I have been puzzling over this for a while now. As I was writing this to a friend studying to be a priest currently in Rome I realized I should post this paragraph for discussion. Oh yes, he has serious observations that could be shared!! Look for the book Sodoma, being published Feb 21. What does Gay pride mean?! Someone is actually glad to be gay? I'm proud to be Italian and Irish. I'm proud to be an Aunt. Is that the same? I struggle to wrap my head around someone being glad to be gay or preferring that over being heterosexual. In my experience, it is still whispered. Maybe that's because I live in a conservative city with rainbow flags popping up here and there. Maybe each Diocese or the Vatican should put out swag with the papal flag on it. We could put that on our cars in the form of small magnets, just as the fish is. I LIKE that! I haven't seen the fish in a while. Time to get another emblem for my current car.
Im my experience all it means is that they will thrust their perversion into anyone's face they can in as public a manner as possible and you better celebrate it with your family or you are a intolerant homophobe full of hate who is actually a closeted homo just like them. That to them is pride. AKA They like to make up new meanings to words.
I was thinking and praying about this question. It seems to timely in light of the Crisis in the Church; which appears to revolve around questions of sexuality so much at the moment. They say when a bone breaks it heals twice as strong as it was before the bone breaks. In other words there is a more equal and opposite reaction to the break. I think Gay Pride is an equal and opposite reaction tot eh voice of conscience. Our grace aided reason tells us something is wrong. It disturbs us and so to still the vice of conscience we take the opposite reaction we not only say it is right , we say we are proud of it. it is as if we are having a discussion with someone and they put forward a argument against us which disturbs us, so instead of talking to them we shout at them. I think Gay Pride is like this. It is shouting back at the voice of the Holy Spirit. We are trying to drown out the still small voice within. But also I think we are social creatures. We seek approval from without as well as from within. If society as a whole gave approval it would help to increase out own interior unease. But there is a curious thing about this. Western Societies as a whole do indeed nowadays give approval to homosexuality. But it is most curious. When people are told the mechanics of the homosexual acts they are nauseated. They intuitively and instinctively recoil . No wonder Gay activists underline Gay Pride so much. It helps cover this unease a lot. It reminds me of the story of the Emperor having no clothes. Gay Pride tries to shout out the voice of the little boy who asks the questions, 'Why is the Emperor wearing no clothes?' Or the question, 'Why are these people truly performing such physically disgusting acts on each other?' The Elephant in the room. The question no one wants to ask.
But this leads me on to another question. The word, 'Homosexualist'. Suhc a strange word . I never heard it mentioned until a year or two ago. Was it invented? Where on Earth did it come from? What does it mean? To me it appears to suggest in context someone who may or may not be a homosexual but supports the homosexual act. Rather like someone who while he or she may not be a bank robber themselves supports bank robbery in principle. What a curious notion.
Deep down, homosexuals know that their sexual attraction and acts are deviant and wrong. When people of faith and good morals remind them of this, they lash out calling by calling them homophobes because it stirs their conscience. In reality though, the homosexuals are the ones with the phobias; fear of hell and damnation, and fear of the Truth. When they force those around them to accept their lifestyle, it's only so they can feel better about themselves and their immoral choices. So they continue to try to normalize their behavior by being "proud" of who they are and emblazoning rainbow symbols everywhere. Ironically, if their behavior was truly normal, they wouldn't have to work so hard to make it seem so. Homosexuals are desperately trying to gain acceptance and approval of their lifestyle so they can feel good about themselves, but what truly crave and will NEVER get is approval from God. I know that subtle attacks on scripture that condemns their immoral behavior has begun. It won't be long before it's an all out attack on the Bible, all stemming from their "pride".
I think homosexuality like all sinful lifestyles is destructive and corrosive. I notice in the hospital a whole host of physical ailments, for instance, associated with it. There is a much , much higher suicide rate, drug use and so on. Or to put it another way they are not happy campers. I notice this with the Mafia too , for instance. Jesus said, 'Those who live by the sword will die by the sword'. Most of these Mafiosa die violently. The consequence of their own violence. it reminds me of the scripture, 'The wages of sin are death'. This is so true. A homosexual lifestyle like any seriously sinful lifestyle leads to death. I was listening to the lyrics of Bruce Springstein's song the other night and thinking of how sad it was. How full of death and self destruction. But this truth is inconvenient. So no one wants to talk about it. 'An inconvenient truth is what it sounds like: Something that's true but inconvenient. Typically the inconvenience comes down to having to take responsibility for something, or at least in admitting that the excuse you've been using doesn't hold up. It's an inconvenient truth that smoking is rather bad for your health.'
This is why God warns us that certain things are sins. Because He loves us and does not want us to hurt ourselves. He does not make rules to limit us but to protect us and make us free. Homosexuality seriously hurts us and He wants to save us from this. To say that homosexuality does not hurt people is a clear lie. No matter how much we may claim otherwise this is obviously true. The Good Lord is trying to spare us from this. When Priests become involved in this it becomes a thousand times more destructive. Like a Spiritual Nuclear Bomb. He wants to save us from this too.
No one is unacceptable to God who strives to stay in sanctifyong grace and carry the heavy cross of same sex attraction. Many are doing this and are on their way to become very holy. But to embrace the sin and justify it to yourself and others is very very different.
I stand corrected. I should have said the sin is unacceptable to God. And none of Gods children are unacceptable to God. God bless.
They have a choice to act on their natural desire just as those of us heterosexuals do. As with anyone, who they are is not sinful. Actions are. We are not to presume they act on it anymore than we do. It saddens me to know this presumption is so prevalent.
I know. I really didn't mean to word it like that. As I wrote before I should have said God dislikes the sin not the sinner. I normally don't respond to posts like that for fear of hurting ones feelings. And if I did hurt anyones feelings I am sorry. God bless. . Gary
Any sex outside of marriage is sinful. For a homosexual "couple" to be allowed to commit sexual acts while unmarried and a heterosexual couple needing to abstain until they are married is a contradiction. I have no idea how the Church thinks it can explain this away. The only answer is to allow homosexuals to get married in the Church. That I guess would be the ultimate goal.
“Although the particular inclination of the homosexual person is not a sin, it is a more or less strong tendency ordered toward an intrinsic moral evil; thus the inclination itself must be seen as an objective disorder. Therefore special concern and pastoral attention should be directed to those who have this condition, lest they be led to believe that the living out of this orientation in homosexual activity is a morally acceptable option. It is not.” Pope St John Paul 2 “Letter to the Bishops of the Catholic Church on the Pastoral Care of Homosexual Persons,” Now compare the saint's words to this, compare and contrast: https://lovinmalta.com/news/local/p...use-investigator-archbishop-scicluna-to-chile
Yes, whatever happened to the vow of celibacy? Celibacy is celibacy. On the other hand, if in Seminary there are often unavoidable occasions for communal showers or restroom facilities, that clearly presents great temptation toward sin if a seminarian is naturally attracted to men. PROBLEM - how to resolve? No more gays admitted?
On Sunday, March 3, I'm instructing a RCIA class looking forward to the Easter Vigil. I'm going to steal this reminder from you, Padraig, because it is so important and ever relevant. Don't worry- I'll give you the credit! Safe in the Hearts of Jesus and Mary!
