Research Paper on The Catholics View of Homosexuality

Introduction

Sexuality is an essential topic in religion because it touches on morality. The position of the Catholics on homosexuality is modeled from religious doctrines and morality. Similarly, the world looks upon the church to offer direction on the issue of homosexuality because of the contention that it raises. Therefore, religion as a dogma shapes the culture of the society. As such, certain precepts and believes in the society are anchored in the teachings drawn from the church. To the believers and adherents of the Catholic Church, the teachings of the church should define the morality of the world. The position of the church on sexuality has a considerable influence on the rest of the world. Besides, the universality in moral principles creates the need to assess the position of the Catholics vis-a-vis the worldview of the rest of the world. The Catholic perception of homosexuality is constructed from their religious norms and philosophy of morality.

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The issue of homosexuality elicits intense argument from the members of the church, and the public as well as the church leaders. The position held by any group borders on the cultural attributes or norms that they subscribe to. The Catholic Church view of homosexuality inclines on the Christian religious teachings as entrenched in the Catechism of the Catholic Church (McCarthy, 2015). Catholics establish a distinction between being homosexual and partaking in same-sex acts. According to the Catholics, it is a sin for the unmarried heterosexuals to engage in the sexual act and the same applies when one participates in homogenital acts. Catholics do not support the same sex act because it contradicts the norms that anchor Catholicism.

According to the teachings of Catholicism, sex outside marriage is sinful and immoral. This extends to cover both heterosexuals and homosexuals. The Church seems to have a clear view of what it expects of the society and its members. A person's sexual activity tends to define whether he or she is heterosexual or homosexual. However, those who have the desire for the same sex deserve not condemnation, but should receive respect and love in the same magnitude as it is extended or offered to the heterosexuals. Nevertheless, the Catholics have a clear view of the act of same sex. Same-sex is immoral and sinful because it is not part of church teaching. The church is only free to ordain heterosexuals marriages. This means that Catholics do not accept the concept of homosexuality or same-sex acts and marriages. For instance, if one engages in the same-sex act before marriage, then the action is in itself sinful and immoral because it goes against the norm of Catholicism that recognizes that sex should be an act committed by a man and woman in marriage.

Morality refers to a specific code of practice accepted by a group such as a religion or a society. The Catholic religion recognizes certain principles as acceptable and encourages its adherents to continue with such practices. The relationship between man and woman and same sex is one of the things explicitly documented in the moral teachings of the Catholics. The morality of the Catholics is that the act of sex is a preserve for the married and sex outside a marriage institution is not only sinful but also immoral (Calimlim, 2012). It is immoral in the sense that it contravenes the religious beliefs, it is sinful because it goes against biblical teachings. These paradigms play a significant role in understanding the nature of treatment that Catholics should give to the homosexuals. The sexual act of heterosexuals is limited to those in marriage. Therefore, it follows that in as much as heterosexualism is accepted widely in the society engaging in the sex act with a person outside marriage is immoral and sinful. However, it does not matter whether the act is between people of the same sex or opposite sex. What matters is does the act of sex occur between people who are ordained as man and woman.

The morality of Catholics extends to define marriage as taught in the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Marriage is defined as a union between a man and a woman. By limiting the definition of marriage a union between man and woman, Catholics seem to be suggesting or silently saying that same-sex marriage is immoral and sinful. Since this is the position of the Catholics, then homosexuality is immoral and sinful. Nevertheless, the church has its view on how to treat people. It recognizes the compassion and loves taught by Jesus Christ, and it extends the same teachings to accord and extends love and compassion to everybody irrespective of their sexuality and immorality.

Most importantly, the sexuality is biological, and individuals have little to do regarding shaping one's sexuality. However, the kind relationship that a person has with another (same sex or opposite sex) often elicits questions on whether it contravenes the morality of the church or not. Since Catholics do not approve of same-sex marriage, then it is right to settle that it is an immoral act. As such, the Catholics would not ordain people in same-sex act or marriage.

The morality of the Catholics extends to outlaw sexual activity outside of marriage and acts considered immoral. These acts include masturbation, adultery, artificial contraception, sex before marriage, and exposure to pornographic literature.

The treatment given to homosexuality by the Catholics is the same as that of these immoral and sinful acts. The morality of the Catholics inclines on various biblical teachings such as the Genesis 1:25-28, that describes the creation of man and woman and the intention of God in as far as marriage and sexuality is concerned (Alava, 2017). The verse is fruitful and multiply implies that marriage between man and woman is acceptable before God. On the other hand, other forms of unions, which lead to penetration sex between the same-sexes are not supported in the biblical teachings. As such, the Catholics do not support such acts and view them as not only immoral, but also sinful before the church and God.

