"You Look Down On Gay People"
First of all, no.
The topic of same-sex attraction is going quite controversial in this day and age. It's a heavy topic with a to of emotions involved, and a lot of differing opinions being thrown out.
My blog and the pieces that I write about my experiences are EXTREMELY controversial, and are not always going to be received well. I'm very well aware of this, and I am okay with it! There has been a fair amount of backlash, and I don't always engage, but sometimes, I feel led to.
Last night on Facebook, I was explaining to a young lady that I believe is atheist about how I know, believe, and truly love what the Catholic Church teaches about homosexuality. I explained to her that I don't act on my SSA by choice, and that my life is just fine!
I also explained that I am not at all "suppressing my same-sex desires;" on the contrary, I acknowledge them, I embrace them, however I am not controlled or overcome by them.
She responded by saying, "It's good to know that you look down on gay people."
Safe to say I left this conversation very confused.
Can we just talk about how ignorant of a human being I would have to be to look down on someone for experiencing something that is outside of their control? For something that they did not choose?
Believe me, I know that there are people in the world would take this position. What puzzled me about this was the fact that she said this after I explained to her that I have SSA! So I would be looking down on myself!
That doesn't seem very logical, does it?
Despite all of this, though, I understand where this young woman was coming from. I've had this argument several other times. People seem to assume that because the Catholic Church doesn't condone the LGBTQ lifestyle, that the Church is homophobic and bigoted.
We have GOT to stop thinking that if someone disagrees with us, that automatically means that they hate us.
No. It means that they do not agree with us.
It is okay to not agree with people on things, guys.
Just because I don't think the "homosexual lifestyle" is okay does not make me a homophobe. I do not hate anyone in the LBGTQ community! I don't! Do you honestly believe that I would want to dedicate my life to sharing the Gospel with my brothers and sisters with SSA if I did? Absolutely not!
I did not wake up one morning and decide I really wanted to piss of my parents by starting to like girls. That's simply not what happened. I don't believe that that is the case with the vast majority of people with SSA.
I find it very difficult to believe that being same-sex attracted is a choice, and therefore, I have no right to look down on someone for something that they did not choose.
I talk all the time on this blog about how I want to get to Heaven one day and be a saint. If I don't love my neighbor as myself, including my neighbors with same-sex attractions, than I am not worthy of the kingdom. I want to do my best to love everyone. I would hope that we all want that.
I pray that in my ministry, people will be able to see that my intention is to love, and to love fervently and authentically. That's the only way I could ever hope to help change the world.