I VERY much liked the video's STRONG insistance that we (the Church) must show strong approval and clear acceptance of people with same sex attraction.
That was disgusting. The insistence that gay people must not only abstain from sex but also change whom they love is straight no different from the late Fred Phelp's "turn or burn" rhetoric.
This is magnificent film. Apparently Frank did not see the film or does not understand it. What is disgusting is the notion that sex is the thing that will fulfill people. No, love and intimacy will fulfill people, and that is what the church is saying. The Catholic way offers a third way, a way where each gay can fully realize themselves.
Sex isn't just sex. When combined with love and commitment, it is life enhancing, for gays and for straights. The group most hurt by gay marriage at this point is the CatholicChurch. It's losing credibility daily, especially among young people, who can see gay marriage does no one any harm. Natural law arguments can be and have been manipulated to condemn and justify all sorts of things. When they are always brought down on an anti-sex side it reveals a belief that babies are the only way to redeem us from the sullying effect of having sex. To everyone outside this system it looks neurotic. Pope Francis seems aware of the "scandal" this is giving--hence his "who am I to say?" And his tentative support for civil unions.
Acceptance? Well, they've moved from condemning sinners to pitying the sick. I have been a psychiatrist for more than 33years. Yes, if one has an abusive alcoholic father (like David), been rejected by peers(like Richard Cohen), has a cold mother and been sexually abused (like Julie), and been unwanted (like Charles), one will be as depressed as these people appear to be. Some will get help from therapy--sometimes with medication, sometimes not need--and others will be helped by being subsumed in large groups (eg. AA, churches, the military, even political causes.). But 95% of those troubled people will be straight and about 5% will be gay. That is also true of those who were raised by loving, competent parents; they turn out about 95% straight and 5% gay. There is no evidence that upbringing causes homosexuality; to imply it does lays unwarranted guilt on those parents of gays who were good and nurturing. What little evidence we have suggests genetic and intrauterine/hormonal causes. See the book "Gay, Straight, and the ReSon Why" for a review and critique of scientific studies. It is by neuroscientist from Stanford, Simon LeVay. As for the films claim that Catholics ask nothing different from gays and straights, that is, chastity for both, I would point out that straights have hope of marrying when gays do not.
I have some reservations about the film and the way as Anonymous @3:25 PM 4/30 expresses it - "the video's STRONG insistance that we (the Church) must show strong approval and clear acceptance of people with same sex attraction."
I was looking at the conscientious reflections of the subjects as it pertains to conversion from sin and understanding the self - self knowledge. Overall, that would seem to me to be a good witness of repentance and conversion. What I missed - or better put - what I didn't have time to reflect on was exactly that - the implication that the Church needs to show approval of the homosexual condition. Acceptance of the person is necessary, but approval of behavior is in error. Likewise, acceptance of homosexuality as a natural variant of human sexuality is erroneous as well. Which is why the title bothers me - there is no 'third way' of marriage and sexuality. The film points to the Church as the third way - but it needs to be understood clearly as regards Catholic definition of gender, marriage, and sexuality.
Interestingly enough, that was clear to 'active' gay people, who opposed the film for simply repeating Catholic prohibitions, but some of the so-called 'gay Christians' dismissed it pretty much for the same reasons. It's always a no win situation when it comes to Catholic teaching, which has been so frequently undermined as regards this subject.
Maybe I'll just cut and paste this comment to my blog.
Anyway - always be careful about how Catholic teaching is represented by the gay-Catholic movement.
Uh, gays by definition are physically unable to have sex, I think that's the whole point. The Catholic Church doesn't exist for "credibility." Did you have a comment about this video or just a rant about how gay "sex" will save the world. "Natural law arguments can be and have been manipulated to condemn and justify all sorts of things." LOL you mean justify things like, um human nature?
So, as I was watching I initially feared that the fact that some of those interviewed mention troubled childhoods might get in the way of the film’s overall message, and wondered if I should not share it because of that.
However, I think it’s unfair first of all to discredit those who had troubled pasts as being somehow “less gay” or not “authentically” gay. Their past is part of their story; and it would be incredibly insensitive to somehow sweep it under the rug as not important or out of some fear that it might “taint” the overall message of the film. These are people. Their stories matter.
I also took the fact that not everyone who appeared on camera shared a story about a troubled upbringing to mean that some of them likely, or at least very well could have, had a normal and healthy upbringing. Take Joseph—the man who mentioned some tough instances with his parents with regard to his identifying as gay—we clearly get the sense that he knew he was gay before his parents had a difficult time with it.
The fact is that all interviewed are gay. The why of it doesn’t matter so much. What matters is that they—like all of us—deserve and have the capacity to love as Christ loves. Love is the ultimate vocation of each of us.
Most of this film's interviewees were abused/neglected by parents and ostracized by peers. Explain to me how those interviewees' stories are representative of successful and loving gay couples. It cannot be done. This film never mentions the love between two gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender people in the Catholic Church who stand against all the opposition before them. All they want is to be recognized like any other loving couple. I'm disappointed in the producers for drawing out such a narrow image of the Catholic Church.
I have a gay son whom I love very much. He has a partner that lives with him. I love them both and hope someday they will watch this film and understand that the catholic church does love them. I pray for them everyday. Yes I am one of those catholics that believe God wants them to love Him more and not sin against Him. Society today believes living together as a straight or gay person is alright, but I say that doesn't make it right. God ahead and condemn me. I know God will bless me for standing up for Him.
