LETTERS
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Contents © 2005
by Jim Holman.
All rights reserved.
LETTERS
May 2005
LOVE IS NOT LUST
Lately, whenever the subject of homosexuality comes up in either the secular press or in religious publications such as the Mission, someone is sure to write a letter similar to the one by David McKellar [April, 2005 Mission]. There seems to be some sort of revisionist biblical mind-set that has Our Lord in the midst of gays or lesbians with his arm around their shoulders, saying something like, "I know you all have sex lives that the mean, grumpy old pope doesn't approve of, but I love you anyway."
Never in the scriptures does Christ confront any kind of sinner and fail to condemn the sin. Yes, he does prevent the crowd from stoning the prostitute, but he doesn't escort her back to her brothel. His response? "Avoid this sin in the future."
The effort by those both within and without the Catholic Church to mold the person of Christ into some sort of if-it-feels-good-do-it-as-long-as-you-have-love-in-your-heart guru is specious nonsense. In the New Testament, when Our Lord uses the word love, it doesn't translate into the word lust.
Thomas Hogan, Long Beach
A PROPOSAL
Having read "Fireman Uniforms and Bondage" [February 2005 Mission], I felt compelled to discourse on the subject of my Jesuit education and Catholic spirituality. First, heterosexual and homosexual sexual activity outside of a Christian marriage is a serious sin, and the Jesuits taught me the basis of where all discussion should begin. However, with all discussions there are certain dilemmas that are presented (e.g., where does masturbation fit in?) Without going into further examples, I believe a curriculum agenda and text need to be presented to students in their beginning years at a Catholic university to outline in detail the Catholic position and rationale on just what is to be taught concerning our beliefs, practices, and the raison d'etre for our concepts of Catholic sexuality.
This yearlong course should be taught by a person who has a professional doctorate and experience in an allied field of study and who is compassionate but understands the philosophy and theology of the Catholic Church. As a learning body, the Catholic university in this course should be able to retain academic freedom within the parameters of Catholic theology and philosophy wherein bright lines can be drawn to differentiate. The Catholic university should also be able to evangelize and "ecumenize," but there should be a warning label on such practices, but it should not "triumphalize."
The conversion of the soul is accomplished sometimes by God's interposition through human activity, but more often it happens through direct intervention of the Holy Spirit. Yet we must remember that there is an entire correct spectrum of Catholic thinking on sexuality. It is in those nuances that we realize the questions and answers are complex, but not legerdemains.
I thank the Jesuits for teaching me how to think and develop a Catholic spiritual life.
Thomas M. Whaling, Laguna Hills