We are all called to exercise right judgement - to discern good from evil. It is not “presumptuous” to judge that private sexual activities are gravely immoral. The degree to which those acts are also sinful and to what degree the individuals are culpable is between each person and his/her confessor. Of course, if not Catholic, the final accounting will be with God.
Sure they can. Just look at what happens when a Christian baker or photographer refuses to participate in a homosexual wedding. Their “status” is denied forcing them out of business. Because in the United States, you are no longer allowed to follow your conscience if you want to stay in business.
What has business got to do with religion? If the particular company sells a service or product that offends your faith, then you have the freedom and the right to leave that company. No rights have been taken away. In any case it seems a bit ridiculous to think that you are sinning against God by selling puff cakes to gay people or taking pictures of gay people who happen to be using them for a wedding. I don’t see where the sin is.
It is truly sad when others see a sincerely held religious belief in conscience as “ridiculous”. What about the HHS mandate? Should Catholic business owners be forced to support contraceptives and abortion in their health care plans just because Obama says so? It is the height of liberal hubris that establishment of the religion of secularism trumps the First Amendment so soundly.
Well, unless its a sin according to the church, then any belief to the contrary would not be an act of the Catholic faith. It sounds more like prejudice for prejudice sake. Of coarse if one feels legitimately uncomfortable he or she should not be forced to attend and should leave the company immediately.
Should non-catholics be forced to support no contraceptives or no abortion because it is contrary to your religious beliefs?
So those whose conscience informs them not to do something wrong are not entitled to have a job or a business and be engaged in commerce?
Yes, non-Catholics should not be using contraception or abortion either, so they have no right to force it on anyone at all.
I think they should ask an authority in the church like a priest if it is wrong. If it is wrong, I am sure there are other professions that will not require them to attend a gay wedding.
That doesn’t mean that the government has the legal right to remove abortion and contraceptives just because it is a sin according to a religion. Secondly the government does not force anybody to use contraceptives or have abortions.
Unless your willing to take care of kids that a mentally ill parent cannot possibly provide for, you should be ok with mandatory sterilization.
All of these statement mean nothing to anyone unless they are Catholic or are educated in Catholic doctrine and knows how to “speak Catholic”. Infertile sex within a marriage is of course “conjugal” since “conjugal” just means “relating to marriage or to a married couple” (Merriam-Webster). And what does it mean that infertile sex is not procreative but is “ordered to it”? It’s either procreative or it’s not procreative. The phrase “ordered to it” would have no meaning except to someone steeped in Catholic doctrine.
The problem with this is it’s a big world out there. Not everyone agrees with your beliefs and views. And that even includes many Christians. Not everyone shares your particular faith. The world is made up of many people. All created by God… All God’s children… nonetheless with different views, beliefs and faiths. With different life experiences. We do not walk in others’ shoes to be able to see within the depths of their hearts and consciences. One believes chocolate is the best flavor. Another vanilla. Someone else strawberry.
In “catholic speak” sex is procreative when it is “ordered to” procreation. That is, when the form of the act is “apt” for conception. Neither timing nor natural sterility undoes that. A condom does. Contraceptive pills taken for contraceptive purposes changes that. Ejaculation outside the vagina changes that.
I can’t love chocolate and be on a strawberry site? That would be like saying I could never have strawberry ice cream. Add vanilla though and I guess I would be loving a bowl of neopolitan right now.
What I’m saying is that Catholics have their own special definition of the word “conjugal”. The word “conjugal” is an adjective which comes from Latin conjungere “to join, unite in marriage”. So it relates to anything having to do with marriage or married couples. Only a Catholic would understand that sex between a straight married couple but with a condom is no longer “conjugal” even though the couple is still married.
The problem with this is it’s a big world out there. Not everyone agrees with your beliefs and views. And that even includes many Christians. Not everyone shares your particular faith. The world is made up of many people. All created by God… All God’s children… nonetheless with different views, beliefs and faiths. With different life experiences. We do not walk in others’ shoes to be able to see within the depths of their hearts and consciences. One believes chocolate is the best flavor. Another vanilla. Someone else strawberry.
Now sure if one believes it’s strawberry, they could try to restrain the chocolate lover and force strawberry down their throat all they want. And the chocolate lover might even sometimes enjoy strawberry. But if you’re continuously forcing strawberry down their throat, you risk your tactics becoming counterproductive and the chocolate lover ending up resenting strawberry and not having any further taste for strawberry at all.
I already hear the cries of relativism coming. But it’s not. As we shall truly know with certainty soon enough which flavor has, if any one flavor truly does, all the correct ingredients in one bowl. In the meantime it’s simply being able to accept reality that not everyone on this earth we share with each other, shares the same faith and beliefs and views.
And foremost to keep in mind, it’s a very short distance and doesn’t take much of a leap at all, before we could 'find ourselves beyond “admonishing” and instead finding ourselves looking thru our own plank ridden eyes and casting stones.
Very wise post.That question actually illustrates to me the complexity we face when it comes to making civil law. I know Catholics cry foul when civil law doesn’t match Catholic belief. But there are others who believe birth control has a role to play in caring for the sick. I’m not a doctor but I’ve read there are medical conditions where contraceptives are the prescribed medicine. There are faiths that do not agree in totality with the Catholic position on abortion of no choice whatsoever regardless of the case or circumstances. And in relation more to the topic, even just among the Christian faithful, the United Church of Christ is on record in support of gay marriage. Others have come to an understanding where they bless SS unions or may support civil SS unions. It’s a balance tough to walk sometimes. When it comes to civil law, should these others be forced into something contrary to their beliefs? In forming civil law, how can everyone be pleased with the final product? Is that even possible? I only truly know I don’t presume to have all the answers.
Asexual reproduction in some lower life forms such as bacteria is the fastest way to expand a population. Bacteria or tapeworms are very efficient in this regard. Higher life form which use sexual reproduction, on the other hand, are less efficient at procreation and at expanding their population. They also tend to use sex for other reasons in addition to reproduction such as to strengthen social bonds, for pleasure, etc. Homosexual sexual behavior can be used to strengthen social bonds and for pleasure and this has been documented in humans and in closely related primates such as bonobos, for example. Humans are more evolved than bacteria or tapeworms and sex can be used for more than just one thing.
Ask a Jew who runs a restaurant or a grocery store. No one expects him to violate his religious convictions while conducting business.
The sin is in the appearance of approval. We must never appear to approve of sin.