Watch this 35 minute video
The Third Way
After watching the video, I want you to respond to it. What is your reaction to the film? Is there anything with which you disagree? What did you learn that you did not know? What is the church's position on people with same sex attraction? How is this argument structured and from where did the title come (you might have to research a bit. It is an allusion to something).
Everyone has a cross, or a few, to carry down on earth. They are given to us as a test; God wants to see what we will do with them, wether they will bring out our anger or our love. These crosses lead to sacrifice and humility, but God loves us and wants us to stay close to him so he can help us carry our crosses and use his experience on his own cross to forgive us for our sins. This applies to everyone, no matter what their sexuality.
ReplyDeleteAlthough I did not learn anything new from this video, it was nice to hear what those people had to say about being gay. It set it up in a different perspective by having two sides to the "issue" and by having first account stories of people that carry the homosexual cross. This video was structured in a very effective way. It started with a personal story of a homosexual that included Christ. The next video segment showed gay hatred and gay praise. Those are the two ways that made way for the third way, or the way of love in the Catholic Church. It was then praised by the personal stories that turned around from burdens to joys.
The Catholic Church views homosexuals as people made in the image of God, but they also view sex as a gift that should not be abused. They believe that one should not be punished for a feeling that they cannot control and should be respected enough to be taught that they are loved, but that acting out those actions is abusing God's gift. The church also teaches that if a person loves another for real, it is their goal to do what is best for the other and lead them closer to God. This is why chastity is important in everyone. Everyone needs intimacy, but not everyone needs sex and should control those desires according to God's plan. This is a homosexual's cross that causes them sacrifice.
While speaking about the church, it is important to note that that is a stereotypical view on what the Catholic Church teaches. Some people in the church either do not understand these teachings or fall into their own sin and begin to judge homosexual, making themselves the guilty ones. We are not fit to judge other people, but are supposed to encourage gay people to come to the church to find real love. Being a homosexual might be God calling someone to the single life.
Once again, the media is blamed for the homosexual problem. They encourage same sex attractions in a negative way, making them feel as if it is correct to carry out their sexual desires. This, as shared in the one personal account, can lead to drugs, alcohol, gay bars, and a sense of complete isolation and loneliness. They then shoot down the church and say that they believe it is gross, stereotyping those who do not understand the church teachings. Just as everything on the Internet is not true, this is a misconception that people need to become aware of in order to come to God. Being gay is not an option for those people that have same sex attractions, but there is an option to love in either the wrong and unfulfilling way or The Third Way.
The media has created an enormous front for the homosexual "issue." It has popularized the gay scene and restructured the popular image of the Catholic Church. Many people do not know what the true Catholic Church teachings concerning homosexuality even are because of how the media misinterprets them. I myself have had my views twisted by what I've seen and heard. This false view of the church turns many people away from Christ and His ministers. The church needs to stand up and proclaim their true teachings in order show homosexuals that they can find love and acceptance within the church. Without re establishing these beliefs, homosexuals will never find the love and support they need to carry their cross.
DeleteWe all have to carry our crosses, even if some are heavier than others. We cannot drop the cross, no matter how much you want to and when you get rid of God's help, it becomes so much heavier. There is nothing wrong with loving whoever you please. Nowhere is the Bible did God say that he hates the gays. It is inferred through the media and we just assume that is the common thought through the Catholic Church. Things are changing and people are learning to accept diversity rather than push it away, the same way Jesus did
DeleteI am going to be bluntly honest, when I first saw the topic of this week's blog, I was dreading listening and writing this blog, because I firmly disagree with the persecution of homosexuals and I have homosexual extended family members. I came in though without truly knowing how the church truly stands on the idea, instead I had the false church teachings from misinterpreting Christians lingering in my head. So, quick apology to Mrs. Messineo and the Catholic Church for underestimating you. Instead, this opened my eyes to the love inside the church for homosexuals.
ReplyDeleteWhen the video first opened with the violence and bigotry against gay people, I knew the video was not going to be about condoning it, but my stomach still turned at the idea of humans mistreating fellow humans in such a degrading way. And why? All because they misinterpret God. It is truly an extended oxymoron to listen to people preach of God's unconditional love, but then say phrases such as, "God hates fags." It is truly heart wrenching to watch people persecute others in the name of God.