The number of partners in marriage is an essential question of morality in the Catholic Church. The virtue of the church emphasizes that marriage is a permanent institution which should only break when one of the partners dies. The covenant relationship between man and woman should go into husband and wife. In a homosexual relationship, the question of husband and wife is contestable because the union brings together persons of the same sex. The sexual relationship between persons of the same sex does not receive the support of the church because the act is not only sinful but also immoral.

The Same-sex marriage becomes immoral in Catholic because the church only recognizes marriage between a woman and man, which culminates into a union between a wife and husband (Calimlim, 2012). Given that the Catholics bishops, priests, and lay leaders do not have the power to ordain a marriage between people of the same sex, it follows that homosexuality is immoral and sinful. Catholics view of marriage contrast the perception of other Christian faiths that openly accept gay ministers. The Church does not consider its perception of marriage as the union between man and woman as discriminatory to the homosexuals.

The Catholics do not hold a prejudiced view against the homosexuals. It recognizes that they are people and part of the society (Jones & Cox, 2011). Instead, they deserve respect and dignified treatment. The perception of the church towards against sexual orientation is critical in expanding the morality of the religion. For example, the view that the homosexuals deserve dignified treatment in the society tend to offer them an opportunity to reevaluate their sexual orientation accept the stance of the Catholics about the act of sex and union between man and woman. The church intends to direct the world to perform the will of the Church. Discriminating against any individual by sexuality or immorality would the church a chance to accomplish its objectives.

The morality of the Catholic Church dictates the kind of people that the church can ordain. It can only ordain people who do not oppose the official position of the church or whose conducts concerning the morality of the church is not contestable. Any conduct that is contrary to the official position of the Catholic Church is not acceptable. The issue of morality with respect to same-sex marriage or act of sex with a person of the same sex is contestable in Catholicism because the church does not support in the form of sex outside marriage or between people of the same sex (Calimlim, 2012). Equally, ordaining people whose ideology of marriage or sex is contrary to the doctrine of Catholicism, the morals of the church, and the biblical teaching is unacceptable. Such advances as far as sexuality is concerned are outside the boundary accepted in the church.

The Catholics appreciate that the homosexuals are a special group that requires attention because of their marginalization. Since this group feels the adverse effect of marginalization in the greater society, an extension of the same in the church would worsen their situation. Catholics try to mimic the teachings of Jesus by extending love and compassion to these groups so that whereas the sexuality is deemed as not supported by the church, they are given a chance to live and be part of the society (Alava, 2017). The discrimination of the homosexuals by segments of the society, including some churches denies them a chance perhaps to change their path and embrace heterosexuality. The assumption is that when the world has no space for the challenges of the minority and special sexual orientation, the group might further continue with the behavior because no one is ready to listen to them.

In the Catholic catechism, homosexual is not a sin (McCarthy, 2015). This sexual orientation is largely biological as opposed to physically acquired. However, homosexuals are naturally disordered and contrast the natural law which the Catholic catechism rely on. The traditional reliance on natural law leads to the perception that homosexuality is immoral and sinful. The adherents of the church are expected to maintain the original intention of the creation, which recognizes heterosexuality, an official marriage of man and woman as accepted. This means that sexual activity outside of what the church recognizes as the morally acceptable is not only indecent but also sinful. The fact that Catholics cannot admit to holy orders or seminary a person who practices homosexuality is a confirmation that the church does not support the gay culture. It follows that whereas Catholics treat homosexuals with compassion and love, engaging in same-sex act or marriage remains to be immoral and sinful because the morality of the Catholic Church does not support the action.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Catholics view of homosexuality is that it does not support any act of sex between people of the same gender besides sex is not permitted outside marriage. The perception of Catholics towards sexuality is that inclination to heterosexualism or homogeneity is a production of a natural process that means that individuals have no power to define their sexuality. Nevertheless, Catholicism morality, mainly borders natural law that supports marriage between a man and a woman. Additionally, the Catholic Church does support any form of an act of sex outside the boundary of marriage. If any person engages in sex outside the confines of marriage, then it is not only immoral but also sinful. The position of the church is that sex is only meant for those in heterosexual marriage. The church, however, does not condemn the homosexuals, but recognizes the need to treat them with love and compassion.

References

Alava , H L (2017). Homosexua...