Text File containing:  Personal Commentary, Introduction to Courage Groups,
and Roman Catholic teaching regarding homosexuality.

The actual position of the Roman Catholic Church is frequently misquoted,
skewed, or presented completely inaccurately by many different individuals.

Enclosed is the official teaching of the Roman Catholic Church on this matter
and a brief personal commentary of my own.

*********************************************

Subj:  Church, Homosexual, and Courage Groups.

I find myself debating this from time to time with both self-proclaimed
fundamentalist evangelicals and self-proclaimed Catholics alike.

The former claim all sin to be equal yet go off the deep end, seeming to
forget their own sins, when the topic of homosexuality comes up. They define
the so-called "sin" very narrowly. Apparently this is also one they don't see
as equal to their own. The latter have every claim under the sun.

The Roman Catholic Church has made clear it's position on homosexuality.
Unlike any other denomination I've seen, In that position it addresses Both
the homosexual and the non-homosexual in the context of Christian doctrine.
Further, it clearly establishes it's position by citing the scriptural basis,
the traditional basis established through rigorous study and debate, and it's
basis upon natural law.

As a result, the Church generally draws criticism from every direction. That
shouldn't be a real shock. Christ Himself was condemned for holding to the
law and the prophets of God over the law and practices of men by the
religious of the various sects of his day. Further,
He was ridiculed and challenged by what could be called the "laity" of His
day as well: mocking Him and calling for Him to "come down" from the Cross so
they could "believe."

As for myself, as a Roman Catholic by my own choice, thought out and
considered, ultimately believing this Church to be the only Church that
continues to maintain Christian doctrine in it's entirety,  I hold to the
Magesterium of the Catholic Church. 

I'm not "homophobic." I believe the term to be meaningless. Little more than
passive/aggressive  mythological jargon from political oriented Gay
organizations that exists only to stifle and "shut down" discussion. I've
never been afraid of becoming homosexual.

 I recognize that many heterosexual children, in modern day societies, such
as teenagers, and many immature individuals of varying ages, may at one time
or another, for various reasons, be compelled to experiment with homosexual
sex. I knew a couple when I was in the navy who did just that while one of
the ships I was on was visiting Singapore. 

However, I respect the evidence of numbers of the world population who are
homosexual. I highly doubt the percentages presented by Gay activists. I
don't believe that as much as 10% of the American population is homosexual.
Estimates I've seen recently, and that these folks are no doubt aware of,
indicate around 3%.  That's 8.4 million people.
There's been no absolute genetic proof yet, but the empirical evidence for
pre-disposition of a person to homosexuality vs "choice of life style" is
strong: Something you're born with instead versus something you chose. 

As I said, I hold to the Magisterium of the Church. Therefore I don't view
this as justification of homosexual marriages and sex.....  Being homosexual
Does not exclude someone from God's love and neither does it exclude them
from the laity or the religious vocations of the Roman Catholic Church.

From the viewpoint of Christianity,  I'm not sure that there's anything
tougher or easier about being homosexual vs. heterosexual. Considering
society in general is another matter.  Homosexuality then becomes a built-in
Cross I'm glad that I don't have to bear. I find physical abuse such as
"gay-bashing" repulsive and entirely unacceptable by either the laws of God
or those of civilized nations. Unfortunatley, there are those who bring
scandal to the name "Christian" and to the Church of  Christ who engage in
such activities.

I have deep admiration for those in the Courage Groups. They're in for a
tough time: from society, secular homosexual organizations, members of many
other denominations, and both the ignorant and the secular-motivated liberals
and conservatives in the Catholic Church. In this life they won't win for
losing. 

In view of all this I find it somewhat humbling when I consider the members
of the Courage Groups; Their choice is to follow the Cross in the manner
Thomas Kempis called for in "The Imitation of Christ" and in the manner our
Lord called for from those who chose to follow him. We pray they receive the
grace they require to carry on.

Paul


PS   I should also note that I find such phrases/slogans as "Love the sinner
but hate the sin" as very distasteful. Note that no such phrase is found in
the Church's position. 

It's a statement with greater Protestant roots than Catholic. I'm always
sorry to see the Church polluted by such phrases.  

Meaning, I don't care about any statements made by people who call themselves
"Catholic" or any by individual religious who have, or will in the future,
used such phraseology. 

God is infallible not human beings. He's also the ultimate Judge and the only
one who truly knows what is in the human heart or mind. Presumption is
perhaps often the greater sin.

++++

The following is the Church's position:

The Courage Groups follow the Church's teaching on homosexuality and
Christianity. 

From the Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1994:
___________________________________

HOMOSEXUALITY - WHAT THE CHURCH TEACHES

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 throughout 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.  The do not
proceed from a genuine effective and sexual complementarity.  Under no
circumstances can they be approved.

#2358  The number of men and women who have deep-seated homosexual tendencies
is not negligible.  They do not choose their homosexual condition; for most
of them it is 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.

#2359  Homosexual persons are called to chastity.  By the virtue 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.

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I'll go ahead and add the basic references for two of the items in section
2357
(excluding cross referencing to other sections of the catechism, hence
further scripture and Church documents):


From #2357:
References for biblical basis: 
Gen 19:1-29; Rom 1:24-27; 1 Cor 6:10; 1 Tim 1:10

References for Traditional/natural law basis: 
Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith
Persona humana, 8, (December 29, 1975).

Again, keep in mind these are only the surface references.