Catholic bishops' 'gay' guidelines 'gravely flawed'

A "gravely flawed" document coming from the Bishops' Conference? I shudder at the thought!

Gravely flawed" – that's the dire warning of medical experts who have seen copies of the proposed guidelines for "Ministry to Persons with Homosexual Inclinations," to be released by the Catholic Bishops of the United States at their annual conference in Baltimore next week.

Catholic psychiatrists and physicians have quietly sent selected bishops detailed memos outlining their objections to the document in advance of the November 13-16 meeting.

Among the chief objections to the document, the critique notes, is that a truly charitable ministry includes "the truths that medical/psychological science has discovered about homosexuality … In particular, the health risks inherent in the lifestyle and the real grounds for hope of recovery and healing are never mentioned in the [proposed] document."

The memo summarizes key points from medical and psychological literature on homosexuality that these experts had hoped the bishops would acknowledge...

Like the fact that "no genetic basis [for same-sex attraction] was found in last year's [human]genome study ..."

The withholding of such a factual statement will allow people to continue claim they they were "born" with homosexual tendencies...But then, is the bishops' document really concerned about facts which are necessary to help others?

Richard Fitzgibbons, M.D., a contributor to the Catholic Medical Association's statement on "Homosexuality and Hope," was explicit: "Persons with SSA (Same-Sex Attraction) suffer real physical and emotional physical illness in this lifestyle. There is no mention [in the document] of the deleterious effects of homosexual behavior on the person; the abuse, the diseases and the psychological pain that accompanies that lifestyle." [my emphasis]

Some have stated that the bishops have little understanding of the disorder. Others might say that there are a number of bishops who are quite familiar with it...

...the document casts those with same-sex attraction as victims of the culture, of "scorn, hated and even violence in some sectors of our society."

Truth or propaganda? Fact or opinion?

As one Catholic high school volunteer responded to that charge: "That's a fabrication..."

My thinking exactly - but then, let's not forget that this is a document coming from the USCCB...a document, perhaps by committee, maybe light on facts and heavier on feelings or "politcal correctness".

"...The greater danger from violence to any gay person is from his or her partner." FBI statistics bear out the charge.

"Violent crimes against gays by heterosexuals are just .0001 percent of cases. As for homosexual abuse of other homosexuals, Fitzgibbons cites a recent study in the American Journal of Public Health that reports, "39 percent of males with same-sex attraction have been abused by other males with same-sex attraction."

Having not read the document, I must rely on others' observations.

Because the document fails to address real medical and psychosocial aspects of same-sex attraction and the homosexual lifestyle, some have questioned the document's real purpose.

Some might think that it's almost standard operating procedure, based on past history, to question everything coming from the USCCB. Given its track record, a healthy skepticism is probably quite prudent.

Observers have expressed serious concern that while this new document is cloaked in snippets of official Church teaching, it is functionally a rebuke aimed at those within the Church who supposedly harbor "disguised forms of hatred" toward persons of homosexual inclinations.

So, much like playing the "race" card to evoke emotional rather than intellectual responses, it appears the authors of this document are playing the "gay" card - perhaps in an effort to appeal, not to the rational mind, but to irrational emotions.

Should we be prepared for "Always our Children - Part II"?