Do Catholic churches accept homosexuality

Answer 1

Homosexuality is not considered a sin by the Catholic Church. However, committing homosexual acts (anal sex, etc.) is considered a form of sodomy (remember Sodom and Gomorrah?) and this is considered a grave sin.

Answer 2

We believe that homosexuality is to be discouraged since it is not God's will that a man should marry a woman.

One of the apostles said that practicinghomosexuals (Homosexuals that deliberately have intercourse knowing it is bad) will not enter heaven. The book of Genesis said that God first made man and created woman so that the man wouldn't be lonely. Jesus preached that a man and a woman would leave their family and marry each other and become one.

The same principals apply with homosexuality as it would with heterosexuals. It is sinful to lust over someone or have intercourse outside marriage. Homosexuals will also have to give up marriage if they don't change their orientation so homosexuals are giving more of a sacrifice to God! It is not sinful to be a homosexual as long as you don't lust, do fornication or marry someone of the same gender.

Catholics aren't supposed to look down on homosexuals but are to support and encourage them to stop being homosexuals. They are not to be insulted or harassed but are supposed to show kindness as Jesus would show kindness and because Jesus died not only for non-homosexuals but homosexuals as well.

Answer

This is a difficult and emotive topic. On one side we have the 'string up all homosexuals' brigade who single out homosexuals as the very devils of hell and use scripture (or their version of it) to back up their own prejudices. At the other extreme is the promotion or celebration of homosexuality and even paedophilia, or, at least the condoning of it as seen by the recent abuse allegations regarding Catholic priests in the USA.

However, the vast majority of Catholics and Christians of all denominations fall between these extremes across a rather wide spectrum and are confused by the teachings, not only of the Church, but necessarily of scripture too.

The fact is that the Old Testament laws regarding homosexuality (although very few in number and not particularly specific) must now be ignored as we now come under a new covenant with God in the form of Jesus Christ. (if we didn't, and the Old testament was still relevant to our lifestyle, we would still go to church on Saturdays, still be circumcised, and still not eat shellfish, pork or wear different types of cloth at the same time!).

Instead, we are subject to Christ's teaching in the New Testament alone. In these books there is very little said about homosexuality at all. In a letter to the Corinthian Church Paul condemns homosexuals in the same sentence as he condemns bigots, the greedy and the hypocrite. However, he is writing to a specific Church at a specific time in answer to specific questions they posed him. Moreover, his Greek word used for homosexual was not a man (or woman) who has a loving relationship with another of the same sex, but the homosexual pagan prostitutes in the pagan Corinthian temples to false gods. Thus, looking at the context of Paul's advice, he is more concerned with pagan practices rather than loving relationships. In addition to this, Paul did not expect this (private) letter to the Corinthian Church to be a statement of his own theology (as, say, Romans is) and therefore to interpret it as a mandate to gay-bash is not only objectionable and hypocritical, but shows a lack of love for one's neighbour.

In addition, Jesus himself made absolutely no reference to homosexuality despite his teachings on sexual morals and many other relevant and related topics. So, possibly, for him, it was no big deal.

Therefore, it seems that, unlike the fundamentalist Christians who would rid the earth of homosexuals as 'sinners' (I thought we were all sinners?) Catholics who regard homosexuals as no big deal and who welcome them as loving neighbours are doing God's will rather than those who fuel hatred from some quarters of the 'Christian' Church. Catholics have a bad press at times, and being a non-Catholic myself, there are many areas in Catholicism that I find difficult, but in this case I feel they have got things about right.

Catholic AnswerThe Church has taught consistently that homosexual acts are gravely disordered, in other words, this is a sin. Homosexuals, in themselves, are just people, like everyone else, called to be perfect by Jesus Christ and His Church. The Church condemns most vehemently any unjust discrimination and offers them the sacraments, just as It does for everybody, in order to live a Christian life.

