DETERMINACION DEL CREDITO

¾ Say a prayer before the lesson.

Normal Sexual Orientation:

Heterosexual: a person who is mostly attracted to those of the opposite sex.

Abnormal Sexual Orientations:

Bisexual: a person who has no strong preference for either sex.

Homosexual: a person who is mostly attracted to those of the same sex.

(Note: About 1-3% of people are considered homosexual and there are far fewer bisexuals than homosexuals.)

Sexual deviancy has become a very controversial issue in the past few decades. In some ways the truth about sexual deviancy is “as obvious as the nose on one’s face.” As the quotes from Genesis in our first lesson point out, men and women naturally complement one another. From the sexual standpoint, the male and female sexual organs fit each other like a hand in a glove. Consider the ever popular Lego toys. The top and bottom of each Lego piece complement each other perfectly. Homosexuality is like trying to turn a Lego piece upside down and attach it to another. It doesn’t work.

In other ways, however, the issue of sexual deviancy is more complex. One of the most complicated aspects is the question of what sexually arouses someone, or to put it another way: what is a sexual orientation? There are many examples of how people confuse men with women. Female impersonators can be most convincing. Or, as another example, when I taught chastity to adolescents I showed them a particular photograph (frontal view) of a person in unisex clothes.

To their frustration, they were unable to identify the person's gender.

They did acknowledge, however, that if the person was of the opposite sex, then he or she was reasonably attractive. It is unclear what potential each of us has for becoming sexually aroused by persons of the same sex.

People may even be aroused by objects that are not usually thought of as sexual. For example, there is a video that lasts about two minutes and shows nothing more than two hands peeling an orange, and yet it is an unmistakably sensuous movie. One counselor told me that this film brought back such vivid memories of her own childhood sexual abuse that she had to leave the room before the video ended.

She could not sit through a movie of two hands peeling an orange due to the memories it brought up! Clearly, humans can be sexually aroused by a wide variety of stimuli.

This issue is complex and remains, at the end of the day, a great mystery. Let us leave it with the point that any normal person may have occasional unusual thoughts or dreams. They may even have sexual thoughts about people of the same sex, or about objects (oranges or other odd things).

Unfortunately, our society has missed the boat on the issue of sexual deviations in a most dramatic and tragic way. Many people have become too focused on experimenting with what arouses them and trying to “feel comfortable” with whatever sexually stimulates them, whether deviant or normal. In responding to sexual stimuli we should be far more focused on making choices true to our nature which maintain our dignity and follow God’s will than trying to fit a label, such as homosexual or exhibitionist.

We all need to learn how to restrain ourselves sexually throughout our lives. For example, any time we are attracted to a person, we have to restrain ourselves to some degree. We cannot kiss or touch anyone we want to. While we may develop sexual “feelings” from certain

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experiences, including some that may be quite strange, giving in to most of them would lead to very undesirable outcomes and is sinful.

Most people have imaginative thoughts, fantasies and dreams about sex (heterosexual or otherwise) and, while these are natural, they are not worth focusing on.

For example, if a man becomes sexually aroused while playing with a child, he has several options. The normal response is to accept that he has become aroused yet carry on with the child, allowing the state of arousal to pass, without dwelling on it and without it becoming an issue. This is the healthy option. Alternatively, he can react with abhorrence and guilt and may, from that point on, avoid associating with children for fear of another episode—an unnecessary overreaction. Another unhealthy response would be for him to consider this arousal a sign that he has an “orientation” toward children, and that he has a "need" which can only be satisfied by them. This attitude allows for the possibility of having sexual experiences with this child, or others, to “explore” his sexuality and learn to “feel more comfortable with who he really is.” Obviously, this is a terrible idea and a horrible sin.

Homosexuality

Lesbianism or female homosexuality is much less common and less studied than male homosexuality. For the sake of simplicity, then, I will restrict my comments to male homosexuality.

Until the 1970s, male homosexuality was considered a sexual deviation or perversion. Then, homosexuality became reclassified from deviant to normal by political activists in the medical field. This decision was not based on new scientific knowledge but simply on politics. Homosexuality is “objectively disordered” which means that it is abnormal. As with any other abnormality it is not a sin to have the condition, but it is always a sin to engage in homosexual acts.

Homosexuals have sought to distance themselves from their deviancy by creating the term “gay.” This term is meaningless. The excuse for introducing it was that homosexuality supposedly denoted more than an orientation and had cultural, social and lifestyle implications; and the term “gay” was meant to reflect this broad view of homosexuality. Thirty years later homosexuals continue to argue with each other about what those implications are, without a clear

answer. The only thing “gay” clearly means is that the person is homosexual. This is much like the case of redefining pregnancy, or replacing the word “abortion” with the awkward and misleading term

“termination of pregnancy.” These are all cases of political activists successfully manipulating popular opinion. Redefining words and creating unnecessary new words or phrases are standard propaganda techniques.

After 20 years of studying the issue, the only reason I can find that people use the term “gay” is to avoid the term “homosexual.”

