I think that you have a very Catholic understanding of this issue. I also have friends and family members who live the homosexual lifestyle. I love them dearly. They have many admirable qualities, and are in many ways more generous and loving than I am. However, whether I want to believe it or not, homosexuality is a disorder. We have been systematically taught to reject this truth by the psychologists, media, and other so-called “experts” of this generation. By not looking at homosexuality as a disorder, we turn a blind eye to the root cause of homosexuality. I am a therapist by profession. While I do not know every cause of homosexuality, it seems to have its roots in a Sexual-Identity Crisis. Just as people grow and develop in other areas in their lives in response to their genetics and their environment, so too, do they develop their sexual identity. Trauma, such as sexual abuse, exposure to pornography, or divorced parents, during critical stages of development can affect a child’s development of a healthy sexual identity. There are many other unknown factors as well. However, is it not curious that as our culture grows more and more sexually perverse, more and more young people are espousing homosexuallity? I asked my Family Therapy professor if studies had been done about the possilble links betweeks sexual abuse, pornography, etc and homosexuality. His response was so quick and so adament that I think that he is not open to even exploring the possibitlity. He said, “No, none whatsoever!”
I do not want to give the impression that it is a person’s fault that they are homosexual. I do want to open up the possibility that environmental stressors as well as genetic factors may be involved.
May we love all God’s children and remember: But for the Grace of God, go I.*
What a great post.
To be clear, the Catholic understanding is that homosexuality is disordered. Individual Catholics who do not accept this are in disagreement with Church teaching.
I agree completely with you that our current culture and environment has, in some way, contributed to the appearance of more folks claiming they are homosexual. In my youth, it was unheard of and while I suspect there were a few who struggled with this inclination, it was not to the extent that we see now.
Research strongly indicates that cultural influences such as violence on TV, in video games and music, soft-porn on regular cable channels at all hours of day and night, music and movies that glorify drug use etc, effects our children by normalizing behavior once thought of as immoral at best, inapproriate at the least. And the results are there for all to see. Why then wouldn’t the constant positive media attention to all things “gay” influence our children as well?
My theory is that youngin’s, especially at adolescence, typically experience a period of “confusion” where they are drawn to members of the same sex for all types of reasons. They may be yearning for the love of a missing parent or other friends of the same sex. They may be lacking something in themselves and look to another as being in possession of something unobtainable for them. They may have suffered some form of abuse. But rather than having the opportunity, with good moral direction from parents and other trustworthy adults, to work through these misdirected desires to a more normal way of interacting, they are encouraged to “explore” their feelings and “experiment” with everything before making their decisions. It’s truly a crime, IMO.
