Catholic FAQ #6: Why marriage between one man & one woman?

[M3di3v4L]

Title is misleading.. The "why" was not answered. I happen to agree that homosexuality shouldn't be embraced, but just quoting scripture doesn't explain why. 

[Rickyrab]

Marriage is an institution. People might as well enter it in a straitjacket.

[HelloIsiiii]

So is it simply wrong to be homosexual?

[TheStrong32]

The issuse is not about the Sacrament of Matrimony, it is about the granting of marriage licenses by the state--which is none of the Church's concern. The Church will not perform marriages between Catholics and members of another faith, but would you ever dream of using your influence to forbid the state from issuing marriage licenses to interfaith couples? Of course not. So why do gays--and gays alone--merit your special opposition.

[TheStrong32]

If you really and truly believe that "homosexuals are not to be discriminated against," then why do the Catholics always stand up and oppose measures to protect gays from discrimination? And I'm not talking only about marriage. Catholics have stood up against employment and housing non-discrimination initiatives, and anti-bullying legislation. Catholics also supported DADT and DOMA, neither of which had anything to do with religious practice.

[ARD725]

Well...as a homosexual I found this to be the least offensive anti-gay-marriage take I've heard. Doesn't mean I think you're right, or that the scripture does fully support your interpretation, but at least you state your answer in a clear non-hateful way. Ultimately I'm not looking for the Church's approval for marriage equality, I'm looking to the non-theocratic state to support my rights. The Catholic Church can certainly believe what it wants without interfering in the lives of others.

[Liminalitea]

Your directness and evenhandedness on this question are very much appreciated, Monsignor. The important thing to emphasize is that the Church's teaching on sacramental marriage does not prevent gay and lesbian people from participating in the life of the Church. The insensitive manner in which some in the Church have publicly responded to the issue has been divisive and hurtful. May the love of Christ bring about reconciliation among us, that we may love one another as He has taught us.

[MoDeeSeventyThree]

I like the idea that gay people are welcomed as children of god, but have a problem with the idea that according to the church, homosexual desires are considered "disordered" . Is this true?

[thischannelpointless]

@MoDeeSeventyThree An overweight person's desire for more food than they need is also considered "disordered" by the church. The same goes for people sexually attracted to little children. The Church teaches that homosexual desires are disordered because she holds that they lead to spiritual, psychological and biological .. etc harm of the person.

Does that answer your question?

[MoDeeSeventyThree]

As a Catholic, I've never understood something....why do we maintain the authority of scriptures with some things but not others..surely its easy to see of the scriptures contain things that have been proven to be not literally true (Genesis); have shown that some rules are downright cruel (Leviticus, Deuteronomy); and we have seen obvious contradictions (the Gospels). Doesn't this cause us to doubt the authority of the scriptures on some of the moral issues we deal with today?

[thischannelpointless]

@MoDeeSeventyThree There are many interpretations for any particular passage in the Bible, for example Genesis is meant to be read in allegorical sense.

When the Church interprets a passage she must do so in harmony with the Sacred Tradition that has been passed down to us from the Apostles.

Also keep in mind that while some things seem 'evil' to us now, like 'eye-for-an-eye' for example, they were good for the people they were intended, while other things remain constant..

[Jugglable]

He says in the holy scriptures it's revealed that the fulfillment of humanity is male and female in marriage. It's also in the scriptures that slaves should be obedient to their masters and that women should cover their head in church, not to eat shellfish, and if you're caught in adultery you should be stoned to death, and you can beat your slaves as long as you don't knock out their teeth and eyes. When you only speak up about the gay thing though, it seems like you're targeting one group.

[originalsin19]

The part where you lose me is when you mention the "difficulties with homosexuality." I see no difficulties. You do. I didn't make anything difficult. You did.

[bobbyke31]

Why is it that homosexuality occurs in the first place? I just don't get it. God created man for woman and woman for man. I fail to see the logic why God would deem it appropriate for some men to be attracted to other men and some women to be attracted to other women. The reason I say "deemed appropriate" is because I know somebody who is homosexual and after lots and lots of praying for it to cease, it has not. So apparently in their case, God deems it appropriate....But WHY????

[Jugglable]

I am a Catholic but I am bothered by the "because the Bible says so" kind of justification. The Bible is not dictated by God. It is, as Vatican 2 said, the word of God in the words of men. And sometimes when the men were putting the words down I think their own fallenness is on display. Look at some of the Old Testament laws saying to stone people in certain circumstances. Paul: "suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence"

[symmylynn]

So, are you against homosexuals in general? Do you find their way of life disgusting or wrong in the eyes of God? Are you ok with them having unions? I'm a Christian and I think God loves gays. And though I may disagree with them getting a marriage, I believe wholeheartedly in them getting a union.

[cboch11]

So would you be okay with the state getting out of the marriage business and only providing civil unions that give the benefits of marriage without the title, and people only getting married only within religious context? The Church can do what it wants with marriage inside the Church, but it is wrong for it to impose its doctrine onto secular society, which deprives certain people of rights granted to the majority. The Constitution makes it very clear that church and state are to be separated.