Um sexuality issue...Help me! I miss God

[biandblessed]

So I have the ability to love both sexes equally in all of their divine beauty and this is another reason why I am not Catholic. I was of course raised Catholic but when I started realizing I was bisexual, it was around 7th grade I just couldn’t bring myself to be part of a community that couldn’t accept me. I don’t care if you guys don’t believe in homosexuality or think I’m a freak but I want to know the truth about Catholic views of homosexuality. I read a book called “Caught In The Crossfire”. It is a book that debates homosexuality for Christians and there was an interesting point brought up. It said that in the original text of the Bible there was no such word for homosexuality, just descriptions. When it was translated the words written became the word ‘homosexual’ whereas the actual description mean the reversal of roles. This could imply that woman on top is a sin (pardon the content.) I just miss being part of a loving community. I would love to join the faith again but I want to know if your as discriminatory as I have built up in my mind. I miss God.

 

[Arlene]

Being homosexual or bisexual is not a sin.

Engaging in sexual acts outside of a 1 woman/1 man marriage is.

There are many people with same sex (or both sex) attractions who live chastely and are able to participate in the sacraments.

Sometime people seem to think that single heterosexual people “get a pass” just because they are hetero. However, this does not excuse them from having sex outside of marriage, and it does not exuse people who get divorced and remarried outside of the Church.

The standard is the same for everyone.

I’m glad you are feeling the tug back to God. He misses you, too.
I hope you get more feedback on this, it seems to me there are other people on this board with bi leanings.

Good luck in your search for truth.

 

[monicatholic]

biandblessed,

what a beautiful sentiment it is to miss God. i believe God misses you and wants you to be in right relationship with Him. your desire to seek clarity seems to be a great grace from Him.

articulated magnificently in Pope JPII’s Theology of the Body homilies, the Church repeats this teaching: the meaning of human sexuality is to mirror the Blessed Trinity-- the total, self-giving love between God the Father and God the Son-- a love that is so Powerful the Holy Spirit is eternally and infinitely generated between them. Like the Trinity, the profoundly dignified meaning of human sexuality is to be so powerfully self-giving, a new life can be generated.

This type of gererative (procreative) love can only happen between a man and a woman. Additionally, the man and woman must not do anything intentionally to thwart the procreative aspect of their union, else it diminishes the sex act, making it ***less than ***what God intended.

to really love others in their divine beauty would mean to desire for others to achieve this sublime dignity in their human sexual love.

having explained that, let’s explore if the Church is as discriminatory as you had imagined. In the following passages the Church upholds its condemnation of any intentionally unprocreative sexual act, while reiterating its respect for the God-given human dignity of every individual. Pay special attention to how the Church loves the sinner, yet hates the sin:

from the Catechism of the Catholic Church:

2357 Homosexuality refers to relations between men or between women who experience an exclusive or predominant sexual attraction toward persons of the same sex. It has taken a great variety of forms through the centuries and in different cultures. Its psychological genesis remains largely unexplained. Basing itself on Sacred Scripture, which presents homosexual acts as acts of grave depravity, tradition has always declared that “homosexual acts are intrinsically disordered.” They are contrary to the natural law. They close the sexual act to the gift of life. They do not proceed from a genuine affective and sexual complementarity. Under no circumstances can they be approved.

then this

2358 The number of men and women who have deep-seated homosexual tendencies is not negligible. This inclination, which is objectively disordered, constitutes for most of them a trial. They must be accepted with respect, compassion, and sensitivity. Every sign of unjust discrimination in their regard should be avoided. These persons are called to fulfill God’s will in their lives and, if they are Christians, to unite to the sacrifice of the Lord’s Cross the difficulties they may encounter from their condition.

and this:

2359 Homosexual persons are called to chastity. By the virtues of self-mastery that teach them inner freedom, at times by the support of disinterested friendship, by prayer and sacramental grace, they can and should gradually and resolutely approach Christian perfection.

instead of a discrimination against the homosexual person, the Church issues a distinctly dignified call to a holy relationship with God and a loving and chaste relationship with others.

 

[sanctamaria17]

From the Church:

The Church teaches that homosexuality is a disordered attraction. However, it also teaches that people who are homosexual/bisexual/whatever are to be treated with dignity and that while acting on it is a sin, being it is not.

That said, I am a bisexual woman and I’m Catholic. Yes, it’s a struggle. Yes, I’ve read all kinds of books, Catholic and non-Catholic, for and against, you name it. I pray and I still don’t fully understand it. I’ve heard so many explanations it’s not even funny.

What do I do? I just offer it to God, ask Him to help me through it. I don’t involve myself in romantic relationships with anyone, because, while it doesn’t feel wrong or unnatural to me, I know I have to follow God. Also, relationships would just further complicate my life right now and like you, I worry that people would not be accepting.

What do I suggest you do? Start praying! God doesn’t expect you to “get it” right away. Start going to church. And remember, you are not obligated to tell your congregation that you’re bisexual. Most of mine doesn’t know, except for my close friends and my priest (because we were talking and he kind of knew I was before I did). Just worry about developing your relationship with God and it all falls into place.

 

[LSK]

Anyone, Catholic or not, who calls you names because you have challenges in your life that they do not experience is (in my opinion) committing a grave sin.

Having come of age during the time when everything that was a ‘feeling’ was given priority over what would and would not lead me to heaven and provide me with happiness, may I just assure you that having a different cross to carry means Jesus must love you VERY much, for He has given you a special share in suffering.

And I know, it doesn’t always feel like a gift…but it is…though I do understand why Blessed Teresa of Calcutta once said she wished Jesus did not love her quite so much .

 

[PaulinVA]

biandblessed - If you believe that there is a God, and he is calling you back to His Church, you should listen!

He’s God, after all. The other things like acceptance and understanding and attitudes should be secondary to that.

Of course, the church wants you to come back. The details might be a little murky or confusing, but the idea is still the same.

 

[Ruthie]

Yes, please come home!

A word about a word. Or a phrase, really. “Intrinsically disordered.”

A person being born without feet, or who loses them in an accident, is “intrinsically disordered” because the laws of nature - the way God ordered things - says we need feet to walk. Such a person is not to be laughed at or hated or made to ride in the back of the bus because they are intrinsically disordered.

God ordered sex for procreation. (In humans, and only in humans, it is also ordered to love and unity.) That is why homosexuality is “intrinsically disordered.” It is not an insult. It is only sinful if it is a conscious and fully informed choice. If you were born that way, or “nurtured” into it, it was not. The Church says, “Its psychological genesis remains largely unexplained.”

Since the only chaste way to have sex is within marriage, and the only ordered way to have sex is for it to be procreative, marriage can only be between a man and a woman.

So, as a single person, you are called to celibate chastity. All single Catholics are. That can be a cross to bear some days, or a gift you joyfully give to Jesus other days.

Check out Courage. They have lots of help.

God bless you. Feel free to PM me.

Ruthie

 

[kage_ar]

Prayers for you.

Please reach out to Courage www.couragerc.net