By Bob Sullivan
In my last column, I discussed how an imbalance in the powers of the soul: intellect, will, and the passions, coupled with a deformed conscience, can lead good and smart people to support or advocate for abortion.
Like Planned Parenthood’s efforts to popularize abortion, LGBT advocates and lobbyists such as the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) portray homosexuality as noble and often morally superior to heterosexuality. Like the abortion-supporting doctors, much of this involves the powers of the soul and the conscience.
Before I continue, it is always necessary to clarify that same-sex attraction is not a sin, nor is it immoral. We all have temptations and desires which are contrary to God’s plan (natural and divine law).
This is due to the concupiscence which resulted from Adam and Eve’s fall in the garden. We are all called to overcome those desires and temptations, and this is only truly possible with the help of God’s grace, which we receive through the sacraments and prayer. Therefore, same-sex attraction is not a sin any more than the desire to overeat, the temptation to commit adultery, the desire to tell a lie, or any other rejection of God. Immorality and sin happen when you actually give in to the temptation. In other words, the immoral actions are the sin, not the initial desires or urges toward those actions.
Because of this distinction, simply experiencing same-sex attraction is not a barrier to salvation or to full communion with the Church. We are all called to take up our cross, which includes rejecting all sin and overcoming all temptation. In this way, the same-sex attracted and the person tempted to lie, are just as Christian as every other Christian on the path of discipleship.
That being said, the imbalance of the powers of the soul which can lead smart and good people to support abortion, is a different imbalance than that which leads people to affirm or advocate for homosexuality. With doctors and abortion, it is commonly their will which overpowers the other powers of the soul. With the issue of homosexuality, it is a person’s passions which take over.
Our passions, which are closely tied to our emotions, are very susceptible to arguments which tug on our emotions. With the issue of abortion, this actually works in favor of the pro-life movement. Many of us began our pro-life journey due to the emotional aspect of innocent and defenseless babies. We then develop stronger arguments for life as we mature in our faith and our life experiences. However, too much emphasis on the passions works against us when dealing with LGBT advocates.
The HRC vaulted same-sex “marriage” from unthinkable to legal within a matter of a few years by appealing to the emotions of legislators, voters, and judges. With extensive work on marketing, test surveys, and messaging, they employed slogans which caused people to believe that same-sex “marriage” was good, because to oppose it was to deprive homosexuals of the same opportunity for love as a heterosexual. This appealed to the natural aversion to seem bigoted, hateful, or at least unfair. LGBT advocates also claimed (falsely) that people are “born gay,” implying that same-sex attraction is genetically determined and therefore no different than being born with a certain color of skin, or being born into a particular nationality.
Since hatred is such a negative emotion, the most effective maneuver may have been the unrelenting allegation that opposing same-sex “marriage” is hate. LGBT advocates then used the bookend of love to frame their message between the two poles of hate vs. love. Which side do you want to land on? Love, of course, and according to the LGBT activists, the failure to affirm and support the LGBT is hate. Initially, the LGBT advocates were content with the middle-ground of tolerance. Now the requirement is affirmation and eventually it will be celebration.
No one likes to have their feelings hurt or to experience a negative emotional experience such as fear, embarrassment, shame, etc… Most of us go out of our way to avoid conflict. We avoid the issue rather than talking and thinking it through. This is also one reason why the HRC places so much emphasis on “coming out.” By “coming out,” a young person makes their sexual orientation or gender identity known to others, especially their parents. At that point everyone is judged according to their reaction to the news. Are you tolerant and affirming (loving), or are you a hater?
Many parents who have failed to adequately affirm, support, or celebrate their child’s announcement have been condemned as people who have failed the test. This is a warning to everyone, especially the next parents who are called to account by the “coming out” of a child.
Just as the HRC and other LGBT advocates have had great success causing legislators, voters, and judges to affirm and support the various lifestyle choices of the LGBT, the parents of young people who “come out” often cast aside their true beliefs and affirm and support their child due to the fear of losing their relationship with their child and/or their reluctance to identify as hateful bigots. Their passions overrule their intellect and their will. Their compromise of passions over truth is actually a false love which grasps at the “now” instead of keeping the focus on the eternal. Many likely hold out hope that their child will eventually reject the LGBT lifestyle, but those who affirm and support their child’s LGBT lifestyle play little or no part of any repentance, and those parents who courageously choose truth over false love, suffer greatly because of it. It is only by keeping the powers of their soul in proper proportion and their consciences well-formed, that these parents are able to endure. And they endure for the sake of their child’s soul as well as their own. We all benefit from such faith and courage.