So many things, in the present day, are celebrated as "rights" or "freedoms", for instance, the pro-choice movement. But all "pro-choice" has always been a sin, and the Church is teaching the same thing today that it did centuries ago, holding fast to the revelation given it by Jesus Christ, even when that is against the current culture. The Church has always stood against the current culture, even in ancient Rome when it was actually considered scandalous that the Christians didn't expose their babies (for death).

In other words, the Catholic Church holds fast to the unchanging moral code revealed to Her by God, that homosexuals are sinners no different than anybody else, deserving love and respect; and that homosexual acts are sinful. Which is 180 degrees from what the world is trying to do.

from The Catechism of the Catholic Church, second edition, English translation 1994 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 through 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, (Cf. Gen. 19:1-29; Rom 1:24-27; 1 Cor 6:10; 1 Tim 1:10) tradition has always declared that "homosexual acts are intrinsically disordered." (Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Persona humana 8) they 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.

2358 The number of men and women who have deep-seated homosexual tendencies is not negligible. This inclination, which is objectively disordered, constitutes for most of them 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 virtues 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

Answer 3

The church does not condemn homosexual love (agape or eros). this position has been supported by many great leaders of the church including Cardinal Basil Hume. It does though currently hold homosexual sexual acts to be inherently sinful. These same acts are also sinful in heterosexual intercourse as the only accepted form of sexual contact is penial-vaginal intercourse within marriage for the purpose of procreation.

The church is still investigating its full stance on Homosexuality as it depends on if homosexuality is actually inherent.

Answer 4

Their doctrine and dogma does not.

Roman Catholic Answer2357 Homosexuality refers to relations between men or between women who experience an exclusive of predominant sexual attraction toward persons of the same sex. It has taken a great variety of forms through 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 gift of life. They do not proceed from a genuine affective 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. This inclination, which is objectively disordered, constitutes for most of them 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 virtues 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.

From the Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2nd Edition.

PiusX note: all of the above is really no different from anyone. Everyone is called to Christian perfection regardless of their state in life, their inborn preferences, or their heritage. We are all called to give up our own preferences for God and our neighbor, to take up our cross daily and follow Christ.

Answer 5

Catholics do not believe that homosexuality is itself a sin, as sexual orientation is not controlled by the person. The sin is in the homosexual acts. The Cathechism of the Catholic Church says this:

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 through 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,141 tradition has always declared that "homosexual acts are intrinsically disordered."142 They 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.

2358

The number of men and women who have deep-seated homosexual tendencies is not negligible. This inclination, which is objectively disordered, constitutes for most of them 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 virtues 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.

Answer 6

Prior to answering the question, we must first understand what the Church means by "homosexuality." "Homosexuality" and "gay" are not synonymous for the Catholic Church.

A person who is homosexual is simply a person who experiences a same sex attraction. There is no sin in experiencing a same sex attraction. While the Church would consider a same sex attraction disordered---which is to say not in keeping with natural law, there is no sin in experiencing a same sex attraction. People cannot help who they are attracted to.

A person who is "gay" is one who acts on their same sex attraction. This is to say they date, and otherwise have a same sex relationship with another person. This is considered to be sinful by the Church. While one cannot help who they are attracted to, one CAN help what they DO about that attraction. Those who experience a same sex attraction are called to a life of celibacy. The Sacrament of Confession is always available for them if they happen to fall from time to time.

The Church grants that a same sex attraction and living a life of celibacy is difficult---however in the end we are called to take up our crosses and follow Christ. We are called to discipline our bodies for the higher good of serving and loving God. We do not live by our passions, we live by the Spirit. The Bible makes it clear that homosexual relations are not what God intends for the human species. It is one thing to "love" someone, but God has specific intentions in mind for the expression of sexual love: one man, one women, within the context of marriage.

The Church recognizes the dignity of everyone, and therefore condemns any bigotry against persons with a same sex attraction, or persons who have same sex relationships (gay.)

