Phanto

You say:

<Many people ‘act out’ their emotional needs by using sexual behaviour. Just because someone indulges in homosexual behaviour it does not automatically follow that it is natural and a perfectly rational reaction to an attraction to another human being…When we discuss homosexual behaviour as if it is an ‘orientation’ or that it is in accordance with human nature we have fallen for the trap and have become ‘co-dependent’. >

If this is true, then shouldn’t it also apply equally to “heterosexual” behaviour? By your reasoning, just because someone indulges in sexual behaviour only with people of the “opposite” sex it does not automatically follow that it is perfectly natural and a rational reaction to an attraction to another human being.

So what is “natural” and “rational”?

Whatever the semantics of the translation of the Pope's speech, its clear meaning is to reinforce the Catholic church's anachronistic proscription of any form of sexuality that doesn't involve marriage between a man and a woman. Indeed, this is one of the issues that is causing Brisbane's most vibrant Catholic congregation to risk excommunication from the auspices of the Church:

<< MAVERICK priest Father Peter Kennedy says he will lead a breakaway congregation if Brisbane's catholic Archbishop forces him to leave St Mary's Church.

There are fears that exclusion from the historic South Brisbane property will be the final act in a long-running dispute that has reached the Vatican.

The dispute has attracted national and international attention because it represents the battle between conservative and less traditional forces within the Catholic Church.

There are more Roman Catholics in Australia than any other religious group. Each week, St Mary's attracts large congregations while many more orthodox Catholic parishes struggle to fill pews.

[...]

St Mary's is known for its unconventional Catholic practices - allowing women to preach, blessing homosexual couples and recognising with ritual the traditional sovereignty of the indigenous people of the area. >>

http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,24892611-952,00.html

Crabsy

What you say is perfectly true and hetero-sexual behaviour can also be irrational and unnatural. It is almost impossible to understand exactly what motivation lies behind each sexual act because you cannot get inside someone else’s head. You cannot prove that the reasons they give for their sexual behaviour are rational. Some will say it is because they want to express love, some will say it is purely for pleasure; some may say it is for money. You cannot prove that it is logical and rational for them to have sex.

There is one situation, however, which is perfectly natural and reasonable that can be obvious to everyone. When a couple decide to create a child by natural means it is logical for them to have sex. There is no other way to do it. You can say with certainty that there is the right connection between what they do and what they hope to achieve. So the only sexual behaviour that you can say with certainty is logical and reasonable is that which pursues the goal of creating a child. Any other type of sexual behaviour can be used for ‘acting out’.

Although you cannot prove that certain other sexual behaviours are a case of ‘acting out’ you can definitely have your suspicions. A pedophile may well give what appears to him a credible argument for his behaviour. We cannot prove he is behaving illogically without cause and effect evidence but we can certainly be very suspicious of his behaviour because we know for a fact that people do not always tell the truth about why they do things and that their behaviour is often an attempt to meet some deep emotional need in an inappropriate way. Many people have such suspicions about homosexual behaviour.

"Many people have suspicions about homosexual behavior", and what is this "behavior"? It is about two people loving each other and sharing their lives together, the sexual aspect is a minute part of that relationship.
Any relationship is private and personal to those two people only, and has no affect on anyone and accordingly should be respected. Rationality has nothing to do with it, except to those who want to impose their own personal beliefs on how society should be.

JL Deland.

The Pope, and any of the christians here, will tell you that we are just messengers of Gods Word.

We know Gods Word is the truth because we have the Holy Spirit living inside of us.

Our mission is to tell about Jesus, the One Who Saves (from the Final Judgment) and about the consequences of sin.

There is not an addiction/sin anywhere, including homosexuality, that cant be turned from if we take it to God.

The AA's use a brilliant 12 Step programme.
That programme can be used for any addiction/sin whatsoever because it invites The Lord into the problem.

We are simply the messengers, of what God Has Commanded, in The Word, for the betterment of mankind.

Well said, Kipp, I can't agree more.
Homosexual relationships harm no one and every relationship should be private and of nobody's business.

Gibo, do you think that homosexuality is an addiction?
Rrrright.

And the twelve-step program seems to be a failure.
http://www.orange-papers.org/orange-effectiveness.html

Do they have a 12 step program that would help addiction to religion, too?