Homosexual acts and the natural law

Editorial Department • Published 25 Feb 2010 09:39 6 Comments

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Dear Sir, - I have been following the controversy following Ant and Dick's visit to town in this paper. Whilst I have no doubt the Whites mean well, I believe that the Christian teaching has not been well presented in this case.

Rather than solely rely on Sacred Scripture, the Catholic Christian is also able to appeal to Sacred Tradition and the Natural Law. Sacred Scripture presents the clear teaching on the immoral nature of homosexual acts. The early Church Fathers were unanimous in their condemnation of this practice, and the Catholic Church's constant teaching, through the Magisterium, confirms this. There is also the Natural Law argument, whereby the design of the human body has an inherent call to heterosexual relations, and each person has an intuitive sense of this, no matter how numb it may have become due to media bombardment to the contrary.

Homosexuality is primarily offensive because it is a sin against an all-good, infinitely loving God who desires only what is best for his creation and to His greater glory. AIDS, suicide, despair, etc... are merely symptoms and side effects. Mankind is made for a holy and beautiful purpose, and the Creator desires only holy marriage to be the setting for sexual activity which is open to life, and the union of spouses: one man and one woman. All other sexual activity is sinful. Homosexual acts distort the meaning of human sexuality and harm the individuals who commit them as well as having a bad effect on the wider human family. As the Catechism of the Catholic Church states:

"They (homosexual acts) 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."

Whilst the Church condemns homosexual acts, it does not condemn those who struggle with this. It calls them to do spiritual battle, taking up their cross, dying to self, and following Christ into everlasting life. For anyone to say that the Church excludes homosexuals, I say 'baloney'. The Church calls all men and women to Christian perfection - a noble calling indeed. Sad to say, but even most Catholics do not know what their Church actually teaches, nor the sound reasons for it, nor the blessings bestowed by God in time and eternity on those who follow His Commandments.

We must present to all people the full truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ - this is true liberation, true freedom. The truth of the Gospel will liberate them from narcissism, destructive self-love, grave sin, and lead them to everlasting life and happiness with God, who loves them. God loves us, yes, but He loves us too much to leave us where we are. He has a beautiful plan for each one of us. The truth will indeed set us free.

Yours faithfully,

Patrick Maguire

Fermanagh ex-pat

This letter appeared in Impartial Reporter 25 Feb 10

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Peter
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Feb 25, 20:09
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What a load of old rubbish. The catholic church does nothing but contradict itself. One momment your saying God Made us then the next your saying it doesn't agree with us being gay. Research shows people are born gay so if God didn't want people to be gay then why make them that way?

Your bigoted narrow mindedness offends people like me, especially when all you have to go on is what Priests tell you, and what a book tells you which was written a long time after the people it was written about were on the earth. Start to think outside the box and don't be so narrow minded. As you will believe God will call you to judgement day what will he think of you and your narrowminded ness, afterall he did teach you to "Love Your Neighbour"

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Joe Rogers
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Feb 25, 22:51
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I'd like to see your independent peer-reviewed research.

Additionally it didn't say it doesn't agree with you being gay. Read it again. It says"Whilst the Church condemns homosexual acts, it does not condemn those who struggle with this."

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Xenon
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Mar 3, 22:55
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Talking about boxes, Peter, you might find this interesting: http://www.chastitysf.com/outside_the_box.htm

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Alice
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Mar 6, 19:29
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This is directly relevant:

NY DISTRICT ATTORNEY SAYS PRIEST SCANDALS ARE HOMOsexUALITY, NOT PEDOPHILIarnNASSAU COUNTY, N.Y. April 11, 2002 (LSN.ca) - Newsmax.com reports today that long-time Nassau county Attorney General Denis Dillon says that incidences of pedophilia in the on-going church sex scandals are being greatly exaggerated. At a news conference this week Dillon stated "What you have here, as I've said, are adult males who are molesting or allegedly molesting adolescent males. That smacks of homosexuality". He emphasized that "This in no way lessens the harm to the victims."

http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2002/apr/02041105.html

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earleybird
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Mar 25, 13:57
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It is interesting to note that the author of this letter highlighted AIDS as the first item of his /her side effects list.

My initial thoughts were that they were subconsciously trying to connect AIDS with homosexuality. As we all know this is not the case and any person having unprotected sex may contract HIV.

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john murphy
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Apr 6, 09:30
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Unfortunately, there are elements abroad who would like to sanction the use of the term homosexuality in the clerical child abuse scandal and instead use the term pedophilia. In fact these people would like to have legislation passed that would class all cases of child abuse to children under the age of 11 as pedophilia and anything over that age as a consenual homosexual act thus lessening the stigma attached to such behaviour; the insideous thing about this is at the moment the 'gay' lobby is hell bent on getting the age of consent dropped to the age of 11 or 12. Another thought which may add or detract to the argument is that homosexuals see no wrong in the homosexual act as long as there is love involved. Has anyone considered that there may have been that love involved on behalf of the clergy and the children involved. Just a thought for all you relativist, homosexual paeds out there.

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