people would love it if there was more bi and gay people around as this would help normalize their lifestyle more in society (we all want to normalize the positions we hold in life), but if a child would otherwise have grown up to be straight, they should be left grow up to be straight unhindered.

So that children are not influenced, as you say, “into a sexuality that they otherwise would not have adopted,” should heterosexual acts in front of children also be prohibited, i.e. no heterosexuals kissing in public, no heterosexuals holding hands in public, no heterosexuals putting pictures of spouses or boyfriends/girlfriends on the desk at work, etc.? In other words, no public displays of affection by either heterosexuals or homosexuals so that children are not influenced one way or another?

 

[djames99]

This question ties into a deeper question of what our role as Catholics are in the political realm.

If the class room is the world, then it qualifies, and our teaching role remains the same and unchanging as it always was. The game plan was figured out by the Founder and all questions answered. He concluded that nothing in the future would necessitate a new strategy.

 

[JurisPrudens]

As a Catholic, should i be for a country currently having homosexual acts illegal or against a country doing this. Here are the two positions i’m having difficulty deciding over:

• It Should Not be illegal: Homosexual acts should not be illegal as you can’t make every sin illegal. Homosexual acts are on a par with adultery in Gods eyes (i think). Therefore, if homosexual acts should be illegal then so should adultery …and every other sin for that matter. In which case, we’d all be in prison. Homosexuals in this sense should not be unfairly discriminated against over people who commit adultery in same sex relationships.
• It Should be illegal: Homosexual acts should be illegal because our children should not be subject to two same-sex individuals kissing in the street in front of them. We should allow children be children and protect them at a time in their life when they are still developing their own character and trying to understand their own sexuality.

I’d imagine Pope Francis would be against any country that has homosexual acts illegal. But i don’t know as he’s never said. Should I be for all countries in the world legalizing homosexual acts? Or against this?

P.S. I’m a conservative catholic and want to maintain a position that is congruent with conservative values. I’m not interested in a liberal catholic viewpoint where someone is in favor of same-sex marriage/relationships in the catholic church, and thereby default in favor of legalizing same-sex acts worldwide.

Given today’s modus operandi of a developed society, I believe, it should NOT be illegal as such. It belongs to the private life of a person; allowing the government to get in is quite dangerous.

However, the issue of two homosexuals kissing at the street is a different question, because it steps beyond the private life of an individual. I believe, in an ideal situation, it can be a matter of public order. It can be a small offence, like painting graffiti or any other indecent behavior.
Nevertheless, it is not always expedient to make it an offence. At least, they should keep away from the churches and other sites considered sacred.

 

[Thorolfr]

Given today’s modus operandi of a developed society, I believe, it should NOT be illegal as such. It belongs to the private life of a person; allowing the government to get in is quite dangerous.

However, the issue of two homosexuals kissing at the street is a different question, because it steps beyond the private life of an individual. I believe, in an ideal situation, it can be a matter of public order. It can be a small offence, like painting graffiti or any other indecent behavior.
Nevertheless, it is not always expedient to make it an offence. At least, they should keep away from the churches and other sites considered sacred.

So would two straight people kissing in public also be like painting graffiti or other kinds of indecent behavior or does this only apply to gay people?

 

[Polycarp1]

Illegal or legal has nothing to do with immoral or moral. Making something legal does not make it less of a sin. Man’s law will not trump God’s Law.

Sexual sins whether heterosexual, homosexual or whatever are part of the disorder that came into creation when man fell from God’s grace. These disorders were never God’s intention but He honored our freewill to rebel against him. Now we live with the consequences of that fall and will suffer the consequences for breaking God’s Laws by our sins.

Whether or not someone goes to jail or gets fined for breaking secular laws should not be our biggest concern but whether or not they suffer eternal damnation for breaking God’s Laws should be.

 

[Stylteralmaldo]

Whether or not someone goes to jail or gets fined for breaking secular laws should not be our biggest concern but whether or not they suffer eternal damnation for breaking God’s Laws should be.

How do you propose we deter people from doing sinful actions that are dangerous to society?

Some sinful actions are punishable already in our society (i.e. murder - at least for post-born people) while others are not (i.e. adultery - although there are a handful of states that still consider it a crime).

 

[Strydersroom]

How do you propose we deter people from doing sinful actions that are dangerous to society?

Some sinful actions are punishable already in our society (i.e. murder - at least for post-born people) while others are not (i.e. adultery - although there are a handful of states that still consider it a crime).

Oh and there’s the very small issue on which religion’s sins we are going to punish

 

[Harry123]

adultery - although there are a handful of states that still consider it a crime

I didn’t realize adultery is a crime in some states. You learn something new everyday. I bet alot of people would wish it was illegal in more places.