The only aspect I disagreed with this documentary was the way they only selected gay people who had troubled or emotionally traumatic childhoods. Although it allowed the audience to sympathize more with them, it also gives people false perceptions that people are gay because they failed to connect with people or a traumatic incident caused it. In reality, all sorts of people are gay because they are born that way.
My favorite part of this video is it emphasized God has love for homosexuals, but the aspect the church condemns is the out of sex marriage. It allows gay people to be put on the same level as heterosexuals by prohibiting a sexual union outside the sacrament of matrimony. This allows homosexuals to feel God's love with their differences, but guides them in His path without a persecution. Homosexuals and heterosexuals are allowed to be attracted to whichever sex, but they must remain chaste. It is truly refreshing to know the rules are the same.
The only other topic this video brought to my head although indirectly is the question of why everything has a gender. I have always been inquisitive about that. In the video the one man mentioned how he "threw like a girl." Honestly why is it attributed to females to throw terribly? Why do colors get assigned to sexes? There are so many males who refuse to wear pink because it is a female color. How? I do not understand. When a God gave Moses the Ten Commandements did He give Moses a third stone tablet that said, "Lol by the way I see you dudes wearing pink. That's totally girlish. You're slipping up." I am 100% positive that never happened so I am just confused about that still.
Anyways, this video really opened my eyes to the TRUE Catholuc teachings, which I have no argument against. This was a truly worthwhile video.
I agree that giving activities and objects a gender is frivolous and demeaning. People are free to do whatever activities they like, and do not need to have them judged. Many activists that are enjoyed by both sexes are given a gender to which they are more appropriate. Dance, football, cooking, gaming, singing, and even serial murder* are all activities that are associated with a certain gender. Traditionally female activities are just as likely to be enjoyed by males, and "masculine" activities are just as fun to females. The way society limits activities to one gender can leave those of the opposite sex bewildered by their enjoyment of these things, or even afraid something is wrong with them. This creates confusion and loneliness in their life as they struggle to fit in and find their place in society. In order for society to be more accepting of people with differences, the stereotypes assigned to activities and objects need to stop.
Delete* 8% of American serial killers are female.
When you think about it, it really does not make much sense to persecute others in the name of God. The whole Catholic Church teaching revolves around loving God's children, regardless of their wrongdoings. Why then, do some Catholics think it okay to tell others that they are shameful and unwelcome in the eyes of the Church? Jesus Himself encountered countless numbers of sinners throughout His time here on earth. He did not agree with their ways, and was very aware that they were inconsistent with God's will. Yet He did not condemn them. He did not tell these people that they were wretched sinners whom God hated. Rather, Jesus invited them to repent for their sins, and to take up their crosses and turn to The Lord. And that is exactly what we are called to do. We are not asked to hate homosexuals. We are not even asked to permit homosexuals to live their lives of sin. Rather, we are called to welcome them into the Church, and to give them a sense of acceptance while encouraging them to live out a God's will.
DeleteIt is so hard to accept that we are supposed to be part of this church that calls for love and peace but then discriminates against certain people for what they cannot control. I am so glad that this is not true and only thought of in the minds of those who do not understand the church's view on situations such as these. I really feel as if more people need to watch this video to hear the real story. You are a perfect example of how powerful this video was in displaying the catholic beliefs on homosexuality. You did not even want to watch it and got mad, but felt a lot more peaceful after knowing that you are a part of a more understanding church. I love when I figure things out like this! I feel a lot better about my faith!
DeleteGiving certain qualities to a gender is demeaning. There is no reason a guy should not be able to dance, and girl should not be able to throw a football. A person is all born with unique abilities, and they should be taught to embrace them. I think that more people should watch this video and be educated on true Catholic teachings. Like you, I originally did not want to watch this video. I felt that I had no right to judge, and wasn't sure about what it would say. Now that I watched the video, I am glad I did, and it definitely cleared up some questions I had on what the church believes regarding homosexuals. I agree with the true Catholic teachings stated in this video.
