Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!usc!cs.utexas.edu!bcm!dimacs.rutgers.edu!aramis.rutgers.edu!athos.rutgers.edu!christian From: fasano@unix.cis.pitt.edu (Cathy Fasano) Newsgroups: soc.religion.christian Subject: Re: Gay Ordination in the Presbyterian Church Message-ID: Date: 25 Mar 91 08:45:17 GMT Sender: hedrick@athos.rutgers.edu Organization: University of Pittsburgh Lines: 27 Approved: christian@aramis.rutgers.edu In article jhpb@granjon.garage.att.com writes: >Homosexual thoughts, ... CANNOT be engaged in, if one >wishes to enter the kingdom of Heaven. They're sins of the grave kind, >like murder, large theft. Other people have dealt with this more substantively; I wish merely to point out that this is *not* Roman Catholic teaching. (Catholic teaching is pretty well summed-up as the assertion that homosexuals are called to a life of celibacy (a "life of celibacy" being quite well-defined in Catholic teaching.)) Whether one believes the (in this case homosexual) action immoral or not, merely considering the action is not in itself immoral. As a general case in moral theology, unacted-out temptation is never considered sinful -- in fact, resisting temptation is considered a practical virtue to be prayed for, studied and emulated. -- Cathy Fasano aka: Cathy Johnston fasano@unix.cis.pitt.edu cathy@gargoyle.uchicago.edu "The Church and the World are jammed to the rafters these days with people willing to get involved, get their hands dirty, take risks, make sacrifices, hurl themselves at spears, lead the advance, inspire, illuminate, encourage, organize and manage great affairs. I find most such folks insufferable, even if they are my brothers and sisters in Christ. Where are the people willing to sit on the sidelines and find fault?" -- Michael O. Garvey