2008 Woodie Awards
Editor's Column: U.S. bishops need more tolerance for lifestyle choices
Issue date: 11/17/06 Section: Opinion
On Tuesday, The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops issued a series of documents, including one that urged married couples to abstain from the use of artificial contraceptives, and one that strongly restated the Church's position that homosexual acts are sinful. In the latter document, the bishops also prescribed ways for pastors and clergy to deal with men and women with homosexual inclinations, reaffirming the belief that having those inclinations is not a sin in itself, and that homosexuals should be treated with tolerance and compassion.
Though it is commendable that the bishops emphasized the fact that gay men and women are welcome in the Church as people who possessive the human dignity given to everyone by God, in order to fully reach out to gay, the bishops should begin to rethink their position on homosexual acts. The bishop's stance is based on the Christian notion that human sexuality is meant to fulfill two purposes - the unity of a man and woman in a loving marriage, and the creation of new life - and therefore homosexual intercourse is wrong because it cannot fulfill these natural ends.
As for the unitive aspect, there is no reason to believe that strong love is not possible between members of the same sex. Homosexuals deserve just as much as everyone else to experience the kind of intimacy and unity that is possible through intercourse.
And as for the procreative aspect of proper sexuality, obviously members of the same sex cannot birth children together. However, many heterosexual relations, including marriages, are not based around the goal of having children, either because of medical problems or because of a choice, as the bishops acknowledge when they condemn the use of contraceptives by married men and women. The biological limitations that accompany homosexual sex should not preclude gay men and women from taking part in loving sexual relationships. In fact, many gay couples are very open to starting a family and raising children, and would love the opportunity to do so; it's a shame that the bishops also condemn the adoption of children.
Though it is commendable that the bishops emphasized the fact that gay men and women are welcome in the Church as people who possessive the human dignity given to everyone by God, in order to fully reach out to gay, the bishops should begin to rethink their position on homosexual acts. The bishop's stance is based on the Christian notion that human sexuality is meant to fulfill two purposes - the unity of a man and woman in a loving marriage, and the creation of new life - and therefore homosexual intercourse is wrong because it cannot fulfill these natural ends.
As for the unitive aspect, there is no reason to believe that strong love is not possible between members of the same sex. Homosexuals deserve just as much as everyone else to experience the kind of intimacy and unity that is possible through intercourse.
And as for the procreative aspect of proper sexuality, obviously members of the same sex cannot birth children together. However, many heterosexual relations, including marriages, are not based around the goal of having children, either because of medical problems or because of a choice, as the bishops acknowledge when they condemn the use of contraceptives by married men and women. The biological limitations that accompany homosexual sex should not preclude gay men and women from taking part in loving sexual relationships. In fact, many gay couples are very open to starting a family and raising children, and would love the opportunity to do so; it's a shame that the bishops also condemn the adoption of children.
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