【English ver.】 "God created Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve." Part 2
“So why does Catholic prohibit homosexuality?”
Before reading…
1) This explanation below is Fr. Justin’s interpretation of Bible. Not my opinion. I myself neither even understand it fully nor agreed perfectly to his explanation.
2) The conversation was done with “his Italian speaking ability” and “my Italian listening ability.” (Moreover I’m translating it into English!) So I’ll appreciate if you find any wrong points and tell them to me. Thank you.
3) In order to make it easier, I wrote Fr. Justin’s part in written language. Perhaps it seems strange but please don’t think he spoke strangely!!
4) Dear my homosexual friends,
I’m worried that this article may make you feel bad. If you get offended please hit me on the right cheek and I’ll offer you the left side also...
“So why does Catholic prohibit homosexuality?”
--- God created all. All the things we need. “God created Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve.” He’s created all, perfectly precisely and correctly.
“Okay, but still I don’t understand why man and man (or woman and woman) can’t love each other.”
--- In our doctrine there has to be “complementarity” between lovers. A couple of man and woman can follow this rule, but a gay couple can’t.
“What is the ‘Complementarity’? I understand literally. And I know it’s not easy for gay couples to maintain DNA with the technology so far, but there should be so many couples who get along with perfectly as a couple though they have the same sexuality. They seem supporting each other both mentally and physically. I think they are ‘complementing’ each other. How come Catholic says so??”
--- There are two purposes of “love (Eros)” in Catholic doctrine.
*There are three types of love in Catholicism: Eros (love of man and woman), Philia (love of neighbour) and Agape (love of God).
- The good of the spouses
- The procreation and education of sons
Other than these, for example Eros for pleasure, we recognize it as sin.
“(Even the purposes of love are regulated by God!?!?) Well, to be honest I’m not convinced but I understood what you say, thank you. Then if love, I mean Eros “accidentally” began to grow to the same sex, is it also ‘sin’? ”
---Mankind is not perfect unlike God. We sometimes make an error or we’re easily seduced. However, it’s not right that you make an action. It is a sin.
“Make an action?”
--- For example, now I’ve just finished a tuna sandwich and an apple. But when I casually see beside me, there is a big pizza. It can’t be helped to think, “wow looks delicious” or “I want to eat”, however, if you actually take it and eat it, that’s too much. It’s not right. Saying it more simply, it’s natural for anybody to have grudge or anger toward somebody. But you can’t use violence to him. It is a sin. Understood?
(It was shocking for me that he’d said like “having emotion of love to the same sex” and “using violence” were in the same category, that is to say “sin,” even though it’s just an example for explanation.)
“If you say ‘God created ALL,’ it should be God who created homosexuality.”
--- Since Eve took the forbidden fruit, the world has become corrupt. He created this world after 7 days. Before Eve was seduced by the Serpent, the world used to be a beautiful and perfect place. But after that it’s turned into a place where there are wars, stealing, poverty, and violence...
This is what he explained to me.
Nodding my head, lots of questions came to my mind. Why has God put the Serpent and the forbidden fruits in the “beautiful and perfect” place called the Garden of Eden? How does he explain love between wife and husband who don’t have a baby? Is it also a “sin”? I came up with more questions than I’d had before asking. I held back from asking all otherwise I would stray away too much from the point. But tell me if you know the answers….
By the way, it’s already time to go to bed. I’m going to get up early tomorrow morning. Before going to school Fr. Justin will take me to the saint mass which stars from 7:30!
Can’t wait!
Alhough I came to feel Catholicism was way tougher than I’d thought, I find it important not to avoid, nor attack. I’d rather approach it from me. I’ve learned this from my experience living with the German girl, my ex flat mate.
As long as I love and live in Italy, the “friendship” of Catholic and I will be continuing.I want to get along with them :)
After studying Christian doctrine and their culture I’m little bit embarrassed that I don’t know much about MY religion. I wanna know more. Not only about Buddhism but also Allah, Jainism, the Seven Deities of Good Fortune and John Lennon too…
But I think I’m an ideal Buddhist who believe in “reincarnation” and try to reuse this article for a paper of theology class!
Thank you!
