Is Homosexuality Really Immoral?
Homosexuality is a topic that has become an ethical dilemma in the society today. More and more celebrities and prominent people are coming out and confessing that they are gay. This brings us to the question, is homosexuality really immoral? Well, according to the Vatican, it is. There are over 1.2 billion Roman Catholics in the world. This means that the Vatican controls or influences a very large population of the world. Vatican’s argument is weak because it contradicts their own beliefs by condemning homosexuality whereas we have gay’s clergy among them.
According to the Vatican there are 2 sources of moral knowledge. These 2 sources are the natural, meaning the moral knowledge from the thoughts of the society on what is acceptable by the society or not. The second source of moral knowledge is the supernatural; this means the higher, Supreme Being (God) in particular.
The Vatican believes that it violates “the organ’s principle purpose”, which is to procreate. However, their argument is conflicting because they do allow sterile couples to have sexual intercourse when they’re married and yet they can’t procreate. Sterile couples are allowed sexual activity for the reason that the Vatican believes in miracles. If God can do miracles, can he not make a gay couple give birth? In addition, the Vatican claims that homosexual activity violates the proper function of sex. But who decided what the proper function of sex is? Some may argue that if two men or two women love each other they should be able to express their love.
It is important to note that the Vatican believes that sex is solely for the purpose of procreation and not to express love. Let’s say for example, Tommy and Jim are two catholic men living in Utah. They have been married for two years, and believe in God and his ability to achieve miracles. Every day they pray that God will give them a child, and they continue being sexual active with each other, hoping that God will grant them their wish. Are they still being immoral? If the Vatican still thinks that it’s wrong, do they not doubt God’s ability? Aren’t they the ones who believe God can make a way where there seems to be no way?
“There are absolutely no grounds for considering homosexual unions to be in any way similar or even remotely analogous to God's plan for marriage and family. Marriage is holy, while homosexual acts go against the natural moral law. Homosexual acts 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.” This is Vatican’s stand on homosexuality.
Corvino dissects that statement part by part and gives us his point of view, stating with: some argue that homosexuality is statistically abnormal. Corvino’s reply is, ‘rare things are not necessarily wrong.’ Others say homosexuality is not practiced by other animals. He says, ‘we do many things that are moral, even though others animals don’t’. Homosexuality is not innate. He says, ‘Innateness is not a final arbiter of moral legitimacy.’ The Vatican argues that homosexuality violates organ’s principle purpose.
He defends homosexuality by saying, ‘If true, then whistling and chewing gum is also immoral.’
People argue that homosexuality is disgusting or weird. He replies by saying, ‘That has nothing to do with morality.’
Corvino: basic pro-homosexuality argument, any act that contributes human flourishing is prima facie good, homosexuality acts contribute to human flourishing; therefore homosexuals are prima facie good. Vatican believes that the sole purpose of sex is procreation. This is false because sexual interaction is also a pleasurable process. Sex is not just for procreation, but for recreation, exercise, enhancing self-esteem, and showing love and commitment. All these are important but the Vatican recognizes only procreation.
The organ’s purpose
Vatican believes nature is created by God and so organs have natural purposes which are God’s purposes. If someone decides to go against these natural purposes, is becoming unnatural and this makes them immoral. Vatican’s position is somehow inconsistent because they allow sexual activities when a woman is pregnant and when a couple can’t bear children because of infertility. Their argument does not rest on functions of an organ but on an underlying assumption that homosexuality is wrong. An assumption cannot be an argument, this means Vatican’s argument does not hold water.
Works Cited
Corvino, John. "Why Shouldn’t Tommy and Jim Have Sex?: a defense of homosexuality." Social Ethics: morality and social policy (1997).
