Sunday, September 26, 2010

Post Vortex: Just some thoughts...



Victim - no, no, no.
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A lot of people today think that the goal in life is to make everyone whole and happy and prosperous.  We walk for cures of this and that disease, prolong life artificially, take pills for everything from the slightest headache to feeling a bit discouraged because we are not as successful as we'd hope to be.  I see this especially in discussions connected with the topic of homosexual orientation lately.  There is a trend to over-psychologize and/or over-spiritualize the disorder and seek a cure for it.
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Gay people who have no use for Catholic Church teaching as it applies to homosexuality, along with those who simply are content to be gay, have real issues with some of the research espoused by Catholic groups and churchmen - especially as it concerns therapeutic healing for the homosexual person, and or reparative therapy:  making the gay person straight.  Needless to say this presents a heavy burden for those people who have embraced the teachings of the Church and strive to live chaste and celibate lives according to the commandments.  As such, they often live a deeper spiritual life of prayer than their ordinary Catholic friends, incorporating the proper level of ascesis to remain faithful, as well as frequenting the sacraments more often.  These persons are not concerned with 'changing' their sexual orientation but rather are more focused upon their personal sanctification and doing God's will - seeking Jesus alone... blooming where they are planted, or dealing with the cards they've been dealt, so to speak.
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Rehab - no, no, no.
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Naturally in the study of homosexuality researchers seek to understand its cause - which in turn often explains its effects.  This is useful for the person seeking to live a well ordered life - self-knowledge is a very important tool in the spiritual life, as we all know.  On the other hand, gay activists dedicate their research to prove the opposite - that homosexuality is an alternative, albeit natural sexual orientation and lifestyle.  Don't mention a cure to them.  As it stands, most persons cannot or will not be cured - very few have the will and funds to go through questionable therapies to become heterosexual.  Thankfully, the Church does not ask that, nor does she require it - the Church only asks that a person live a chaste life according to Church teaching and the commandments.  The Church also admits she is not able to determine the causes of homosexuality, what the Church does offer is holiness - the way and means to sanctify one's life.
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The 'cure' - no, no, no.
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The upshot of all of this is that many well intentioned church people are piling on another band-wagon claiming they have proof of what is at the root of homosexuality, and in some cases - they have a cure.  (Just like gay activists are convinced it is perfectly normal - natural law be damned.)  But the fact is, the faith healers and reparative therapists are missing the point.  Not everyone is supposed to be healed - if that was the case, why isn't everyone healed at Lourdes, or why didn't Christ heal everyone in Israel in his day?  Why did Our Lady of Fatima tell the children, "Some I will cure, others, no."?
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I'm convinced some people are not meant to be cured - their sufferings and struggle is their sanctification, and to the degree they are conformed to God's will, the sanctification of those around them.  What is more, their sacrifice can be accepted as reparation for sins against God and nature.  But don't say 'victim'.
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N.B. I'm writing about adults here, not children and adolescents who may have gender identity issues and so on.
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16 comments:

  1. Copying and saving this - so balanced - thanks.

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  2. My habit is to not comment on stuff I really disagree with. So I'm going to step out of my comfort zone on the Voris tape and say I think the whole thing was a load of cr*p.

    You're assessment is closer to the truth.

    For heavens sake. There's plenty of heterosexuals that never marry and they don't have meltdowns. Why do we insist on making sex the center of our universe? It's really quite silly...

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  3. ...and makes for really boring discussion. I vote for the closet for everyone!

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  4. Good thoughts, Terry. We seem to be a nation of "fixers", even when we don't understand what we're doing. "I don't know" is an honest response. It is a comfort though that holiness is available to all.
    Good point that not everyone is healed at Lourdes and Fatima(in fact the vast majority are not). I'm not recalling however where it says in the Gospels that Christ refused to heal anyone who came to him.

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  5. Melody, you are one sharp tack! ;)

    Thanks for catching that - I should have said "everyone in Israel" instead of "everyone who came to him". I fixed it.

    God bless!

