Church's Teachings on Homosexuality

[the_rev]

What are the church's teachings?

We condone the behavior.

We are to hate the sin and love the sinner.... Anyways could you provide me with some church teaching?

[franciscanheart]

Um we do not condone the behavior.

and check the reference section right up there.

[franciscanheart]

[url="http://phorum.phatmass.com/index.php?showtopic=20955"]Here[/url]

[phatcatholic]

we must note, first and foremost and before anything else, that a person is not a sinner just b/c he is tempted to have sexual relations with a person of the same sex. we are all tempted to do things that are "gravely disordered," but we are not sinners until we oblige that temptation or act on it in some way. in this case, the person sins either by engaging in the sexual act in question or by entertaining the thought of doing so in his mind (lusting). every bible verse you can find that pertains to homosexuality condemns [i][b]the act[/b][/i]. persons who struggle w/ this temptation should be treated w/ respect and charity, just like the rest of us.

that said, see this from the catechism:

[b]2357 [/b]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.

[b]2358 [/b]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.

[b]2359 [/b]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.