DeleteThis film really helped me to understand the Catholic Church teaching about homosexuality. Before I watched this video, I was very confused as to what I should believe concerning these people. I was influenced by the popular perception of the Catholic Church, not the true Catholic Church teachings. From my point of view, it seemed as though the Catholic Church was condemning these people for feelings they could not control, and denying them happiness. For this reason I felt that the Catholic Church was wrong and that homosexuals were just fine in ignoring it.
ReplyDeleteAfter I watched this video, I knew I was wrong to think these things. The Catholic Church does not condemn homosexuals for their feelings. Feelings cannot be sinful because they cannot be controlled. Actions are the only things that can be sinful. In addition, they do not deny them happiness. True happiness can only be found in Christ and in fulfilling His plan for one's life. Homosexual people may have thought they were happy having sex, but this is not true happiness. Sex outside of marriage is wrong for everyone, not just homosexuals. They may have thought that getting married would change this, but again they were wrong. The purpose of marriage is to create new life, and homosexual marriage does not fulfill this purpose. The Catholic Church accepts that people can feel same sex attraction, but states that these feelings cannot be acted upon in a sexual manner.
One part of this film that was truly inspiring was Jason Evert's view on homosexual love. People with same sex attraction can experience true love, but, by Catholic Church teaching, they cannot be married. Jason believes that the chastity that they are called to live out shows the depth of their love for one another. People who love each other want what is best for their partner, even if it requires sacrifice on their behalf. Living a chaste life is hard, but it shows how much they care.
This argument featured the use of anecdotes and logos. The personal stories from the various homosexual persons helped the viewer empathize with them, and realize that they are more than a stereotype. The logos comes in the form of factual data presented by quotations from the CCC. These quotes help back up the explanations of Catholic Church teaching. In addition, many theologians present their understanding of these teachings, adding to the logos.
The title The Third Way is very fitting because it references a political standpoint of comprise. The Third Way tries to reconcile the right and left wing political policies by accepting parts of each of them and creating a new and better policy. In this sense, the Third Way does the same thing. There are two extremes that most people have considering homosexuals: they are either hated or taught to embrace all their desires. The Third Way is a compromise or balance of these ideals that becomes the best way to treat these people. They cannot be hated, but neither can they embrace their every desire. Through the Third Way, they are loved with a pure, understanding love and helped through their struggles.
Jason Evert's words proposed a very interesting way of looking at this topic. He says that it is not wrong to love an individual of the same sex. In fact, we are called to do this. But by choosing to live out God's plan, one is actually showing the extent of their love for that person, because it means that they want that person to reside in heaven for the rest of eternity. And isn't that what true love is? We all know that two individuals who engage in premarital sex are failing to show their love for one another because they are aiding the other in the committing of a sin. But this scenario may also be applied to homosexual couples. By allowing one's partner to give in to these desires that are inconsistent with God's grand design, a person is not showing authentic love to their partner. By encouraging one to live a life of chastity, however, authentic love is being displayed.
DeleteI think that true love can only be found in Christ. People can try to look else where, but the most fulfilling place is the church. The third way is a great compromise. Its is not hating people that are gay, yet not totally embracing all of their desires. I think the third way how we should treat all homosexuals. As Christians and fellow sinners, we should support them, and try to lead them to fulfilling love in Christ.
DeleteAshley, I was in the same situation in regards of what to believe because of the Catholic Church's opinions. I always had the idea that it was not right because that was my preconceived notion on what the Church believes. However, after this video I now understand the true meaning of the topic. I believe that the third way is a great opportunity for homosexuals because they can be who they are and live a chaste life with Christ.
DeleteAfter watching this video, I feel extremely satisfied, because it clears up the confusion I felt towards the Church's views and therefore my view of homosexuality. I have always known that we are to love all of God's children, regardless of sexual orientation. However, I also knew that engaging in homosexual acts was wrong. So, I used to listen to gay protests and think "Am I doing something wrong by disagreeing with this? This is simply the way that they are, and we should be accepting them." But then I would hear the Church's proclamations that homosexuality is against God's plan, and I would think, "No, it is the homosexuals who are wrong." But I still felt unsatisfied. "Well what are they supposed to do?" I would think. "They can't help who they're attracted to." I continued on like this for a while - loving and accepting gays, but also feeling a sense of sympathy for them as they were being asked by the Church to suppress their desires. When I heard the words of the "Catholic Experts" as I like to call them, my view finally aligned with the views of the Church.