 

[Strydersroom]

I didn’t realize adultery is a crime in some states. You learn something new everyday. I bet alot of people would wish it was illegal in more places.

Yes and I’m sure many people still wish slavery was legal, schools were segregated, women couldn’t vote and gays stayed in the closet.

 

[Rau]

Oh and there’s the very small issue on which religion’s sins we are going to punish

Those acts (regardless of which religion deems them sins) which the democratic process determines are harmful to the common good, or to the just interests (or rights) of others. So, murder, theft, calumny, hate speech and the like are likely to be punishable. Consensual sexual acts in private (not involving a child) are unlikely to be punished.

 

[Rau]

I didn’t realize adultery is a crime in some states. You learn something new everyday. I bet alot of people would wish it was illegal in more places.

Not sure I see much merit in making adultery a crime. But one could make a case that the aggrieved party might have a civil action against the party that broke their promise. But even that case seems of limited value.

 

[Strydersroom]

Those acts (regardless of which religion deems them sins) which the democratic process determines are harmful to the common good, or to the just interests (or rights) of others. So, murder, theft, calumny, hate speech and the like are likely to be punishable. Consensual sexual acts in private (not involving a child) are unlikely to be punished.

Consensual sexual acts are a big part of the common good.

 

[Viki63]

Public displays of affection by anyone are in poor taste, but should definitely not be made illegal. We really don’t want government breathing down our necks and watching our every move!
If we find ourselves with our children in a situation where people are engaging in inappropriate behavior, whether hetero or homosexual, we have the option of asking them to stop. If they choose not to, we have the option of leaving. Much better to address one another as civilized people than getting government involved.

.

 

[Vico]

As a Catholic, should i be for a country currently having homosexual acts illegal or against a country doing this. Here are the two positions i’m having difficulty deciding over:

• It Should Not be illegal: Homosexual acts should not be illegal as you can’t make every sin illegal. Homosexual acts are on a par with adultery in Gods eyes (i think). Therefore, if homosexual acts should be illegal then so should adultery …and every other sin for that matter. In which case, we’d all be in prison. Homosexuals in this sense should not be unfairly discriminated against over people who commit adultery in same sex relationships.
• It Should be illegal: Homosexual acts should be illegal because our children should not be subject to two same-sex individuals kissing in the street in front of them. We should allow children be children and protect them at a time in their life when they are still developing their own character and trying to understand their own sexuality.

I’d imagine Pope Francis would be against any country that has homosexual acts illegal. But i don’t know as he’s never said. Should I be for all countries in the world legalizing homosexual acts? Or against this?

P.S. I’m a conservative catholic and want to maintain a position that is congruent with conservative values. I’m not interested in a liberal catholic viewpoint where someone is in favor of same-sex marriage/relationships in the catholic church, and thereby default in favor of legalizing same-sex acts worldwide.

CONGREGATION FOR THE DOCTRINE OF THE FAITH
LETTER TO THE BISHOPS OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH
ON THE PASTORAL CARE OF HOMOSEXUAL PERSONS

There is an effort in some countries to manipulate the Church by gaining the often well-intentioned support of her pastors with a view to changing civil-statutes and laws. This is done in order to conform to these pressure groups’ concept that homosexuality is at least a completely harmless, if not an entirely good, thing. Even when the practice of homosexuality may seriously threaten the lives and well-being of a large number of people, its advocates remain undeterred and refuse to consider the magnitude of the risks involved.

The Church can never be so callous. It is true that her clear position cannot be revised by pressure from civil legislation or the trend of the moment. But she is really concerned about the many who are not represented by the pro-homosexual movement and about those who may have been tempted to believe its deceitful propaganda. She is also aware that the view that homosexual activity is equivalent to, or as acceptable as, the sexual expression of conjugal love has a direct impact on society’s understanding of the nature and rights of the family and puts them in jeopardy.

vatican.va/roman_curia/co…ersons_en.html

PONTIFICAL COUNCIL FOR THE FAMILY
FAMILY, MARRIAGE AND “DE FACTO” UNIONS

With regard to the recent legislative attempts to make the family and de facto unions equivalent, including homosexual unions (it is good to keep in mind that their juridical recognition is the first step toward their equivalency), members of parliament should be reminded about their grave responsibility to oppose them, for “lawmakers, and in particular Catholic members of parliaments, should not favor this type of legislation with their vote because it is contrary to the common good and the truth about man and thus truly unjust”.[18] These legal initiatives present all the characteristics of non-conformity to the natural law which makes them incompatible with the dignity of the law.

