What are the theological arguments that the Pope and therefore the Catholic church condemns homosexuality ?
Ask and ye shall receive…
Here’s the search engine for the Catechism of the Catholic Church
From The Catechism of the Catholic Church
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“Homosexuality refers to relations between men or between women who experience an exclusive or predominant sexual attraction toward persons of the same sex. It has taken a great variety of forms through the centuries and in
different cultures. Its psychological genesis remains largely unexplained. Basing itself on Sacred Scripture, which presents homosexual acts as acts of grave epravity,[Cf. Gen 191-29 ; Rom 124-27 ; 1 Cor 6:10 ; 1 Tim 1:10 .] tradition has always declared that ‘homosexual acts are intrinsically disordered.’[CDF, Persona humana 8.] 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.” -
"The number of men and women who have deep-seated homosexual tendencies is not negligible. They do not choose their homosexual condition; for most of them it is a trial. They must be accepted with respect, compassion, and sensitivity. Every sign of unjust discrimination in their regard should be avoided. These persons are called to fulfill God’s will in their lives and, if they are Christians, to unite to the sacrifice of the Lord’s Cross the difficulties they may encounter from their condition. "
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"Homosexual persons are called to chastity. By the virtues of self-mastery that teach them inner freedom, at times by the support of disinterested friendship, by prayer and sacramental grace, they can and should gradually and resolutely approach Christian perfection. "
The Catholic Church believes that homosexuality is a sin in the same sense that masturbation is a sin. The Church believes that the whole point of sex, as anyone would agree, is to create a baby. Thus, a man and a woman must unite and have sexual intercourse for a baby to be created; not a man and a man, or a woman and a woman. The Church believes the only time that sex is not a sin is when a man and a woman are married, and their purpose is to create a baby–free of contraceptive, and free of any other artificial means of prevention or potency.
How this relates to homosexuality: Homosexual acts are not going to produce a baby. They have never produced one, and never will. Therefore, the act is a sin. It is considered wasting the gift of procreation. Masturbation is a sin in the same respect; it wastes the gift of procreation.
The Church also believes, however, that persecuting someone for being homosexual is worse than being homosexual. Being homosexual is not wrong, it is the act that is wrong. Harassing someone for being homosexual is wrong for every reason, and there are no circumstances that make it right.
I don’t know who said it first, but I heard Rev. Billy Graham once say, “I don’t condemn the sinner, I condemn the sin.” This relates perfectly to homosexuality. Homosexuality isn’t bad, it is the homosexual act that is the sin.
Except, or course, in cases of Parthenogenesis, where a homosexual act allows for the fertilization of a zygote which is the clone of the mother. Basically.
Although I suppose there aren’t many fish that follow Christianity. 
I thought in parthenogenesis the animal impregnated itself, so technically it’s masturbation, not homosexuality. Similar point, though.
Also, I don’t think there have been any known cases of parthenogenesis in higher mammals, much less humans.
There was one documentated case of human parthenogenesis about two thousand years ago.
Hmm… I think that’s a bit simplistic even for the layman. A remember a discussion way back in college about this. This is all AFAIK (paging tomndebb…):
The RCC has agreed that sex has both a unitive and procreative good. In other words, it’s not that a baby is the “whole point of sex”. Sexual relations also strengthen the bonds of husband and wife (unless those sexual relations were with the secretary… :rimshot: ).
Ah here we go…
Rape, incest, lust, masturbation, prostitution, birth control and homosexual sex all preclude fulfilling both of these two aspects, according to the RCC, and are thus sins.
This is also why the RCC is none too pleased with in vitro fertilization. It “dissociate[s] the sexual act from the procreative act.”
To head off questions about infertile couples still being allowed to have sex:
Sex does not have to have procreation as a possible outcome, but it must take place within a marriage.
And remember, it’s ok to be gay, it’s just a sin to do those gay things. Even the RC’s admit that one can’t change one’s innate sexual orientation, but they do request that you not act upon it, or you’ll be denied heaven.
My response to this, of course, is :rolleyes: .
Esprix
My favorite response to Dr. Laura who stated that the Bible says “Homosexuality is an abomination before G-d”
Leviticus 10:10 says eating shellfish is an abomination before G-d, is it a lesser abomination than homosexuality?
Stephen:
Both of them are.
And I think you’ll find that Dr. Laura herself, like all Orthodox Jews (myself included) do both in equal amounts…i.e., not at all.
Sorry, Esprix, but those are the rules, at least to be a Catholic.
I’m single, and I’m 30. I’m straight, and it’s okay for me to be straight, but not to do those straight things. In the Church, gay people are not set apart for special rules the rest of us don’t have to follow. It’s not like the Catechism is saying “well, let’s persecute gay folks, but straight singles can have all the hot monkey sex they want.” Anything I do outside of marriage is just as big a sin as homosexuality.
Cite for the “denied Heaven” thing? I didn’t see that in the whopping three paragraphs devoted to homosexuality.
Emphasis mine. You, of course, have the option - homosexuals don’t. One of the many, many reasons I’m neither Christian nor Catholic.
Of course, you’re right - nowhere does it say “if you are homosexual you are going to hell” outright. Still, an awful lot of fuss over 3 paragraphs - goodness knows the Bible devotes a whole lot more time to a whole lot more issues, so, as the OP wonders, how come there’s so much emphasis on it when there’s so many other things to stand steadfastly against?
Esprix
Interestingly, we have forums set up already to discuss whether the theology is valid.
This is not one of those forums.
Thank you.