From: oneil@cwis.unomaha.edu (Sharon O'Neil)
Subject: Re: Homosexuality
Organization: University of Nebraska at Omaha
Date: Tue, 13 Oct 1992 04:40:30 GMT

Eric James Ewanco <ewanco@MLO.DEC.COM> writes:

>Excerpts from catholic: 12-Oct-92 Re: Homosexuality Sharon
>O'Neil@CWIS.UNOMA (2697)

>> But if a gay person wants to enter into a loving, monogamous
>> relationship, should we be able to judge that his lifestyle is wrong?
>> If he is biologically created gay, then he should be able to seek out a
>> life partner just as those of us who are heterosexual are able to do.
>> Why condemn the gay person to a life of solitude because of his natural
>> difference?

>The church's position is that it is not a natural difference, but a
>disorder.  Psychopaths can also claim to be "born" that way, but it
>gives them no right to do what they do.  There may be genetic links to
>alcoholism.  That doesn't mean that alcoholism is a "normal" condition.
>Simply because you are "born that way" gives you no license to sin.
>That's if in fact homosexuality is inborn; I still see it as an effect
>of environment, of a dysfunctional childhood. This is not from a
>position of detachment, it's from personal experience.  All the
>homosexuals I know have readily identifiable characteristics in the
>environment they grew up in.  All of them are emotionally hurt
>individuals.  Therefore I suspect that it is a condition caused by
>environment.

But you have no more proof that anyone else that homosexuality is a condition
caused by the environment.  You might suspect it, but you cannot prove it.

I might point out that I agree -- a lot of gay people are emotionally hurt
individuals.  But I have to wonder: is it because they have been rejected by
their families and their friends and yes, sometimes even their church?

>If homosexuality was a normal human state, why did God not make the
>union fruitful?  Indeed we are able to judge that committing homosexual
>acts is wrong -- i.e. living homosexual lifestyle is wrong -- because
>Scripture and Tradition tells us that it is wrong.

Are we to say that the only valid love is that love which might result in
new human life?  I agree -- conception and birth are miraculous.  But you
can't say that love which does not result in birth is necessarily sinful
because it can't result in birth.  

Can a gay couple be fruitful in the love they share for each other and the
love and friendship that they cultivate?  Why must it be that they have
children to be "real."  My two best friends are a gay male couple and I think
that the joy they bring their friends just by being sweet and funny and
smart is fruit enough.

>A person with homosexual tendencies does not need to live a life of
>solitude.  He needs to refrain from sexual relations with other men, but
>that does not condemn one to solitude.  Great joy can be found in
>platonic relationships, and it is my opinion that homosexual sex will
>never be as fulfilling and as meaningful as heterosexual sex, because
>God has ordained heterosexual sex but forbidden homosexual sex.

Speaking as a heterosexual who has had a serious -- and yes, I confess, 
sexual relationship with a man, I know that I could not live the rest of
my life in celibacy.  I cannot ask my gay friends to live their lives in
celibacy.  If they wish to, that's one thing.  But it's an awful lot to
ask someone to just not have sex for their entire life because it isn't
"the right way."  

You and I might not consider homosexual sex to be fulfilling, but then,
we're not homosexuals.  Why don't you ask a gay man or a lesbian if they
find their sexuality to be fulfilling?  And if they've had sex with someone
of the oppostie sex, ask them which they preferred.  You might gain some
insight.

Sharon
oneil@cwis.unomaha.edu

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