Friday, July 25, 2008

More on Georgetown University and their LGBTQ Center

I was familiar with the letters "LGBT." (Lesbian, Gay, Bi-Sexual, and Transgendered) But that "Q" was new to me. So I looked it up. I almost wish I didn't know.

"Q" stands for "queer and questioning." It is specifically aimed at teens who are starting to develop hormonally but wondering about their sexuality. (And who, I ask, created that "wonder" in the first place?) A book was published five years ago, GLBTQ: The Survival Guide for Queer and Questioning Teens (Paperback). Amazon offers "sneak peeks" for many of their books so I decided to take a look. Here's a portion (emphasis mine):
"People who are questioning are uncertain of their sexual orientation or gender identity. Many teens are starting to be more comfortable identifying as questioning. (?) A lot of things are changing during adolescence, and deciding you are questioning takes the pressure off of immediately choosing a label like gay, lesbian, bisexual, or straight."

Tell me, please. Why would a Catholic university host a group that encourages someone to question their sexuality?

Shiva Subbaraman, the first Director of Georgetown’s LGBTQ Resource Center, has an impressive record of implementing training programs for the diversified, sexually ambiguous crowd. (And by the way, do you notice how often homosexuality has changed its name? It's confusing. Some like to be called "queer." Some lesbians like to define themselves as "gay." I don't understand why some groups are called GLBT and others are LGBT. Strange.) But I recently responded to a comment on "Why Catholic Identity Is Important" that GU most likely didn't hire Subbaraman to talk students out of pursuing a homosexual lifestyle.

I cannot overemphasize how damaging the institution of such a center will be upon the lives of the students. It is one thing for a secular university to have such a program, but a Catholic university? What was Dr. Olson thinking?

In Part Three, Section Two, Article Six of the Catechism of the Catholic Church , it says (emphasis mine):

Chastity and homosexuality

2357 Homosexuality refers to relations between men or between women who experience an exclusive or predominant sexual attraction toward persons of the same sex. It has taken a great variety of forms through the centuries and in different cultures. Its psychological genesis remains largely unexplained. Basing itself on Sacred Scripture, which presents homosexual acts as acts of grave depravity,140 tradition has always declared that "homosexual acts are intrinsically disordered."141 They are contrary to the natural law. They close the sexual act to the gift of life. They do not proceed from a genuine affective and sexual complementarity. Under no circumstances can they be approved.

2358 The number of men and women who have deep-seated homosexual tendencies is not negligible. This inclination, which is objectively disordered, constitutes for most of them a trial. They 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.

2359 Homosexual persons are called to chastity. By the virtues of self-mastery that teach them inner freedom, at times by the support of disinterested friendship, by prayer and sacramental grace, they can and should gradually and resolutely approach Christian perfection.


I'm not sure how much more clearer this could be.

Since I've been thinking about the beautiful Theology of the Body, by Pope John Paul II, I've begun to examine homosexuality in light of this teaching. The traditional Church, the Bible, and the Catechism all agree that acting upon homosexual tendencies is not God's plan or purpose for our bodies.

What is more, our bodies are, as Pope John Paul II said, a mystery. From the TOB:

Following the narrative of Genesis, we have seen that the "definitive" creation of man consists in the creation of the unity of two beings. Their unity denotes above all the identity of human nature; their duality, on the other hand, manifests what, on the basis of this identity, constitutes the masculinity and femininity of created man. (Man Becomes the Image of God by Communion of Persons)

There is such a mystery to the union of man and woman. There is no mystery to a union of man and man or woman and woman. The body is not an object of pleasure but a reflection of the divine relationship God has with man. God created man and woman to love one another. In that love is the pattern for the church. The masculine initiates, the feminine responds. There is the issue of headship and submission; sacrifice and worship. Marriage is a beautiful image of God's love for His church.

Will students at GU receive any instruction on the "Theology of the Body?" Highly doubtful. Instead, they will be welcomed to blindly follow their own lusts, soothed by the words of a lesbian who will assure them their same-sex attraction is just another way God created man and woman.

If that is the case, why is there an emphasis placed on the "questioning?" Why should the presumed outcome be an active homosexual or transgendered life? Why not instead encourage our Catholic students to understand that sexuality is not a "choice." That if born a man, you are a man for a reason. And if you have no sexual desire for women, could you be called to make God the entire passion for your life? Why are these "choices" not offered? (Note: I do not believe the best place for a man with homosexual tendencies to be a seminary. Why endure such temptation?)

The Catholic church has a mandate to love one another and help each person live a holy life. A holy life often requires self-denial and sacrifice, the elevation of God above man. Will Georgetown University change it's mind? Or will they continue to champion the politically-correct relativism of today?

I pray for a change in policy.

2 comments:

Elisabeth said...

BRAVA! Thank you for this!

Adrienne said...

What this thinking promotes is an amoral outlook. These kids are learning that any kind of sex that feels good is ok. We are moving into the era of bi-sexuality where any and everything goes.

That means that Mary might prefer sex with Bob, but if only Martha is available, well, Martha can "fill in" until Bob is available.