by Andrew Garrett

Created on: April 15, 2009

I can only speak for my own denomination, the Catholic Church, but there is nothing wrong with a homosexual becoming a priest.

Of course, there have been scandals. We all know that. But that has nothing to do with homosexuality. That's sexual perversion. And there are safeguards against that - the Church has initiated the VIRTUS program which helps to stop sexual abuse among the clergy and lay volunteers.

Of course, if you honestly think homosexuality is sinful, then you're going to need more than just the "not all homosexuals are sex offenders" argument. So let me explain.

Yes, there are still people who think that homosexuality in and of itself is sinful. It's very sad that there is that kind of hatred still in the world. Most homosexuals don't make an active choice to be attracted to the same sex. Sure, there are debates about whether homosexuality is hereditary, congenital, or developed, but that's another debate. Most sane people do not choose to go against the deep, animal instincts telling us to reproduce, and to attach a stigma to themselves because of an intolerant society. Obviously, something beyond the person's control causes them to feel homosexual attractions.

And it's a crime to blame the person for it.

Homosexuality, in and of itself, is not sinful.

The Catholic Church forbids its members to hate homosexuals. You probably didn't know that, but it's actually true. Yes, the Church doesn't let homosexual couples get married. That is because the Church believes that marriage is a sacred bond between a man and a woman based on three things: love for each other, love for God, and openness to procreation. A homosexual union obviously lacks that last aspect, so the Church doesn't allow homosexual marriages. And since the Church believes that sexual activity outside of marriage is sinful, you can put two and two together. (It is important to note that the Church frowns on sex outside of marriage regardless of sexual orientation.)

However, the Church encourages homosexuals to find a calling regardless, and some may feel the desire to become priests or other religious. And what should prevent them from that? If they go through training and show no signs of being the type of warped person who would abuse children, then there's no reason why they can't undergo Holy Orders. Vows of celibacy require the individual to forgo sex completely, in all its forms, in order to bring that person closer to God by removing that distraction. This can be done by anyone, regardless of sexual orientation. Therefore, there is no reason why someone who has homosexual attractions should be barred from becoming a priest.

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