A Brief Perspective on Churches and HomosexualitytopChurches’ views on homosexuality
1. The Catholic Church rejects homosexuality, using arguments from the Old and the New Testament. Most often, theologians refer to Leviticus, which forbids male-male sex as an “abomination” that should be punished by death, and to Romans, where such acts are considered to be “dishonourable” and “shameless”. Nevertheless, in the last decades, the doctrine of the Catholic Church has become more specific. Homosexual acts are blamed because they “contravene to the laws of nature” and “are not based on real emotional and sexual complementary elements” (The Catechism of the Catholic Church).
2. Islam includes homosexuality among the gravest flaws from the divine law – yet not worse than adultery or fornication, for instance. The Koran refers to the biblical episode of Sodom’s destruction because of its inhabitants’ vices. However, the Islamic theology is not as strict as it used to be: homosexuality is still forbidden, but same-sex relations are not punished by death anymore.
3. Protestant churches have always interpreted the Bible in a literal way and rejected homosexuality, as being a “sin against God” – though in the last years, some changes could be noticed in their attitude, too. In 1994, the Protestant Federation of France published a leaflet introducing “meditation topics” regarding homosexuality – by which the latter was neither approved, nor formally condemned.
4. The Judaic religion forbids same-sex relations, as well as adultery or incest. Old texts blame male homosexual acts, as being real crimes, which deserve death by the stone. This rejection is based on two main reasons. On the one hand, homosexuality opposes the desire for the other sex, thus making impossible the species’ perpetuation; on the other hand, the very violation of an interdiction is interpreted as the individual’s rebellion against God.
5. Unlike monotheist religions, Buddhism has no special provisions regarding homosexuality – which is considered to be nothing more than a form of expressing human sexuality. It is sexuality at large which prevents a man from reaching spiritual awakening, because it always brings a burden of unwanted emotions, which can affect the whole community. This is why, according to the traditional norms, sexual abstinence in obligatory in Buddhist monastic communities.Attitudes towards homosexual people
1. The Catholic Church asks homosexual people to repent, or at least to give up sexual relations. In exchange, it promises to welcome them “with respect, friendship and justice”, as they “should not suffer from prejudice against their basic human rights” (The Catechism of the Catholic Church). However, the Catholic perspective on “justice” and “basic human rights” is still debatable, as gays and lesbians are refused the right to adopt a child, to work as teachers, as coaches and so on.
2. In Buddhist societies, young men can have homosexual relations, as long as they eventually integrate in a traditional family. As for the monks, they are prevented from any kind of sexual relations, which would affect the discipline and equilibrium of the community life; however, same-sex relations are considered to be less of a threat than heterosexual intercourse. Some sects admit a form of special relationship between the teacher and the young disciple.
3. Most Protestant churches reject the idea of socially isolating homosexual people. Others welcome them, as long as they agree to follow a medical and spiritual treatment and to convert. Finally, in some Protestant churches love between two people is valued irrespective of which kind it is. This attitude is based on the Evangelic assumption that people have no right to judge other people’s conduct.
4. As a general principle, the Koran states that nobody has the right to refuse a category of people the right to join the Islamic community. Theoretically, Islam supports homosexual people – as long as they don’t try to transform an “exception” (their sexual orientation) into a social rule. In other words, muslin societies tolerate homosexuality when it is “silent”.
5. The orthodox Judaic theology stipulates that every man has a right to free will and the responsibility of his own acts. Gays who are willing to “straighten” are welcomed and supported to do it. Others are repeatedly reminded that they are wrong.Religious marriage for gay couples
1. The Catholic Church is formally against any kind of registration for gay couples. According to the Catholic doctrine, making gay/lesbian couples “official” would mean treating homosexuality as the equal of heterosexuality, and undermining the institution of marriage – which is founded on the difference between sexes. This difference is essential for procreation and for a balanced education of children, argue Catholics.
2. There are a few Protestant Churches in which gay and lesbian couples can get married. Moreover, the idea of homosexual marriage is a hot topic for theological debates, both in Europe and in the United States – in fact, fundamentalist churches are the only ones who totally reject this idea. The main problem here consists in the reconciliation two important assumptions, which are: love between two people should be valued, on the one hand; and marriage should be preserved its Biblical meaning (which presupposes sexual difference), on the other hand.
3. Although some rabbis married homosexual couples, most Judaic theologians oppose such marriages.
4. Muslin societies forbid legitimating of homosexual couples. From the Islamic point of view, a same-sex couple means a symbolic breakdown of the generation chain, which is highly valued in muslin communities.
5. As for the Buddhist societies, their tradition has never considered the possibility of same-sex marriage. Bernard Faure, who teaches History of Oriental Religions at Stanford University (in the United States) says, “Given the lack of any established rule, Buddhist communities may soon come to accept these marriages”.Adapted from Les religions et l’homosexualité, in Actualité des réligions, 1999.