tradition has always declared that "homosexual acts are intrinsically disordered."142 They are contrary to the natural law. They close the sexual act to the gift of life. They do not proceed from a genuine affective and sexual complementarity. Under no circumstances can they be approved.
Anything "contrary to the natural law" is objectively a sin, by definition.
The catechism uses the technical term "disordered" rather than "sin" because they're talking about acts in objective terms. When an individual freely and willfully does a "disordered act", that's sin.
Thank you. See also #42.
“An action may be evil, disordered, even sinful ... but a specific instance of that action isn't an actual sin, unless the person who does it knows it's wrong and does it anyway. Lack of knowledge, and lack of consent may be mitigating factors in actual guilt.”
It comes down to the will. Man can do many things that are contrary to God's Will and Law... but to be sinful, the man must do it in knowing rebellion to or rejection of God. Therefore, an act—by itself—can be “disordered” and “against the natural law” but not necessarily sinful. The person committing the act makes it sinful by the participation of his will. Only God can judge the heart.
Okay, I can buy that. Each of you are saying basically the same thing on this. Cool.