JMJ
Grace,
there is a problem with that passage in that that column, which was pretty much on target on basically everything else (but I read it only once and didn't stop to reflect on it so my assertion will not rise to the level of Ordinary Magisterium binding on consciences of the faithful
). The problem is that the good intention of refuting the foolish pro-deviancy argument about God as the author of homosexuality turns into a "the devil made me do it" solution, which is just as foolish, and most of all dangerous for the souls in that it hinders the comprehension of the dynamic relationship between creation in the image and likeness of God, original sin, its consequences on our flesh, actual sin, Grace, victory over our flesh, and finally redemption and salvation.
Acts of deviant sexuality, if committed with deliberate consent and full knowledge are always and without exception a mortal sin, an abomination before God and a lethal poison to the mind and the body. Period. The devil
might have tempted us to commit them, but who said "yes" to the temptation? Who lived in a way that weakened and then destroyed all our defenses against our bad tendencies? Who put ourselves in dangerous situations and willingly failed to avoid the near occasions of sin? We did! The devil might have helped help set the stage, but he works with what WE give him.
Disordered
tendencies, on the other hand, are ultimately the fruit of the sin of Adam and Eve. our first parents. We aren't at fault for having them, but we are responsible for aquiescing to them and for failing to fight agaisnt them with the help of God and a responsible use of creatures and created things (meaning: seeking good friends, good spiritual advice, makinf a rational use of what God gives us in our lives for our salvation).
The devil didn't force the hand of our first parents, otherwise they would be innocent, and we would be still in Eden.
I think I understand what the article was trying to say, but the way it came out, there was a risk to cast the frightening shadow of satanic possession over anybody suffering from disordered tendencies. And that would be extremely cruel and unjust. I cannot exclude that some of the leaders of the homosexualist movement are under the
direct control of the enemy of our soul, OTOH:
1) that could be said of any evildoer, HOWEVER:
2) human ability to do evil only rarely decreases to the point of requiring
direct interventions of the devil, and
3) we must be very careful to avoid logical traps that would end up reinforcing errors concerning individual responsibility. If "the devil made me do it", then I am not guilty, sin doesn't exist and the God of the Bible is cruel (
absit iniura verbis).
4) The above mentioned militants are only a tiny minority of the part of the population suffering from homosexual tendencies. We must avoid unjust labelling of brothers and sisters whose crosses are different from our own, but nonetheless are in need of our prayers, or love and our help to carry it without yielding to the "lust of the flesh, the lust of the world and the pride of life" (1 John 2:16), just as we are. Of course homosexual tendencies are
more gravely disordered than other tendencies, in that what leads us to violate God's law - natural or revealed - more egregiously cannot be said to be as grave as minor transgressions. We know that there is a psychological component to the homosexual tendency which at times requires specialized compentence. OTOH, that is true of other tendencies as well.
In sum, careful with evoking the enemy of our souls when most of the times all it takes is human will.
_________________
Fabrizio
Party like it's 1773
No one can be at the same time a good Catholic and a true socialist (Pius XI)
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