Is the homosexual my neighbour?

[Winchester]

Love is not like or affection, or emotion. Love in the sense of love thy neighbor is the desire for that person to attain salvation. One acts in a loving way by prayerfully doing whatever will forward that person's salvation.

[Guest SinfulCreation]

If homosexuality and pedophilia why is the catholic church banning all homosexuality in the priesthood in retaliation to the pedophile scare in the US of A

[corban711]

[quote name='SinfulCreation' date='Oct 2 2005, 02:45 AM']If homosexuality and pedophilia why is the catholic church banning all homosexuality in the priesthood in retaliation to the pedophile scare in the US of A
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the banning of men due to homosexuality actually doesn't necessarily have to do with the pedophile scare...homosexual men were not allowed to be ordained before this scare came along. although, i would agree that the pedophile scare is a good reason to seriously enforce it.

is the homosexual your neighbor? absolutely. i heard a story once of Mother Teresa being interviewed by the media (the person i heard it from is a very reliable source...so i take it on faith that it happened) and they were trying to catch her much like the pharisees trying to "catch" Jesus by saying the wrong thing. they were asking her questions repeatedly about gay people. "what do you think about gay people?" "the Church says such and such about gay people" etc. and she kindly told them that from then on, they could refer to them as friends of Jesus or she wouldn't answer their questions. so when the question comes...what do you think about friends of Jesus? hehe... you can safely answer that you will love them.

whether they suffer a disorder or not, whether they fall into repeated mortal sin or not...each person deserves to be loved. their dignity is so great, and they are created good, in the image of God. loving them properly is what they need and what their dignity demands. they need to be loved.

[Jaime]

[quote name='son_of_angels' date='Oct 1 2005, 10:31 PM']It is difficult to say "love the sinner, but hate the sin" with regards to sexual issues.  After all, people derive a great deal of who they are from their sexual appetites, which is more tied to memory than even eating.  Many young men wake up every morning and commit every sort of sexual, but it would be difficult to say that you hate what they are doing as it will simply lead them to hating themselves.  This is not a guide or a road out of sexual deviancy.

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Why is it difficult? How are sexual issues that different from other issues? Why is it simpler to love the sinner if the sinner is an alcoholic?

[Socrates]

[quote name='SinfulCreation' date='Oct 2 2005, 02:45 AM']If homosexuality and pedophilia why is the catholic church banning all homosexuality in the priesthood in retaliation to the pedophile scare in the US of A
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Most of the so-called "pedophilia" scandals did not involve true pedophilia (sex with prepubescent children, usually girls), but involved homosexual activity with adolescent males. This is a form of homosexuality. Let's not mince words here. There is a clear connection. Many seminaries condoned homosexuality, and we are reaping the fruits of this.

And even without the abuse scandals, homosexuality in the priesthood is disgraceful, even if it is between "consenting adults."
The priesthood is a holy calling and should not be a refuge for perverts of any kind.
It's sad that this letter is even necessary, but this policy is good and just.

Edited October 2, 2005 by Socrates

[son_of_angels]

[quote]Why is it difficult? How are sexual issues that different from other issues? Why is it simpler to love the sinner if the sinner is an alcoholic?

[/quote]

It isn't. Alcoholism, like sexual sins, becomes, through constant usage an addiction, especially for men. If a young man wakes up every day and can masturbate, his ability to resist the temptation will grow and grow, like many sins. However, unlike many sins, alcoholism and sexual addiction relate to an actual chemical need, again, especially in male physiology. Men are easily addicted to a certain form of sexual release. If they attach it to homosexuality, it will take a long time and a lot of effort to remove themselves from it.
However, unlike masturbation, homosexuality as a sexual addiction has a social aspect to it. This social aspect leads one to identify themselves relative to others in terms like, "gay" or "lesbian." It is difficult to say, "hate the sin, and love the sinner" because they can't understand it. It all seems the same. Instead, we must reach out and hate what the sin does to the sinner, without appealing to our "higher law" of righteousness. The time will come for that, and it will be for them.

[White Knight]

I think Billy Graham put it well back in the 80's during his Cursade Years.


The Whole World is our neighbor.

[Guest T-Bone]

I don't appreciate trolls coming in and trying to bait Catholics into saying something uncharitable.

[Socrates]

[quote name='T-Bone' date='Oct 3 2005, 07:13 PM']I don't appreciate trolls coming in and trying to bait Catholics into saying something uncharitable.
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Who's the troll ????

(didn't notice anyone trolling in here!)