ReplyDeleteI finally realized that homosexuals are not being asked to suppress their desires - they are being asked to take the vow of chastity. From my work with Family Honor, I know that we are all called to chastity. But now I realize that those attracted to the same sex really are not being asked to bear any burden that the rest of us are exempt from. We are all called to live chaste lives, even those attracted to the same sex. Being attracted to those of the same sex is not a sin - acting upon these sexual desires is, in the same way that it is sinful for those sexually attracted to the opposite sex. Homosexuality is disorderly in the eyes of the Church. But then again, so is lust, premarital sex, and other forms of false love. With homosexuality, just as it is these other forms of false love, it is simply a matter of responding to these matters in accordance with God's will. That is really all they are being asked to do.
That being said, there are far too many people experiencing same-sex attractions who feel that they have nowhere to turn. Too many Catholics are confused about this topic, and wrongly choose to condemn homosexuals, causing them to turn away. By doing this, the Catholic faith is not being reflected. Those who condemn homosexuals are just as much in the wrong as those engaging in these acts. As was stated in the video, homosexuals feel that the only place they can turn to for acceptance is the secular world. But that is not where they are going to find fulfillment. Rather, it is through authentic love that they will find fulfillment. And authentic love is reached through The Lord. So, it is up to us to welcome them in with open arms and teach them the truth about God's will. Yes, there are people living in sin due to this lack of understanding. Jesus also encountered people living in sin. But how did he treat them? It is up to us to spread this message of truth. For it is through this truth that God's will shall be carried out.
This argument is structured very effectively, in my opinion. By using the testimonies of those who have experienced same-sex attractions and still found happiness in the a Catholic Church, the video is able to connect with the audience by appealing to their own empathy. Likewise, by proposing a "Third Way" as a solution to this seemingly endless conflict, viewers are encouraged to see both sides of the argument, and reach the conclusion that they may not be so distant from one another.
DeleteI agree, Mary, everyone is called to love everyone, despite if their lifestyle conflicts with what others believe. In many African counries, gays are killed by the government in the name of Christianity. This is what gives our religion a bad and hypocritical image. God calls everyone to love everyone, yet the moment someone is different, they are persecuted by misinterpreting followers. I remember seeing a comic one time. The man went up to Heaven, and God told him something along the lines of, "I am so sorry I made you gay because now I am not going to let you into Heaven." This shows in a satirical way how God does not deem his creation unworthy of eternal life because of a trait they were born with. Homosexuality does not make one a bad person, but judging and ridiculing God's creation does.
DeleteMary, you speak of the Catholic Faith being misrepresented. I think this is actually so true. I used to think that the Catolic Church stomped around like a little kid trying to tell people what to do. But this video really helped kind of reverse this image. I think Westboro really confuses a lot of people. They parade around telling everybody how God hates Gays and it's really quite depressing. But I think people look at them, and then project that image onto all of Catholicism. Also, the recent comments by the President of Gambia are quite depressing. All of these things build up a false image that people latch onto to then criticize the Catholic Church for things they haven't done.
DeleteThis video definitely helped me understand the churches views on homosexuality more. The “Third Way” alludes to two political extremes. On one side, people support gays and everything they do, and the other side hates everything they do and protest and slander them. But neither way is right. God tells us to love all people, no matter what, because we are all sinners. God tells us that a sin is a sin. Spreading gossip is a sin. Cheating on a test is a sin. Murdering is a sin. Being mean is a sin. Sex outside of marriage is a sin, no matter if it is heterosexual or homosexual. Lying is a sin. What right do we have to judge when we are all sinners? Homosexuals are born with a tendency that causes them to like the same sex. Those feelings are not a sin, but acting on them is. And from what the video says, the gay life isn’t always the most fulfilling. The people in the video tried to live the life they thought they wanted, with the sex, drugs, and drinking, only to come up feeling more empty then before. Throughout all of their trials they endured, they come up feeling lonely, and people slandering and hating them does not help them. As Catholics, we should be comforting their struggle and not protesting it, as we would comfort anyone else going through a hard time. When they finally did come back to the church, they found the intimacy in the friendship of the church. They realized that sex isn’t the only place to find intimacy, but you can find it in people who love you, trust you, and are willing to listen to you. All everyone really wants is someone who they can be honest with and trust, and once they find that, everything else just falls away.