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  6. Yeah, Auntie A., the closet!!:-0!
    But seriously, some of this is just nutz.
    The whole thing, as you say very wisely, Mr. Terry, is about spiritual progress.
    A lot of this problem is about spiritual progress.
    Fr. John Harvey is VERY balanced; he does not require a "conversion" of same sex attracted individuals to heterosexuality; he asks for chastity.
    And chastity, lived within the Catholic spiritual tradition, will bring about healing; maybe not complete conversion, but healing.
    Abuse, addiction, porno, bad companions...all of it...adds up to disaster; and the "gay community" acknowledges this in some forums...the horrid promiscuity and disease, the substance abuse issues, the broken friendships and relationships...all of it due to "out of control sex" and a misdirected desire to belong to someone; to know that someone loves you; that you are okay...all of it can be, and IS found in loving Jesus Christ and His Church.
    From my experience with married people, sex is completely "overrated"...unless it's promiscuous and forbidden (which is the addictive part)...
    Sexual intimacy is NOT the ultimate; loving another person, loving others in self-giving IS the "raison d'etre" of our life here on earth, which begins what we will do in heaven.
    For Pete's sake, (forgive me)...an orgasm a day is NOT the answer to the meaning of life!
    Belonging to God and loving His creatures according to His Plan, IS.

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  7. Certainly a good rephrasing of the thoughts recently expressed by Michael Voris. But why not say "victim"? Christ is our Victim Priest. In the context of the sense given my Voris and here again by you "victim" seems quite appropriate and within a Catholic understanding of redemptive suffering. Or, were you being funny or making a point and I've utterly missed it - I mean only in regard to "but don't say victim?"

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  8. i think the phrase "victim soul" as voris used IS appropriate from a roman catholic perspective, but not in the popular sense of victimhood. some may glory in that self-proclaimed martyr mentality and seek some kind of twisted celebrity out of it. does that make sense?

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  9. "victim soul" is correct - it's both correct that that's the term Voris used and it is correct usage in terms of Church teaching on redemptive suffering - maybe that's what Terry was getting at in saying but don't say victim.

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  10. Father - you make me laugh - you and I in a conversation would be a hoot.

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  11. Owen - I suppose it is technically correct - but I just don't like the term.

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  12. Owen - I think it is the wrong focus for people with SSA insofar that there is already a tendency towards self-pity and singulatity associated with the homosexual inclination that could be exaggerated by imagining oneself to be some sort of special victim.

    DB - even from the RC perspective I think it's not a good term for SSA people. The role of 'Camille' can be very seductive... think of how attractive to gay men images of St. Sebastian in bondage can be.

    I've also met people who thought they were victim souls - where do you think 'oy' comes from? It's not an attractive role. LOL!

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  13. Well, even tho I'm LMAO, I still think this is the most intelligent discussion of the subject that I've ever seen on the Net.

    All I can ask is WHAT WOULD BETTY BUTTERFIELD SAY?

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  14. Anonymous11:38 AM

    I think Terry Nelson is right - I don't think we should be throwing around terms like 'victim' in the Church because it may elevate those who are just doing what they should be doing viz the Doctrine of the Faith to a special status based on nothing more than sexual orientation. There are victim souls, those who take on special sufferings, or offer their sufferings up, in atonement, or for conversion, etc. And if there is a person with a homosexual orientation that is leading a life of great spiritual effort and is offering their sexuality as a gift to God in atonement for sin, perhaps they could become a victim soul, but I don't know that it is right to view those who live celibate lives as a class are necessarily a victim soul. I don't know that they are victims, period.

    I think that's what Terry is getting at......perhaps I've got it all wrong, but that was my impression after viewing Voris' still excellent video on the subject. He presented the Church's doctrine on homosexuality with the tact, charity, and grace it should always be presented with. I pray I could do so well.

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  15. I think Terry Nelson is right too.

    I don't think we should jump to conclusions that anyone is throwing anything around or assume that I was at odds with Terry's very balanced and well expressed viewpoint with which I agree.

    I pray I could do as well, as well.

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