Newsgroups: bit.listserv.catholic
Date:         Thu, 5 Nov 1992 22:19:23 -0500
From:         Eric James Ewanco <ewanco@MLO.DEC.COM>
Subject:      Re: Love & Christianity

Simon,

It may appear that we are "fundamentalists," but I'm afraid that seems like
hate-speech directed at bashing those who disagree with you.

Those of us who oppose practicing homosexuality do so because God has revealed
this to us through Sacred Scripture and Sacred Tradition.  The Roman Catholic
Church teaches -- infallibly -- that homosexuality (and abortion) are wrong.
We have taught this for 2,000 years -- so please don't call us
"fundamentalist," we existed long before they did.  (We have also believed for
2,000 years that Sacred Scripture is inspired and infallible in matters
pertaining to our faith.  This is why we must obey Scripture when it says that
homosexual sex is wrong.)

The Roman Catholic Church is not fundamentalist, but does believe that it
alone possesses the fulness of truth, and that it alone may teach infallibly.
A careful reading of Scripture will show that God desired to establish a
church that would be able to proclaim authoritatively its teachings.  Those of
us who are Roman Catholics, as Roman Catholics, accept those teachings which
the church says have been revealed by God and are not free to change.  We can
no more believe now that homosexuality is morally acceptable than we can
believe now that Jesus Christ did not rise from the dead, or that abortion is
morally acceptable.

It is unfortunate that due to Adam's Fall, we cannot ourselves know right from
wrong, and we are unable to choose good.  Not every inclination is God-given --
in fact, most inclinations are contrary to God's will.  Therefore, simply
because it feels right does not mean it is morally correct -- if this were so,
why would we need God?  So while I empathize with you, I'm afraid that as
individuals, we are unable to determine right from wrong authoritatively, and
we need God to reveal to us right and wrong.  God has done that through Sacred
Scripture and Sacred Tradition.  I am not sure on what you base your moral
standards.  If it is on anything other than Sacred Scripture or Sacred
Tradition, then how can you know absolute truth?

How do you determine that practicing homosexuality is acceptable to God? If God
blessed homosexual unions, why didn't he make them fruitful?  I mean, the
reason God created sexual love was for procreation -- and homosexual sex is by
nature not procreative.  When you and your boyfriend can biologically produce a
child, then we'll talk about whether homosexual sex is blessed by God.

I would venture to say that few of us think as badly about homosexuals as you
think we do.  Your vituperative condemnation of heterosexuals exhibits the same
prejudice and bigotry you accuse us of.  And don't assume that all of us who
oppose homosexuality have no experience with homosexual inclinations.  There
are many Christians who have homosexual inclinations, but firmly believe that
homosexual sex is wrong, and have received grace from God to live lives free of
homosexual relations.  For some of these celibate homosexuals, their experience
has for them conclusively demonstrated that homosexuality is inherently sinful
and extremely destructive to the spiritual life.  Many homosexuals find little
satisfaction in indulging their homosexual inclinations.  And some homosexuals
find relief only in the realization that homosexuality is sinful and that God
grants the grace to abstain from homosexual relations.

As St. Paul says, do not be ruled by the flesh -- that is, do not let your
fleshly inclinations tell you what is right and wrong.  The flesh is under the
influence of Satan and can deceive.  Right and wrong can only be revealed by
the Holy Spirit.  The fact that you love your boyfriend is no more proof that
homosexual sex is morally acceptable in God's eyes than the fact that a man
desires a woman is proof that it is morally acceptable in God's eyes for that
man to have sex with that woman.  If I have an inclination to steal, does that
prove it is morally correct?  If I have a burning desire to have sex with a
cow, does that prove God finds such an act morally acceptable?

Do not trust things which can deceive. Trust only in God, and know God's will
through his revelations of Sacred Scripture and Sacred Tradition.

In Christ,
Eric