ReplyDeleteOne of my favorite parts of the video was when they talked about gay marriage. If people choose to act on their feelings, they should be held to the same standards as any other person in the church. Homosexuals are expected to be chaste and not commit adultery. So many times, we are told to “live in the sacrament, not in sin.” Even though gay people cannot be married in the church, I think there should be some kind of marriage ceremony to represent their commitment and union to one another. Or, they should at least keep the same partner throughout their union, just as a normal, heterosexual married couple would. Homosexuals are God’s people as well, and they deserve all the love, respect and rights that everyone else gets. There has been so much false information about the church, and it is nice to know that the church opens its doors to everyone, no matter what. This video is about TRUE Catholic teachings, which need to spread all around the world. I have no objection to any of these teachings and agree with all of them. I support any struggling person, and I hope that they all find comfort in God and the church.
The argument is structured very effectively with anecdotes that really drive the story. The anecdotes evoke pathos, and ethos is evoked when talking about the unjust treatment they face.
Olivia, I disagree with the statement "gay life isn’t always the most fulfilling." The missing part of the people in the video was not a heterosexual attraction, but a lack of God. It would be unfulfilling for homosexuals to fake being someone they are not. Another piece missing from these individuals was love and support. My cousin is gay and could not be happier. Him and I are very close. We go shopping together and talk about fashion and shoes together. We are like two peas in a pod. He almost went to Kent for fashion merchandising. Having personal experience with a homosexual so pleased with his life allows me to see as long as there is not discrimination, homosexuals can lead a life equally fulfilling as heterosexuals. Being gay is not unfulfilling, but lacking support and turning away from God is unfulfilling.
DeleteOlivia, I also do not agree with the statement "gay life is not always the most fulfilling". I think that this life is the most fulfilling for these people with a homosexual orientation. It is not the individuals fault that they feel this way. I do believe fully that you are either born gay or not, it is not a choice. I think that homosexuals should follow the third way in their lives so that they can properly control their sexual desires just like an other unmarried person.
DeleteAll the time at high school, I hear the familiar phrase tossed around, or various forms of it. If something is thought to be dumb, I almost always hear somebody refer to it as gay. But being gay is not really an awful thing I think. I am for, the most part, a hardcore republican and I believe in pretty much the entire republican ideology. But on the subject of gay marriage, I find myself leaning liberal on this one. So I believe that all people should have the right to marry whomever they chose. This video presented the Catholic way of thinking about it, and I do not really know how I feel about it. I respect the Church's position, but I do not know that I agree with it. The church calls all homosexuals to be abstinent, but why is it that heterosexual people get the special privilege of not having to be abstinent? The church says because it's unnatural, and a baby cannot be formed. This is actually a good argument, I have no defense against this. But still, God made people homosexual for a reason. You cannot say that it was a "mistake" because God doesn't make mistakes. So...I don't know what I am supposed to think or believe.
ReplyDeleteThe argument was set up to evoke sympathy. They had all the gay people tell stories of how they battled depression and loneliness. Their stories then concluded with them finding God in their life and understanding the Church's stance on marriage. As I mentioned, it is supposed to make people feel bad. But why were there not people interviewed who turned away from the church permanently? Or people who rejected God? I feel all sides of the story were not covered in this video.
Did I learn anything? Not really.
I believe this is an allusion to the third way which was a political movement. Unfortunately, I believe the the third way resembled communism. Communism is obviously not a good thing. So I fail to see how this applies to the subject that the video discussed.
Giz, you make a very valid point about God making homosexuals. It has really made me think about them in a different light. Seriously though, like why did God make homosexuals if he planned to disown them? It doesn't make any sense... Like at all. I mean humans don't really know what God has planned for us so where is our right to say that God thinks that homosexuals should be treated differently. This is why I wish that God would sometimes just pop down here for a visit and update the church. Actually, I wish that He would just inform us of what He has planned and everything would go so much smoother...
DeleteRaeAnn you need to watch it over. The whole point is that God made them that way and so we should love them. And this is NOT heaven. Heaven will be perfect. On earth, we will suffer because we are not able to avoid sin and those sins have a ripple effect so there is much suffering.