[18] PONTIFICAL COUNCIL FOR THE FAMILY, Statement on the Resolution by the European Parliament making de facto unions, including same sex unions, equal to the family, March 17, 2000.

vatican.va/roman_curia/po…unions_en.html

 

[exnihilo]

Every government should stay out of people’s bedrooms.

Do you really believe that? Most people who say that don’t. For instance they think the government should tell you what kind of light bulbs you use in that bedroom. They tell you you must have smoke detectors for that bedroom. They say you have to have a certain kind of circuit breaker for that bedroom. They say whether you can have a gun in that bedroom. If they let you have a gun in that bedroom they may make you register that gun or even the ammunition. They tell you what kind of chemicals you can possess, manufacture or use in that bedroom.

The staying out of bedrooms line seems for many to only apply to homosexual or other sex acts. That makes it an ad hoc argument and therefore not compelling.

 

[Tarpeian_Rock]

Do you really believe that? Most people who say that don’t. For instance they think the government should tell you what kind of light bulbs you use in that bedroom. They tell you you must have smoke detectors for that bedroom. They say you have to have a certain kind of circuit breaker for that bedroom. They say whether you can have a gun in that bedroom. If they let you have a gun in that bedroom they may make you register that gun or even the ammunition. They tell you what kind of chemicals you can possess, manufacture or use in that bedroom.

The staying out of bedrooms line seems for many to only apply to homosexual or other sex acts. That makes it an ad hoc argument and therefore not compelling.

A variation on the above theme: the people most worked-up about getting the “government out of the bedroom” have been delighted to invite the government into the bathroom (mandated toilet flush regulations), the garage (layers on layers of sensors, interlocks, other “safety” devices), the tool shed (required devices on lawnmowers), the living room (end of incandescent light bulbs), and on and on.

 

[exnihilo]

A variation on the above theme: the people most worked-up about getting the “government out of the bedroom” have been delighted to invite the government into the bathroom (mandated toilet flush regulations), the garage (layers on layers of sensors, interlocks, other “safety” devices), the tool shed (required devices on lawnmowers), the living room (end of incandescent light bulbs), and on and on.

Exactly. I naturally favor limited government. But the only real limit government has in the West is the inability to prohibit sex acts and abortion. That being so I’m not going to advocate surrender in this one area out of some ridiculous libertarian notion. And it should be pointed out a stronger case can be made for the dangers of homosexual sex to one’s health than for most other things that are regulated or prohibited.

 

[Joie_de_Vivre]

I think an appropriate situation would be homosexual acts to be legal worldwide but not in public in front of children. I know that is a controversial position, but at least this way children are allowed to grow up and naturally come to their own conclusion about their own sexuality rather than being potentially influenced into a sexuality that they otherwise would not have adopted.

I’m worried that with all this normalizing of homosexuality in public, that some children that would otherwise have grown up to be straight would now grow up to be bisexual because they were exposed to public homosexual acts of affection at a time in their life when they were still developing and understanding their own sexuality.

I know some gay people would love it if there was more bi and gay people around as this would help normalize their lifestyle more in society (we all want to normalize the positions we hold in life), but if a child would otherwise have grown up to be straight, they should be left grow up to be straight unhindered.

As far as I know sex in public in front of children is illegal pretty much everywhere.

I would say that you should be in favor of criminalizing sodomy. This was the case in some parts of Medieval Europe and the United States. Making homosexual acts illegal doesn’t mean that every other sin should be illegal as well. There isn’t much hope that sodomy laws will be implemented in any country any time soon, though, so it doesn’t matter very much.

We had that in the US and it was rather selectively enforced.

So would two straight people kissing in public also be like painting graffiti or other kinds of indecent behavior or does this only apply to gay people?

Making out in public is clearly antisocial behavior, we must ban it.

Do you really believe that? Most people who say that don’t. For instance they think the government should tell you what kind of light bulbs you use in that bedroom. They tell you you must have smoke detectors for that bedroom. They say you have to have a certain kind of circuit breaker for that bedroom. They say whether you can have a gun in that bedroom. If they let you have a gun in that bedroom they may make you register that gun or even the ammunition. They tell you what kind of chemicals you can possess, manufacture or use in that bedroom.

The staying out of bedrooms line seems for many to only apply to homosexual or other sex acts. That makes it an ad hoc argument and therefore not compelling.

So the government is bad for banning your from manufacturing sarin gas in your bedroom?

 

[Bradski]

The staying out of bedrooms line seems for many to only apply to homosexual or other sex acts. That makes it an ad hoc argument and therefore not compelling.

Seems for many? What the…? That’s ALL it applies to.

Light bulbs? Circuit breakers? Ye gods…