Homosexual leaders argue endlessly among themselves about whether their lifestyle is inherently promiscuous, is inherently associated with anonymous sexual encounters (having sex with a complete stranger), is only for young men, or is particularly associated with an emphasis on physical appearances, the arts or, more generally, the sensual aspects of life. Because it has no clear definition and because there is no advantage to using it, we will not use the term “gay” and simply stick with the term “homosexual.”

From this discussion it follows that there is no one type of homosexual. There is as much variety among homosexuals as among heterosexuals. However, due to the nature of homosexuality there are certain traits common among those involved in it. The student should be aware, however, that these traits may not apply to any one homosexual or homosexual couple.

• Homosexuals typically participate in sexual acts which most people find disgusting. For example, anal intercourse, or what some call the “homosexual act,” is unhealthy, unnatural, and, extremely unappealing to most people.

o Anal sex is medically unhealthy: Anal sex is associated with a long list of health problems including anal fissures (cracks in the skin that often bleed), incontinence (leakage of stool due to a loss of tone in the muscles which surround the anus), anal cancer and a number of serious infections. This is true even among homosexual couples who have never had sex with anyone else. In contrast, regular sex between spouses has no unhealthy consequences.

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o Anal sex is biologically unnatural: Anal sex is on the level of drinking through one's nose. Given adequate preparation it can be done, but it is hardly nature's way.

For example, there is no natural lubrication with anal sex and so artificial lubricants must be used. Also, the penis is too large to put into the anus without an unusual amount of preparation. While rare, sporadic examples of homosexual behaviors occur, homosexuality (a persist-ent oripersist-entation that is solely toward the same sex) has not been observed among animals in nature.

o According to information provided by homosexuals themselves, many perform acts that are even more offensive than anal intercourse. We will not discuss these but any act that is against the dignity of the human person is immoral and sinful.

• Many homosexuals are highly promiscuous. Sexual Wisdom reviews the overwhelming evidence for this. One study, for example, showed that 28% of homosexuals have had sex with over a thousand partners. Such promiscuity is rare among heterosexuals. Homosexual acts, like contraceptives, break the connection between intimate sexual acts and the risk of getting pregnant. This “frees” people to fulfill their “needs”

promiscuously, and so it is no surprise to find that most homosexuals have sex with far more people than most heterosexuals.

• The homosexual community and most homosexual individuals are unable to accept abstinence as the obvious response to the HIV epidemic. Their outright rejection of sexual abstinence has led to the unnecessary deaths of many, many thousands of homosexuals. Even homosexual leaders acknowledge that they could have stopped the HIV epidemic through abstinence, but opted not to.

o Anyone willing to entrust his or her life to a balloon (condom) has a serious mental problem. This is what most homosexual political leaders continue to advise and what most homosexuals continue to do.

These attributes support to the idea that sexually addictive attitudes are widespread among homosexuals.

Anal Sex

Anal sex is difficult to talk about because it is so offensive. But because it is so common among homosexuals and so harmful we must discuss it. It is a subject that needs to come out of the closet. One reason that this discussion is important is because if any one sexual act is abnormal by definition then key falsehoods of the Sexual Revolution are called into question (such as, that no one should care about what people do in the privacy of their own homes, that any sexual act is okay as long as it involves two consenting adults, and that no one has the right to tell another what they can and cannot do).

Because anal sex is unhealthy, unnatural, against the dignity of the human person, against human nature, lowers a person’s self-respect, is highly offensive, and immoral, it is rightly considered abnormal and all of the basic assumptions of the Sexual Revolution are therefore mistaken. We will discuss more about this in the next lesson.

The great irony is that while anal sex is a crucial issue to bring out of the closet, neither side will discuss it. Conservatives won't discuss it because it is so distasteful. Liberals won’t discuss it because they want to avoid associating this repulsive act with homosexuality.

Do sexual deviations such as homosexuality have a genetic cause?

Many people have been deceived into thinking that homosexuals are born that way, and therefore should be considered normal. This is totally against our scientific knowledge. The truth is that we are formed by nature (our genes or chromosomes, our heredity) and nurture (the environment in which we grew up). Everything about us has some component of each. While science has yet to show a genetic basis, it is assumed by experts on both sides of the aisle that there may be some genetic element in some cases. The same, of course, may be true for depression, alcoholism or other sexual deviations but that doesn’t make these normal or healthy either. Experts on both sides of the argument now agree that homosexuality is caused by some combination of genetic, social, psychological, cultural and physiological factors. Scientists have tried for decades to find a

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homosexual gene and have failed. It does not exist.

Homosexual political leaders have conducted a propaganda campaign to convince gullible people that homosexuality is normal.

This campaign has been successfully conducted over decades through the media, various government institutions, the medical profession and teachers. The idea that homosexuality is normal is now widely accepted by those who have either not kept up with scientific knowledge or choose to ignore what science tells us.

Homosexual political leaders refuse to acknowledge the success of thousands of people who, through ex-homosexual ministries and counseling, have changed from homosexuality to heterosexuality, even when these people show up in large numbers to protest scientific meetings. The chromosomes in these people did not change, but their sexual interests and behaviors did.

