How can I defend the Church's teaching on homosexuality?
Full Question
How can I explain the Church’s teaching on homosexuality to my friend in a way that won’t make her hate the Church? She thinks it’s an issue of the Church being judgmental and exclusionary and that it is wrong to condemn homosexuals to a life of involuntary celibacy.
Answer
Persons who suffer from homosexuality are called to chastity—as are we all. The Church recognizes that homosexuality is a disorder (see CCC 2357) and, while the desires are not in themselves sinful, acting out on them is clearly offensive to God (see Rom 1:26-27, 1 Cor 6:9-10). It is appropriate to judge homosexual acts as wrong. But far from being “exclusionary,” the Church teaches that persons suffering from homosexuality “must be accepted with respect, compassion, and sensitivity. Every sign of unjust discrimination in their regard should be avoided. These persons are called to fulfill God’s will in their lives and, if they are Christians, to unite to the sacrifice of the Lord’s cross the difficulties they may encounter from their condition” (CCC 2358).
