Please consider reading this letter by Archbishop Chaput of Denver. He is considered a very “orthodox” Bishop and supported the comments of General Pace regarding homosexuality which was in the news recently. This article is about homosexuality and the priesthood, but he makes comments germane to this discussion:
Johnstown John, the Church will never promote homosexuality. The Church will never promote disordered sexual desire. She will never promote lust.
The good Archbishop’s opinion is clear. A distinction must be made between “homosexual acts” and “homosexually oriented persons”.The former being “always gravely sinful.” But when he said “homosexually oriented persons”, what did he mean? Is a “homosexually oriented person” a homosexual or not?
So, can the question be rephrased to be more accurate? Is it more accurate to ask opinions about sodomites?
A “homosexually oriented person” is the same as saying someone has “same sex attraction.” This has been the distinction most of us have been trying to point out to you. By your logic a “heterosexual oriented person” is not a heterosexual.
And Church teaching is that the orientation is not a sin. We will not magically erase the phenomenon of homosexual attraction off the face of the earth so why don’t we try the balanced approach I keep presenting? Tell them they can live a full and celibate life and no other change is necessary.Most “main stream” gay activists no longer claim that homosexuality is genetic, but a choice. And they base their arguments for acceptance on equal rights and acceptance on personal choice and freedom, not the “I was born that way” excuse or argument. For they see if it is genetic it takes the argument back to homosexuality is a disease and/or a genetic disorder which has it own mark or stigmatism of being abnormal. But of course depending with whom they (gay activist/apologist) are arguing with, they switch easily back and forth. Such as to oppose ministries and counseling services offered to help those that want to leave the disordered and unhealthy lifestyle, then they (gay activist/apologist) turn the arguments back to the idea that change is not possible. But with all the arguments they always try to force on to the general public they (homosexuals) are victims and deny that they as a group could ever victimize others.Such as in depicting themselves as a class of people singled out by the Nazis to be persecuted, yet not admitting it was the Nazi “gay” leadership that was doing the persecuting of their own kind.
They (gay activist/apologist) try to invoke compassion from Christians, but on their terms of acceptance of the behavior and rejection of Church teachings concerning its disordered nature. Science doesn’t support their arguments; morality doesn’t support their arguments, only force will support their arguments, just as in a jail house rape. Individually we must give compassion and understanding to those that struggle with SSA and gently instruct them with the word and love of God and the Church teachings. Giving support and not personal condemnation for all those that struggle with any shortcomings as they (any sinner for we all are) attempt, like all of us should, to live and grow in Christ. But politically IMHO, we need to stand strong, hold tight to Church teachings and not waver from the truth.
Your balanced approach is reasonable and will work with many people. However, for others, theirs is an emotional response, and no amount of reason will change their minds. These people change slowly as they observe the fact that gays are very much like everyone else.
We can dream of a better world. Until then some of us will have to deal with abuse of some sort.
Most wise. The doors to satan’s cafeteria open on both the right and the left. Best to avoid it in the first place!
That’s contrary to Church teaching.
There you go ignoring everything I posted
You are unable to pull away from promoting the “Gay Agenda” consistently focusing on what is not being said -
SSA is not an accurate substitute word for homosexual. As I said somewhere in this thread, the word SSA is just like a paint to make a harsh truth beautiful and downplay the real meaning of homosexual.
Why don’t you start the ball rolling and give us YOUR opinions on sodomites?
What about you? Crispy critters? Predestined as eternal firewood for the flames of hell?
Neither at the right nor at the left. It is like saying: “neither cold nor hot.” What did the Lord say of those who are neither cold not hot?
That is the most non-sensical thing you have written. “Heterosexual oriented person” and “heterosexual person” are exactly the same thing. If not, please tell me what a “heterosexual oriented person” is.
The problem is with your definition of “turn away from homosexuality.” All of us would agree with you if you meant “live a chaste life regardless of your orientation,” but you seem to believe that a homosexually oriented person must rid themselves of desire for the same sex. This would be nice, but it may not be possible.Just like a heterosexual, what makes homosexual a homosexual is not his being a human. RLG: What??
and controlling our impure thoughts is what we all must do, it is not easy for most us, I know not so easy all the time for me and we are only able to do so through the Grace God.OK. Which particular sodomite?
Keep up the fight. We all must work out our salvation in fear and trembling. When dealing with our particular inclinations (I think most of us have them…although some crosses are more difficult than others), we all do our best.