DeleteThe topic of homosexuality is one that I struggle with a lot. Many times, the media skews the views of the Church in regards to homosexuality. Because of this, many individuals do not know what the Catholic Church actually teaches in regards to homosexuality. This video gives an accurate interpretation of Catholic Church teachings about homosexuality and the views of individuals who are educated on the topic.
ReplyDeleteI also was a little nervous when I saw the topic for this weeks blog. I am involved in many activities that involve people who are gay. Some of these people I have become very good friends with. I just have trouble with the fact that not everyone is perfect and we all have faults, and that their fault is who they love. I also feel bad because so many of these people feel stuck at this place in their life. They feel as if they cannot go to anyone and that everyone is hating on them about it.
I also researched the title The Third Way and found that the title is very fitting in the way the video was organized. The first two ways showed gay hated and gay pride. However, the last way showed people who had a homosexual orientation but did not act on the urges they had. Also, because the Church roots itself in love, they recognize that the homosexual individuals cannot control these feelings and should not be hated against. These values of love and acceptance are some of the main values of the Church and these are the values that must be taken into consideration with "gay" individuals. The title The Third Way is very fitting because this was a political ideal that took both left and right wing approaches and synthesized them into a mindset that took parts of both of these parties. The Third Way in regards to homosexuality takes both the views of the Church and of the homosexual individuals and makes them into a compromise in which no person is hated against or singled out. This is the beauty of the Catholic Church, no one has to feel left out or hated.
Abbey, like you, I was skeptical about this weekend's blog. I had no desire to share my feelings towards homosexuals, but then I actually watched this video and was enlightened. I didn't know that the church accepted homosexuals. I admit to being one of the people who thought that the church taught what the media was saying. I should know better by now that the media is not a reliable resource.
DeleteAbbey, I feel like it is wrong to judge a person based on who they love and what they do, but the church is not the one judging. I feel like it is the close minded society that is judging these human beings and giving them labels. They are people regardless and the church recognizes them as that. It is our society that skewed the image, but it can be the churches choice on whether or not they want to fix it or accept it. The Pope is choosing to accept it, so the choice is almost final.
DeleteAbbey, the media plays a huge role in our daily lives whether we realize it or not or even how hard we try to not believe it. The media has the power to implant ideas in our heads and the topic of homosexuals is often seen in media. The media shows homosexuality as people who are outcasted and stereotyped into certain classifications. The media also tries to tell us what different people and religions have to say about them. This is why I believe that I had the original idea that it was against our religion to believe in homosexuality.
DeleteAbbey, I do not agree with your statement about their attractions being a "fault" of theirs. They are made that way and cannot control who they love. This is why being chaste must be a choice that keeps their uncontrollable attractions from becoming a fault. I do agree, however, that it is difficult to be around those people at times without thinking that they are different. This topic is often an uncomfortable one to deal with because we do not know how it feels to be attracted in a sexual way towards a person of the same sex. Knowing that the church loves those people makes it seem easier to dismiss their sexuality and concentrate more on the activity that you are in with the people.
DeleteI have always seriously disliked all of the "haters" towards people who have the homosexual orientation. So many people make fun of people who have same sex attraction. An insult that people say to offend someone is "you're so gay." "You're so gay," is that even appropriate? Gay use to be a word that meant that someone was happy, but now it is concidered an insult. I hated people who discriminated against homosexuals. It wasn't their fault that they like someone of the same sex. It's not like they just woke up one morning and said "hey I think I'm gonna be gay today." That's not how it works.
ReplyDeleteI have all way accepted homosexuals for who they are. My neighbor is a therapist and she deals with various types of individuals, including those who have same sex attraction. When the same sex marriage law was passed, many people were very upset about it. Around the same time as the law passed, there was some sort of sports even that we went to my neighbors house for (I don't remember what it was because I really don't care for sports). We went up to their house to watch this game on the television and during the commercials, we would flip to the news channel. Since the law had just passed, it was all over the news. The whole congregation erupted into an argument about how "gays" shouldn't even have a right to exist. At this point I was so angry that I left the room. I went to the quiet dining room where my neighbor was. There, she started telling me her opinion about homosexuals. She told me of how she can't discriminate them because of their sexual orientation. A person's a person no matter who they like. Since she is a therapist, she formed her own views of homosexuals.
