On the "Gay Marriage" Debate

May 11, 2012

There is currently a good deal of discussion surrounding the idea of "gay marriage" and the need to protect the rights of homosexual persons. Recently President Obama and Vice-President Biden stated their support of "gay marriage" which has brought the issue even more to the fore. It, therefore, seems opportune to ensure that faithful Catholics have a clear understanding of why the Church opposes "gay marriage" and also why it teaches that no Catholic could ever legitimately support this position.

First of all it is important to state the Church's position that every human person, based upon their creation, deserves to be respected and treated with charity. At the same time, however, charity is never to be disassociated with truth. In fact, being charitable necessitates speaking the truth to a person even when they may not want to hear it or disagree with it. Therefore, all Catholics have the obligation to speak the truth about God's laws and the nature of the human person. This includes stating the immutable truth that homosexual desires and actions are disordered; they are not ordered to God's design and plan for the human person.

Born that Way?

Many people will certainly ask the question, "but what if people are born with the disorder of same-sex attraction?" This is an important question. First of all, there is more evidence that same-sex attraction is a result of environment than that such a disorder exists from birth. There is very little evidence to support the claim that it is a natural occurrence beyond the anecdotal testament of individuals. Contrarily there is a wealth of evidence in support of childhood experiences influencing any number of dispositions in the human person; including one's sexual identity. Secondly, it actually doesn't matter if someone is "born that way." People are born every day with various imperfections of a greater to lesser extent. Traditionally Christians have always understood imperfection in nature as a result of Original Sin. This explanation easily can accommodate why a very small percentage of people might be born with same sex attraction.

Why Not "Gay Marriage?"

Moving on to the question of "gay marriage." Our first consideration is why does the Government recognize marriage at all? From whence does the concept of marriage come? As we see from our increasingly secular culture it is already a common occurrence for people who are not married to live together and be sexually active. Let us not forget that marriage existed prior to the Constitution and the foundation of our country. Marriage is instituted by God, not the Government. The role of Government is to acknowledge and protects those basic rights of the human person which are immutable truths. For the Government to create a new right called "gay marriage" would be for it to go beyond its authority. In doing so the Government would place its authority on the same level as God's. Furthermore, it doesn't take much insight to realize that as soon as marriage is no longer defined as being between one man and one woman, it very soon will come to mean a union of any number of persons. What really would happen as a result of legalized "gay marriage" is a complete eradication of marriage as a definable concept.

Another reason why some homosexual persons seek to impose "gay marriage" on society is because of the desire to legitimate their lifestyle. But no Catholic can support any action that would seek to legitimate something which is intrinsically evil. Furthermore, it is not a loving action to support something which contravenes God's law. While it is true that homosexual persons may misuse their freedom to engage in homosexual actions, such activity is gravely sinful and puts their salvation at risk. To be supportive of other people's sinfulness is quite the opposite of a loving action.

One of the essential properties of marriage is that it is instituted by God to be fruitful. In short, homosexual sex can never be fruitful. It can never fulfill the design of God and the truth of the human person.

We also recognize the truth that marriage and the family are the building blocks of society. The health of a society as a whole is always proportionate to the health of marriage within that society. A major reason why our society is so diseased is because of the dissolution of marriage. The further we move in this direction the more diseased we become as a whole.

Why Homosexual Persons Are Not Happy

Many people hold the position that we should allow homosexual persons to marry one another if they truly love one another. Certainly this sentiment demonstrates that within our secular culture the concept of marriage has already been deconstructed. But there is also a large degree of naïveté present in such, often, good natured sentiments. The idea that we should "just let them get married" and then "they will be happy" is a misplaced ideal. The reason is because living contrary to God's plan could never bring homosexual persons the happiness that they seek. This is the real question that homosexual persons and our society needs to ask. After all, everyone seeks to be happy.

But perhaps we should start with asking why homosexual persons are not happy? What reasons do they give? The answer that seems the most often cited is that homosexual persons feel persecuted and that they are not accepted by others. All of us should agree that violence done to homosexuals is something that can neither be promoted nor condoned. However, homosexual persons also seem to have a very hard time living in a pluralistic society in which people hold opposing views of human sexuality from theirs. This is one reason why there is continual pressure to suppress all negative speech about homosexuality. But living in a free society should allow people of differing views to express their beliefs and seek to influence others. This is something that some homosexual persons have a very difficult time accepting. The truth is that those who promote the homosexual agenda will not stop until everyone thinks the way that they do. And here lies the real problem; homosexual persons are not happy because they seek happiness from external sources. True happiness cannot be acquired from other persons or from Government policies. It is absolutely correct that homosexual persons need to accept who they are. First of all they are a child of God, lovingly created in his image. But after that they need to accept that their same sex attraction is a disorder which will not bring them happiness or peace, no matter how many people tell them they are "fine the way they are." In truth, none of us are "fine the way we are."

Where True Happiness Lies

We constantly hear words like "enlightened" and "evolved" used to refer to those who support "gay marriage." I have no doubt that these people are enlightened by secular ideals. But this is an enlightenment which is banal to say the least. In fact, we might say that such a position represents a darkening of the intellect and a devolution of right reason.

As Christians we believe that we are indeed enlightened, but not by a mere human ideology; we are enlightened by Christ. We know that true happiness can only be found in and through Christ. When we live according to his Commands and according to God's design and intention for the human person we will find true peace and happiness.

If we seek to truly be loving to homosexual persons we will encourage them to grow stronger in their relationship with Christ and lay all of their struggles and sufferings at the foot of His Cross. In the final analysis, the answer to the question of happiness is the same for all of us. The answer is a Person, who is also Divine, Who has redeemed us from sin offers to us Salvation.

In Christ,
Fr. John Ehrich, STL

For more information on the Church's position on "gay marriage" please read the document from the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith entitled, "Considerations Regarding Proposals to Give Legal Recognition to Unions Between Homosexual Persons."

For a scientific document regarding Homosexuality and its possible origins please read "Homosexuality and Hope" published by the Catholic Medical Association.

For a greater treatment of the full breadth of the threats to our society please read The Homosexual Agenda by Alan Sears.