Essay The Catholic Church and Its Views on Homosexuality

Many Christians have picked out “clobber” passages or verses in the Bible that are supposed to undoubtedly condemn homosexuality. However, these fool-proof “clobber” passages have been contested, such as Leviticus 20:13, “If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be put upon them.” Many conservative Christians interpret this as damning homosexuality indefinitely; many liberal Christians claim it condemns gay ritual sex in a temple and males having sex in a womans bed. Another verse, Leviticus 18:22, “Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination.” Again, conservative Christians take this is as condemning evidence but progressive Christians take it as, again, a verse condemning gay ritual sex in a Pagan temple or men having sex in a woman's bed.

In today’s Christian churches there has come about a very controversial subject, one that has been developing for many years, and is now at the fore front of controversial issues dealing with the church. The issue at hand is homosexuality and the Christian church. This controversy has caused there to be a split between the church into two different beliefs, liberal and evangelical, which one is right and which and which one is wrong? Issues such as should homosexuals be aloud in the church? If so how involved should they be? And most importantly what does God have to say about homosexuality? These are tough question brought about by a tough issue and the only way these questions can be

The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) community have always had issues with discrimination and prejudice; even now anti-gay movements are growing not only in our communities but also in our legislative branch in the government. These people disguise their hate behind the constitution and claim freedom of religion and speech. There ignoreos is growing to our congressmen and women, laws are being pass in some states to prevent other anti gay laws. We as a nation in some states are regressing as a whole and not progressing. The progress we have made recently which allows gay marriage in all 50 states is wonderful progress but we can and should do much more to allow LGBT members the equality they

Homosexuality is one of the most debated issues among Christians today, regardless of the denomination of their church. Some churches view homosexuality as a sin and have no tolerance for it, while other denominations are more accepting and consider it a non-sin. Even though some denominations have taken a stand on homosexuality, there seems to much discord within the governing bodies of the churches regarding this issue. It has moved from a topic rarely discussed and considered very personal and private, to a mainstream topic of conversation.

The topic of homosexuality in religion has many sides. There are those who believe that it is a sin in God’s eyes and according to the Bible, and there are those who believe the God and the Bible are not specific to homosexuals. It is a tough debate based on whether you are a religious person, how you were raised, and where your morals and ethics stand. You cannot truly believe one way without taking into account the other side and have valid proof to back it up.

the Pharisees. (see previous three verses. Acts 15:5-7) Even Yeshua called their idea of the Law a burden. He said:

law itself, directly to the people who want to be under it. He reminds them of Abraham's two sons by

In Romans 7:7-25 we see Paul’s conviction of the law and learning how to live a sanctified life where he claims that the law is not evil but it is present to show sins existence in our life.

All the feelings resulting from the urge to indulge in sexual impulses is virtually in everyone, as advertisements from burgers to any automobile can inform you. Along with that, the desire to glorify a divine being resonates within many as well. In early Abrahamic faiths, sex was commemorated as a source of holiness and sanctification when used in a proper manner. These proper manners consist of three points: 1. Only between man and woman (condemns homosexual partnerships) 2. The transmission of human life (condemns contraceptives) and 3. Solely within a lawful marriage. Therefore, it would be a struggle and somewhat contradicting to attempt in separating religion from sex. Christian fundamentalists argue that the act of sexual intercourse outside or before a marriage is considered to be unethical and morally wrong, with that they claim sexual acts are only to be carried out as a means for procreation, not pleasure. Religion has always played a significant role in what is deemed right or wrong pertaining to sexual acts, and although many may claim that revolutionary change has come within the church’s dealing on sexual morality, the Catholic church still strongly holds most of its traditional values.

I recognize that the Church’s approach to homosexuality is solely based on the Catholic Churches opinion. However, I disagree with the fact that homosexuals are subject to restriction from sexual and intimate relationships with same-sex partners. I recognize that God created intimate and sexual relations so that a man and a woman can create the gift of life and continue the cycle of life. However, intimate relationships are also meant to show and express one’s love for their companion. Therefore, it should not only be directed to those who are of heterosexual orientation but as well as homosexual persons, seeing that they are also capable of having that same love for their partners.

“All men are created equal, No matter how hard you try, you can never erase those words,” Harvey Milk. A homosexual, as defined by the dictionary, is someone of, relating to, or characterized by a tendency to direct sexual desire toward another of the same sex. Homosexuality is ethical, and I will provide rational arguments for, and irrational arguments against the topic. A few objections are as follows: It is forbidden in the Bible and frowned upon by God; It is unnatural; Men and women are needed to reproduce; There are no known examples in nature; and the most common argument that concerns homosexuality is whether it is a choice or human biology.

The world has more than one billion Catholics and with the ever growing population, it will only get larger in number. To be a Catholic means to have complete faith in God and his divine grace. Having God's divine grace means to obey it and keep it holy as it was created by God and given to his people. The religion itself is based on this and the people take it very seriously. Catholics believe that all people are of good nature but when one commits a sin it not only hurts that one person but the people and the Church.

Homosexuality is not a 20th century situation but has been in history from the age of ancient Rome, Greece, Egypt, and even China. The attitude toward homosexuality always has been a variable, depending on the social, cultural and morality, or even the political development (Barnecka et al., 2005). Back in Greek history the concept of relations between two men was seen as the highest form of love, whereas the Judaic view always was against and frowned upon these relations considering it immoral and illegal. However, when the Roman rule was destroyed and the Christians took over Europe, homosexuality was seen as perverse (Woodward, 1997).

Biblical writing tends to have strict laws about sex and sexuality and how it was expressed and universally accepted. The Pauline Epistles, or Paul’s views, had unique views on sex because he completely distrusted gender as a whole and because he believed that there would be an apocalypse. Many of Paul’s ideas were widely accepted back than because they explained may things that people could not, for instance it explains homosexuality. Today, the laws are seen differently and in some cases interpreted much more literally than they were back then. It is likely that ideas have changed either because people have become more understanding and accepting of others or because we no longer view sex and sexuality as a thing to be ashamed of. This new age of interpretation is seen in the way homosexuality is accepted today, submission of the wife to the husband in some religious dominations, and the ideal of marriage and its sexual implications.

The United States is a country built on a number of ideals and institutions. The moral structure of many Americans today was developed by our ancestors and the founders of this nation through the institutions that were a part of their lives. Family, religion, marriage, equality, and justice are just a few examples of the important components that provide a moral basis for our country. If any of these elements were to become too mutated, the effects on society could be devastating. Right now in the United States, one of these building blocks of society is being threatened by the possibility of a negative transformation. The building block of marriage as the sacred