When watching this informative video, I was in the mindset that the church had also hated homosexuals like the people at my neighbor's house. I was angry at the church; that is until I watched this video. Before I watched this video, I thought that there was only two ways of viewing homosexuals; love them or hate them. However, I found that the church's position on homosexuals is nothing what I thought it was; there was a third way. I had always believed that the church condemned individuals with same sex attraction simply because they were different. I was wrong. The church actually doesn't condemn homosexuals, it accepts them. One of the males in this video said that it wasn't a sin to have a desire, but it was a sin to act wrongly on that desire. Sex was made for married men and women to experience heaven on earth and for a man and a woman to become one. Two men or two women cannot become one. This does not mean, however, that homosexuals have to stay hidden in a dark corner for the rest of their life. The church encourages homosexuals to be themselves, it just doesn't encourage them to go any further.
Homosexuals are people. They deserve, and have, God's love as much as the next person. I think that "the third way" should be shared with everyone. People need to change their viewpoints of homosexuals, and the homosexuals need to know that the church accepts them for who they are. The church wants to help homosexuals, not push them away.
I think it will take a long amount of time to actually tell the world what the Catholic Church actually says about homosexuality. I wish many peoples views would change about this topic, it would cause the people less depression and stress. For us as Catholics, we really need to spread the actually words of the church and obey them. We need to embrace them and help them find their true happiness.
DeleteIt always seems like the media is trying to portray the Catholic Church as the bad guy. This is because our society has completely lost its set of morals and the Church is the one trying to bring these morals back. People try to dismiss Church teaching by doing what they want and thinking there are no consequences. The media has also been pushing the idea that people can do whatever they want and that the Church is too strict. This is why many people are angry about the Church, they are trying to bring morals back into our society.
DeleteI am very opinionated and one of the many things that I strongly believe in is that everybody deserves pure happiness and love. It does not matter whether you love a man, a woman, a goldfish, whatever, you deserve to be happy. For a long time, I only knew the image that was presented of the old fire and brimstone Catholic Church telling everyone that if they sinned they were buying their ticket to Hell and that gays were evil. When I would get upset about this, I would flip out and think that the church was morphing the image of love. I did not know all of the fact, and I was wrong.
ReplyDeletePope Francis, who is honestly my favorite person ever, stated in the past year, “If someone is gay, who searches for the Lord and has goodwill, who am I to judge?” If the leader of the Catholic Church is so open to everyone being loved, why are people still running away? Well, much like I was, they are given this image of hatred and judgment. I have a friend/co-worker who is openly gay. When we had to take off work for confirmation, he said to me, "I don't even know why I am giving up the opportunity to make money for a church that won't even accept me." I did not know at the time he was gay, so I asked him why the church wouldn't accept him. He told me and my simple answer was, "So?" God does not hate anyone. I told him about how Pope Francis was in support for EVERYBODY to join the church no matter what you racial, ethical, or sexual beliefs are. He answered me back with the point that Pope Francis is not the entire church. My friend was so convinced that God hated him because of the image that the Westboro Baptist Church portrays that he could not even see God loving him. I am working so hard on that kid, and I will consistently fight with him until he believes that God loves him.
This opened my eyes, but at the same time when my heart was filled with joy out of realization that everyone could be happy, it also filled with sorrow because I saw how these people were being treated. They were treated as though they were not even human. The Anti-LGBT movement in Russia is a prime example of how who you love can get you killed. When a person feels as though they have no where to go, things fall apart. They do not even see God's love as an option and that crushes me. Russian chase them out of their homes, their churches, they think that it would be better to die than to go through the torture and humiliation. And why do they do this? Because their version of love strays from tradition? We are all called to chastity until marriage, and marriage is brought upon as pro-creation, well the gays cannot do this, so they are asked to stay chaste. In the bible or the CCC, I want my friend to find the verse that says, "God hates the gays." It doesn't exist.
On a final note, the fa--ot word should not be in existence, number one. Number two, it should defiantly not be used as a slang term. If you want me to go off about something, use that word in an everyday conversation and see what happens.