Homosexuality in Other Cultures

Homosexual political leaders also try to justify homosexuality as normal by noting that it is found in many cultures. This is true.

However, most cultures also have prostitution, depression, alcoholism, pyromania and all sorts of other mental problems. It is foolish to suggest that just because a condition is found in various cultures it is normal.

Homosexuality is an abnormality, not a sin.

After twenty years of searching, I have not found one argument, based on reason, that would lead a rational person to believe that homosexual behavior is normal, healthy, natural, or holy. There is not one argument from medicine, biology, sociology, anthropology or any other area that would lead one to consider it much different from the other sexual perversions. If you consider the arguments used to defend homosexuality and apply them to the other sexual deviations you will find out how true this is.

I had a typical exchange along this line with the lead editor of a national science magazine who published an article supporting the idea that homosexuality is normal. I wrote him to show the error of each of the four assertions he used to defend his point. In response to my usual calm, charming email(!!), he wrote me a short, angry note that did not respond to any of my points and simply labeled me a

bigot for ignoring the “overwhelming evidence” that supported his position. Then he directed me with the strongest emotion never to write him again. His response included no information about the

“overwhelming evidence,” which, of course, does not exist.

There is widespread intolerance today of those who think that homosexuality is abnormal, despite the fact that it is an entirely justifiable, valid opinion based on reason and facts. The response of liberals to this invariably relies on emotion. Often, they even go so far as to say that to think homosexuality is abnormal means that you hate them—hate being the absolute worst emotion. They change the whole discussion from one of thought to one of emotion. And why would anyone hate a homosexual anyway? People don’t hate those with other sexual problems. Over two decades I have yet to find anyone able to defend homosexual acts or homosexual promiscuity with an intelligent defense. The only liberals who I have spoken to about this who have kept control over their emotions have agreed that anal intercourse is unhealthy and offensive.

Pope John Paul II began his much loved encyclical Faith and Reason (1998) with the words: “Faith and reason are like two wings on which the human spirit rises to the contemplation of truth . . .”

Without the strong wing of reason the human spirit could not rise, but rather would be left flopping around on the ground flapping one wing.

The Catholic Church’s teachings on morality is based on faith and reason. Moral teachings of the Church must reflect sound logic, scientific fact, common sense, statistical knowledge, and an understanding of the human mind and world history. Anyone familiar with Church teachings or Church history knows how steadfastly the Church has promoted academic study in all areas. It has provided consistent leadership in the development of universities throughout the world from their start. The issue of homosexuality is a remarkable demonstration of how the Church grasps complex issues. Sad to say, it is also a good example of how often people criticize Church teachings without bothering to find out the reasons behind them.

Our Church clearly teaches that to be homosexual is not a sin, any more than being depressed or being obsessive compulsive is. But those with a predominantly homosexual gender orientation, as with the rest of us, must strive for sexual purity; and all homosexual acts are sinful.

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Students who are interested in the issue of homosexuality should read the Letter to the Bishops of the Catholic Church on the Pastoral Care of Homosexual Persons by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (1986). The Church also has an extraordinary ministry for homosexuals called Courage (www.couragerc.org). Catholics strug-gling with this issue should contact Courage and should read the excellent books written by its founder, Fr. John Harvey.

Homophobia

Until quite recently, the most people agreed that homosexuality is abnormal. Nowadays, if you hold to this view you may be called a

“homophobe” by those who think homosexuality is normal. This is inappropriate name-calling, but homophobia does exist.

A homophobe is one who is fearful of homosexuals. Homophobes worry that they may not be normal because they have had homosexual thoughts. When homophobes see homosexuals it reminds them of the homosexual thoughts they have had and of their worries about being homosexual. Because of this, some homophobes become angry around homosexuals and may attack them or say mean things to them. Homophobes have gone so far as to murder homosexuals.

Homosexual leaders often call anyone who thinks that homosexuality is abnormal a homophobe. This is nonsense, but there is no excuse for prejudice against homosexuals. Prejudice is an irrational stereotype and is never acceptable. Prejudice is a leading cause of disrespect, contempt and terrible inhumanity throughout history, whether due to a person’s race, language, ethnicity, skin color, religion, place of residence or something else. Prejudice is wrong in any form, including prejudice against homosexuals.

Homosexuals have a problem, but they are in no way lesser persons than those without the problem—no more than an exhibitionist, a pyromaniac or an alcoholic. Homosexuals and other sexual deviants must always be treated with the respect and dignity accorded to all persons. Prejudice in any form is based on ignorance and irrationality. However, it is not prejudice to hold to the truth about homosexuality: that it is abnormal, that people should never engage in homosexual acts, that homosexuals should not marry each other, that homosexual couples should not adopt children, etc. By respecting the truth one respects the person.

Other Sexual Deviations: As with homosexuality, all of these are far more common in men, as one would expect given that the Needs

Other Sexual Deviations: As with homosexuality, all of these are far more common in men, as one would expect given that the Needs