10 comments:
I VERY much liked the video's STRONG insistance that we (the Church) must show strong approval and clear acceptance of people with same sex attraction.
That was disgusting. The insistence that gay people must not only abstain from sex but also change whom they love is straight no different from the late Fred Phelp's "turn or burn" rhetoric.
This is magnificent film. Apparently Frank did not see the film or does not understand it. What is disgusting is the notion that sex is the thing that will fulfill people. No, love and intimacy will fulfill people, and that is what the church is saying. The Catholic way offers a third way, a way where each gay can fully realize themselves.
Sex isn't just sex. When combined with love and commitment, it is life enhancing, for gays and for straights. The group most hurt by gay marriage at this point is the CatholicChurch. It's losing credibility daily, especially among young people, who can see gay marriage does no one any harm. Natural law arguments can be and have been manipulated to condemn and justify all sorts of things. When they are always brought down on an anti-sex side it reveals a belief that babies are the only way to redeem us from the sullying effect of having sex. To everyone outside this system it looks neurotic. Pope Francis seems aware of the "scandal" this is giving--hence his "who am I to say?" And his tentative support for civil unions.
Acceptance? Well, they've moved from condemning sinners to pitying the sick. I have been a psychiatrist for more than 33years. Yes, if one has an abusive alcoholic father (like David), been rejected by peers(like Richard Cohen), has a cold mother and been sexually abused (like Julie), and been unwanted (like Charles), one will be as depressed as these people appear to be. Some will get help from therapy--sometimes with medication, sometimes not need--and others will be helped by being subsumed in large groups (eg. AA, churches, the military, even political causes.). But 95% of those troubled people will be straight and about 5% will be gay. That is also true of those who were raised by loving, competent parents; they turn out about 95% straight and 5% gay. There is no evidence that upbringing causes homosexuality; to imply it does lays unwarranted guilt on those parents of gays who were good and nurturing. What little evidence we have suggests genetic and intrauterine/hormonal causes. See the book "Gay, Straight, and the ReSon Why" for a review and critique of scientific studies. It is by neuroscientist from Stanford, Simon LeVay. As for the films claim that Catholics ask nothing different from gays and straights, that is, chastity for both, I would point out that straights have hope of marrying when gays do not.
I have some reservations about the film and the way as Anonymous @3:25 PM 4/30 expresses it - "the video's STRONG insistance that we (the Church) must show strong approval and clear acceptance of people with same sex attraction."
I was looking at the conscientious reflections of the subjects as it pertains to conversion from sin and understanding the self - self knowledge. Overall, that would seem to me to be a good witness of repentance and conversion. What I missed - or better put - what I didn't have time to reflect on was exactly that - the implication that the Church needs to show approval of the homosexual condition. Acceptance of the person is necessary, but approval of behavior is in error. Likewise, acceptance of homosexuality as a natural variant of human sexuality is erroneous as well. Which is why the title bothers me - there is no 'third way' of marriage and sexuality. The film points to the Church as the third way - but it needs to be understood clearly as regards Catholic definition of gender, marriage, and sexuality.
Interestingly enough, that was clear to 'active' gay people, who opposed the film for simply repeating Catholic prohibitions, but some of the so-called 'gay Christians' dismissed it pretty much for the same reasons. It's always a no win situation when it comes to Catholic teaching, which has been so frequently undermined as regards this subject.
Maybe I'll just cut and paste this comment to my blog.
Anyway - always be careful about how Catholic teaching is represented by the gay-Catholic movement.
Uh, gays by definition are physically unable to have sex, I think that's the whole point. The Catholic Church doesn't exist for "credibility." Did you have a comment about this video or just a rant about how gay "sex" will save the world. "Natural law arguments can be and have been manipulated to condemn and justify all sorts of things." LOL you mean justify things like, um human nature?
So, as I was watching I initially feared that the fact that some of those interviewed mention troubled childhoods might get in the way of the film’s overall message, and wondered if I should not share it because of that.
However, I think it’s unfair first of all to discredit those who had troubled pasts as being somehow “less gay” or not “authentically” gay. Their past is part of their story; and it would be incredibly insensitive to somehow sweep it under the rug as not important or out of some fear that it might “taint” the overall message of the film. These are people. Their stories matter.
I also took the fact that not everyone who appeared on camera shared a story about a troubled upbringing to mean that some of them likely, or at least very well could have, had a normal and healthy upbringing. Take Joseph—the man who mentioned some tough instances with his parents with regard to his identifying as gay—we clearly get the sense that he knew he was gay before his parents had a difficult time with it.
The fact is that all interviewed are gay. The why of it doesn’t matter so much. What matters is that they—like all of us—deserve and have the capacity to love as Christ loves. Love is the ultimate vocation of each of us.
Most of this film's interviewees were abused/neglected by parents and ostracized by peers. Explain to me how those interviewees' stories are representative of successful and loving gay couples. It cannot be done. This film never mentions the love between two gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender people in the Catholic Church who stand against all the opposition before them. All they want is to be recognized like any other loving couple. I'm disappointed in the producers for drawing out such a narrow image of the Catholic Church.
I have a gay son whom I love very much. He has a partner that lives with him. I love them both and hope someday they will watch this film and understand that the catholic church does love them. I pray for them everyday. Yes I am one of those catholics that believe God wants them to love Him more and not sin against Him. Society today believes living together as a straight or gay person is alright, but I say that doesn't make it right. God ahead and condemn me. I know God will bless me for standing up for Him.
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