Essay The Catholic Church and Its Views on Homosexuality

On November 14th, 2009, Canada’s first openly gay Catholic priest, Father Karl Clemens, married his long time partner in Toronto, Ontario. Clemens, who is close to seventy, retired from the Kingston, Ontario diocese after 33 years of service and moved to Toronto to advocate for the city’s gay village. Clemens stated that he was as prepared to handle the inevitable backlash from the Church and some of its followers as he was when he declared his sexual orientation in 2005, and strongly believes that homosexuals deserve to exercise their right to enter into same-sex marriage. (Weese) It is currently estimated that 1 to 3% of the population engage in homosexual acts, however, it was previously suggested that at least 10% of the population was†¦show more content†¦Compare this to the Old Testament texts that are concerned exclusively with the sexual conduct of men. St. Paul categorizes as we do, in terms of the sameness or difference of sex of the sexual partners. Even if he does not have the words, he thinks in terms of heterosexuality and homosexuality- clearly condemning the latter. (Moore, 86-87) In 1 Corinthians 6: 9-10, St. Paul presents a list of those who will not enter the Kingdom of God, Do you not know that the unjust will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor malakoi, nor arsenokoitai, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor slanderers, nor robbers will inherit the kingdom of God. The term malakoi simply means ‘soft’, however when applying it to people St. Paul uses the term to describe ‘soft men’ implying effeminate women or homosexuals. The term arsenokoitai was coined by St. Paul and pertains to those who perform the activity or activities he understands to be banned- sexual activity between males. (Moore, 106-109) Finally, in 1 Timothy. 1:10, St. Paul gives another list, this time of people against whom the law is intended. It is laid down, â€Å"not for the just, but for the lawless and disobedient, the impious and sinners, for the irreligious and godless, for parricides and matricides, for murderers, fornicators, arsenokoitai, slave traders, liars, perjurers, what whatever else is contraryShow MoreRelatedEssay about Religion and Gay Rights1124 Words   |  5 PagesSince the beginning of time there has been homosexuality and that has always led to a debate of opinions. But in the last 20 years this topic has jumped to the top of the religious/political controversy list. This topic is important to all Americans because so many different groups have a stakeholder position in this issue. Adoption agencies, health services, insurance companies and the wedding industry just to name a few. 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