Peace be with all present!

Jon this is the first time I think I have disagreed on the site with your position on something. Not an attack, just my thoughts. ” title=”Smile” />

This is a touchy subject but one I think we have allowed contemporize thinking to taint. It is Biblically illegal to be Homosexual it was a Moral Law that was strictly obeyed:

3. Crimes against Morality. The laws of the Bible form a unique moral system. While other laws of the Near East tried to show what a king thought was good and right, the Bible shows how to honor God; this theme runs through all of its laws and is the root of all its morality. The Bible outlaws adultery, unnatural sex acts (such as homosexuality), prostitution, and other forms of perverted sex. God knew that these things could destroy Israel, just as they had destroyed other nations. They were crimes against morality in other words, crimes challenging the God-given order for human society. God’s Law ruled out greed, lying, strange marriages, and anything else that would upset society. God expected His people to live morally upright lives.

Now this is what was Moral Law of the times. But do the times change our Moral beliefs? I say no. For if it did, one could argue so does God’s Word. God is eternal, hence His Law is too, therefore perfect and unchanging. To deny this plan truth is to deny God. So, it comes down to defining what We as Christians believe, not what the World View or our own opinions profess.

So what is the basis for this Moral Law:

It starts simply with the definition of marriage:

• In Genesis we see God’s plan for Man and Women, no other contrary example exists
• God had ordained the sexual relationship to be enjoyed in the proper place and between the right people marriage partners.
• God had ordained the sexual relationship to be enjoyed in the proper place and between the right people marriage partners. The Jews felt so strongly about this that a newly-married man was freed from his military or business duties for a whole year so that he could “cheer up his wife which he hath taken” (Deut. 24:5).

Now homosexuality was addressed also directly:

• Paul reminded the Corinthians that adultery and homosexuality were sins and should be avoided (1 Cor. 6:9‚Äì11). But he also said that husbands and wives should enjoy God’s gift of sex together. Paul’s instruction was, “The husband should give to the wife her conjugal rights, and likewise the wife to her husband. … Do not refuse one another except perhaps by agreement for a season, that you may devote yourselves to prayer; but then come together again, lest Satan tempt you through lack of self-control” (1 Cor. 7:3, 5, RSV).
• 26 Therefore, God handed them over to degrading passions. Their females exchanged natural relations for unnatural, 27 and the males likewise gave up natural relations with females and burned with lust for one another. Males did shameful things with males and thus received in their own persons the due penalty for their perversity. 28 And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God handed them over to their undiscerning mind to do what is improper. 29 They are filled with every form of wickedness, evil, greed, and malice; full of envy, murder, rivalry, treachery, and spite. They are gossips 30 and scandalmongers and they hate God. They are insolent, haughty, boastful, ingenious in their wickedness, and rebellious toward their parents. 31 They are senseless, faithless, heartless, ruthless. 32 Although they know the just decree of God that all who practice such things deserve death, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them.
• 22 You shall not lie with a male as with a woman; such a thing is an abomination.
And with more research you will find more references in both Old and New Testaments that Homosexuality is sinful. Now, do we want our Spiritual leaders to have this life style. Again I say no. Just not actively participating in a sin does not exempt you from the sin if you commit it in your mind, as we have been instructed by Christ.
And finally our Catechism states:
Chastity and homosexuality

2357 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,140 tradition has always declared that “homosexual acts are intrinsically disordered.”141 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 complementarily. Under no circumstances can they be approved.
2358 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.
2359 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.
So from my short search into this topic I have to say it is like Marriage in that only a man and women may marry, as it is only the same for a Priest. Because Homosexuality is a sin and violation of Moral Law we cannot allow this example in to the leadership of Christ’s Church. This is not a gay bashing, it is a simple look into why I feel we cannot allow this to happen. Further, this does not mean that Homosexuals sound not be welcomed into the Church. We welcome all, and those that are sinful, ALL OF US, need to not judge, show mercy, and help each other to repent, as we are ALL called to do.

Much of this is from a position paper I wrote. If you’d like my resources please email me, be glad to send them to you. God Bless!