Posted on 11/03/2011 6:55:14 AM PDT by marshmallow
BOSTON – The oldest Roman Catholic newspaper in the United States has retracted an opinion column suggesting the devil may be responsible for gay attraction.
The column, which appeared Friday in the Archdiocese of Boston's official newspaper, The Pilot, was titled "Some fundamental questions on same-sex attraction." It was written by Daniel Avila, an associate director for policy and research for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.
In the column, Avila says "the scientific evidence of how same-sex attraction most likely may be created provides a credible basis for a spiritual explanation that indicts the devil."
It also says "disruptive imbalances in nature that thwart encoded processes point to supernatural actors who, unlike God, do not have the good of persons at heart." It says that when "natural causes disturb otherwise typical biological development, leading to the personally unchosen beginnings of same-sex attraction, the ultimate responsibility, on a theological level, is and should be imputed to the evil one, not God."
The 182-year-old newspaper withdrew the column from its website on Wednesday, saying it had failed to recognize the "theological error" before publication. It posted an apology from Avila saying the column didn't represent the position of the Conference of Catholic Bishops, whose stated purpose is to "promote the greater good which the Church offers humankind," and wasn't authorized for publication.
Avila said he deeply apologized for the "hurt and confusion" the column caused.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
I guess when you begin to get persecuted for your beliefs you should just stop proclaiming those beliefs? Somehow “I will deny you before my Father” comes to mind.
I’m failing to see the theological error here. The author didn’t say homosexual people are possessed by the devil or failing to use free will to some extent - just that all sin or temptation to sin or causes of sin are ultimately traceable to the evil one. Which is, like, true.
Well, I guess God can be wrong once in a while, huh? How about that? God must have been confused.
The column, which appeared Friday in the Archdiocese of Boston's official newspaper, The Pilot, was titled "Some fundamental questions on same-sex attraction." It was written by Daniel Avila, an associate director for policy and research for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. In the column, Avila says "the scientific evidence of how same-sex attraction most likely may be created provides a credible basis for a spiritual explanation that indicts the devil"....Speaking of denials........The 182-year-old newspaper withdrew the column from its website on Wednesday, saying it had failed to recognize the "theological error" before publication. It posted an apology from Avila saying the column didn't represent the position of the Conference of Catholic Bishops, whose stated purpose is to "promote the greater good which the Church offers humankind," and wasn't authorized for publication.
Several “gay” rights organizations were contacted seeking comment....right. “How do you feel about being called devil possessed?”
Someone is going to have to write column extolling the “virtues” of homosexuality to maintain the proper “balance” and show the apology is sincere.
Of course they couldn’t just eliminate the reference to the science if it wasn’t sound. Wouldn’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings now would we?
Gay men always have an asshole for a boyfriend.
Well, of course satan is responsible for temptation, including the temptation toward sexual sins. But WE are responsible when we give in.
The theological error here, to the modernist mind, is that devil cannot be a factor because he no longer exists. Or if he does, he is only promoting things like intolerance and narrow mindedness.
Oh, okay.
Rev. James Martin, a Jesuit priest, supports The Pilot's decision to retract the column.
"Satan doesn't create homosexuality any more than Satan creates heterosexuality," Martin told The Huffington Post in an email. "God creates gays and lesbians, loves them into being, and love them into eternity.
"Opining that their sexuality comes from satanic forces seems to be in opposition to the Catechism," he added.
Unless my theology is off here, I thought that God created persons, not behavior. Temptation to do something contrary to God based on his Word can't come from God. The Bible and Catechism say homosexaul behavior is a sin.
TC I think what mas cerveza means to say is that the devil only suggests it in our ear, as in temptation. The devil can’t make us sin, we do that.
Remember a story with Eve and a piece of fruit?
I believe the theological error is in the bit about “natural causes disturb otherwise typical biological development”. Properly speaking those are ontological evils. A natural cause can disturb otherwise typical biological development in a number of ways - some leading to severe birth defects, some to mood disorders, some benign, some never noticed, etc.
These are a result of imperfection in the world and not diabolical intervention.
If he’s alleging the same thing for homosexuality then it would be an ontological evil. It’s unfortunate that a child is born with severe mood disorders, or no hands, or homosexual, etc. but it isn’t diabolical. These various abnormalities may or may not make living the good life harder but they are neither supernatural punishment or torment.
Saint Augustine and Saint Thomas Aquinas both comment on this in depth.
Okay, that makes sense. When I saw “natural causes,” I was thinking of factors in the person’s life, including abuse, rather than a purely biological point.
Exactly. I’m coming from a Reformed, Evangelical viewpoint, but we’re definitely in agreement. What I always come back to is, “Which part of ‘abomination’ do you not understand?”
I think homosexuality is like most sins - environment and genetics play a big part, but we still have volition in how we respond to these influences. It’s in our choices that we’re accountable. Paul said the entire creation was subject to corruption, so that includes our genetics and our sexuality. The point is to resist evil, not embrace it.
Disappointing to see The Pilot go wobbly...
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