Superviser's note: this distinction between gay and homosexual is artificial, and only used by the Catholic Church. In the real world, the term homsoexual is dated, and equivalent to calling a Black peron "a Negro" or a Jewish person "a Hebrew" whereas the term gay is neutral, and refers to all gay people, whether sexually active or not, as well as gay culture.
Because Cecil Calvert stayed in England, they stayed , too.

Answer 7

If you mean "do they believe it exists", then yes.

If you mean "does the church officially condone it", then to the best of my knowledge the answer is no.

If you mean "do some of them do it anyway", then yes again.

Catholic AnswerAs noted above, your question, as written is ambiguous. Homosexuality, as such, is an inclination to the same sex instead of the other sex. This may just be arrested development or some other problem in the individual and is, of itself, not a sin but a fact of life. And, of course, Catholics acknowledge facts of life. If you are asking about a homosexual lifestylewhich is acting on the inclination then you are talking about sin which is always freely chosen and is always contrary to God's will. A freely chosen sinful lifestyle is a freely chosen choice of not obeying God and of choosing an eternity of hell over being with God in heaven.

Catholics do not believe in homosexuality, they acknowledge the state exists, as does the Catholic Church, but the Church condemns living in sin, as the Church is the mystical Body of Christ, and her Bride and is here to lead people to love God and to obey His Will.

Answer 8

The Church's view is that homosexual inclinations are objectively disordered and that homosexual acts are gravely sinful. However, the Church does not believe that people with homosexual inclinations are bad people. Jesus loves them too and wants them to get to heaven. Homosexual people are called to live Christian lives just like everyone else and can live out there lives in chastity.

Answer 9

Catholic AnswerThe Catholic Church is the Mystical Body of Christ on earth, put here to bring God to people, and lead people to God. As such, the Catholic Church teaches on all moral questions, and on anything else that may affect a person in their journey to God. Homosexuality is a particularly difficult issue for the simple reason that the world's views on it are so misguided. The Catholic Church carefully explains this as two separate issues: the issue of homosexuality inclination, and the issue of homosexual sex and lifestyle. Keep in mind that the Church's first movement on this issue is to express love and support for the individual involved and to proclaim the love of God for that person as they, like everyone else, are creatures of God, and through their baptism called to holiness and union with God forever in the joy of heaven.

That being said, the Church must deal with the individual's problems in this area. In the matter of homosexual inclination, the Church uses the technical theological term "a disordered passion." A passion in Catholic theology is a motion of the human appetite, especially as expressed in an intense motion. Passions are essentially desires out of control because of our fallen human nature. They are concupiscence in action. (note: concupiscence is the theological term denoting "spontaneous movement of the sensitive appetites toward whatever the imagination portrays as pleasant and away from whatever it portrays as painful. concupiscence also includes the unruly desires of the will, such as pride, ambition, and envy.) When passion arises spontaneously before the free will has acted, it is called antecedent and, as such, lessens human freedom and responsibility. When it is intentionally fostered by brooding or preoccupation, it is consequent passion because it comes after the free choice of will. Please note the difference! Thus a homosexual inclination, in and of itself, is NOT sinful, but it is considered "disordered" in the technical sense that the sexual drive is given to us by God for the purpose of promoting (ordered towards) the love between a husband and his wife, AND for the procreation of children. Thus homosexual inclination is considered "disordered" as it doesn't follow this natural order. However, sin does enter in if the will is moved to the consequent passion, as this involves free will.

The other part of this is homosexual sex and lifestyle, and this is condemned as sinful as it arises from an essentially disordered passion and frustrates God's plan for mankind. Also, in this instance, one is using one's sexual facilities for pleasure as opposed to procreation and thus committing sin.

Sin is a "word, deed or desire in opposition to the eternal law" (St. Augustine). Please understand that God is not making laws just for His own jollies: Natural (eternal) Law is the basic way in which God created the universe and ordered it towards our Good: which is eternal union and happiness with Him in heaven. That is what we were created for, and that is what will give us lasting joy. Everything else, anything that is outside the natural law frustrates the reason for which we were created and causes unhappiness in the end, and eternal separation from God, in other words, hell.