takes a long walk off a short pier into the river Styx today in his blurb about homosexuality and the Church. Under the heading “USING THE CHURCH’S CRISIS AGAINST GAY RIGHTS” Sullivan writes:
But now the Church stands almost alone in its inability to confront or even discuss the matter of homosexuality, while the broader society has changed beyond recognition. The result is the current catastrophe. Gay Catholics – priests and laity – are caught between these two worlds. One world is pushing them toward liberation, self-esteem and responsibility; the other is still infantilizing, pathologizing and marginalizing them. In such a context, human beings can lose their way – especially when the Church refuses even to articulate or discuss its own doctrines about homosexuality – or indeed any sexuality.
The Church and secular societies have almost always been at odds – this is nothing new. A government can declare something a right but that doesn’t make a divine right. Take abortion for instance. And what of gay rights? Because a state allows civil unions between homosexuals does it mean the Church must change the truths that have been revealed in Scripture and tradition?
The Church articulates it’s doctrine on sexuality very clearly in the CCC. Kicking the woman who can’t cut fabric straight off the art commitee is up for debate. As is what books are going to be used for religious education. Doctrine is not up for debate – it is doctrine. What is liberating about justifying sinfulness? Not just sinful sexual behavoir, but any kind of sin? This only makes sin more oppressive to our souls.