I love Pope Francis too! He is honestly a wonderful being can be the start to a true change in the world. He has already taught me so many important things I needed to know in order to become a better version of myself. When he first talked about his view on Homosexuality I remember the catholic community being in a uproar. Now it seems to me that everyone understand his words because he is getting rid of all the misunderstood information many people believe about the Catholic Church.
DeletePope Francis is the man, Jenna. And I do not use that term to diminish his awesomeness in any way. Literally everytime he opens his mouth, I feel a kitten is born in a field of flowers. Everything he says seems to just make the world better. The quote you provided is a prime example. The media portrays the battle over whether or not homosexuals should be allowed to marry as a battle between Christians and the gay community. This may, in a way, be true, but I think the media does not provide the reasoning for why Christians reject gay marriage. The best reasoning it provides is just that Hod hates Gay people. This definitley is not true. But I hope his kid you're working on figures everything out and finally sees and feels the love God has for Him.
DeleteIt was interesting to see how we have been misleads do in what the Catholic Church says about Homosexuality. I know many people who are homosexual, I would have never know if they would not have told me. I remember on telling me how they did not belong in the Catholic Church because of what we used to think. Now, actually hearing how them being in the Catholic Church is the place they need to be is very ingesting to me. I felt really bad for the people in the video, thinking about what they had to go through. If only many today new the truth about the Catholic Church, many would feel better about themselves and their sexuality.
ReplyDeleteMany of the points in this video were eye opening to me. I though of many questions like, Why isn't the truth being told about the Catholic Church? Why are there so many misconceptions? How can this problem be resolved? I think the words of the CCC really need to get out to the world to let the them the true Catholic position on the topic of Homosexuality.
I know now, that as a Catholic I need to spread the true word of the Catholic Church, to show all Homosexuals with the respect and help they need to get though a hard like. It is sad to see all the discrimination they receive. I believe that the Catholic Church needs to take a stand and help these brothers and sisters find the right place in their life and fill it with happiness.
This argument is structured from person life stories of some homosexuals who had many struggles in their lives. They talk little about their faith at first, then at the end, they really press of the faith. They talk about many points of the Catholic Church and explain them I order to get rid of all the misunderstandings of the teachings. They then tell how each one of the, benefited from having more faith In Their life. How they have become happy again after a long place of depression.
I think what is being said by the third was is that one can be devoted to Christ, one can be devoted to the opposite sex, but also one can be devoted to same sex.
Everyone, everyday is faced with challenges and burdens, things that keep them from being who they truly are. These challenges and burdens come in different sizes and carry different consequences. We as people need not to judge others on their challenges and not let others control our own challenges. The topic of homosexuals or gays is a topic that I never understood fully because of my preconceived ideas on what the Catholic Church thought was right, that it was not accepted. I never could understand why God created man or woman to be homosexuals if He did not believe in homosexuals. My ideas however have changed because of this video. "The Third Way" gives me a new understanding on what the Church's true say on the matter is.
ReplyDeleteI believed that the Catholic Church did not accept homosexuals in the religion because it did not fulfill God's intention of creation between a married man and woman. Creation could not occur between two females or two males, it was only possible between man and women. I believe that this idea that the same sex cannot create life is what brought the false teachings of the Church into society. I now understand that the Church does not "shun" homosexuals but rather calls them towards living a chaste life. We are all called to live chaste lives, heterosexual or homosexual, God asks us to live in his likeness and remain chaste within him. By asking homosexuals to remain chaste despite their desires the Church's teaching is being fulfilled. They are asked to have "intimacy with having sexual relations with a significant other." These feeling are to be brought into building a strong relationship without sex. Some may say this is not right, but according to the Church once again, chastity, sexual intercourse is only intended to be between a married man and woman. Homosexuals may be called to the religious life or laity to follow God's will instead of their own desires. I do not disagree with anything the church has to say on this topic, I believe that their options allow them to be who they are but also encourage them to live chaste lives with Christ.
This video is shown differently than most videos on controversial topics. The video starts be showing different peoples stories and how hard it was for them to grow up with these preconceived notions of the Catholic Church's teaching. Because people thought it was wrong and against religion to be a homosexual. Near the end of the video, they start to lean towards Christ because He allows for "the Third Way." A way for homosexuals to be who they are and live with Christ in chastity.