Metropolitan Seraphim shows that he is one of those few people in what is left of Christendom who still has the capability to be righteously outraged. Many of the rest of us have become desensitized because of the constant barrage of such evils.

Dn. Robert

I quite agree and it is even evident, sadly, on this blessed forum.

Alice your'e forgetting "MOI"!
You know!
Stephanos I

Dear Father Stephen,

Ofcourse I didn't mean you!
Thank God for you!

Respectfully,
Alice

\\Most Gay men think all men are gay...\\

Not in my experience.

If one's sexual orientation is something unchosen, then does it matter?

On the other hand, if homosexual acts are sinful, then doesn't it follow that Our Lord, God, and Saviour Jesus Christ, Who was tempted in all ways, even as we are, was thus tempted?

I know this is a hard saying for many.

If one's sexual orientation is unchosen, it is unchosen. Currently, we do not know if it is nature or nurture.

However, even if one's sexual orientation is unchosen, sexual relations between two people of the same sex is unnatural and sinful. The Church and Scripture (its foremost product) are quite clear about this.

What Elton John has accused the Lord of is outrageous. I suspect he might be like others who are affected by homosexuality, and might be trying to convince himself that his orientation is normal, and that he is normal. He fails to discern between different things. It is not wrong to have homosexual tendencies. It is always wrong to act out on them. Likewise, it is not wrong to have a tendency towards alcoholism (if the tendency towards homosexuality someday proves to be genetic then likewise it is possible that so will the tendency towards alcoholism). One who loves someone would never tell someone with a tendency towards alcoholism "Since you were born that way it's OK for you to drink alcohol." Likewise, one should never tell someone who has a tendency towards homosexuality that is OK to engage in immoral activity.

We must remember that homosexuality is not something people generally freely choose, and that it is a difficult cross to carry. As Christians we must love such individuals and treat them as we would treat the Lord.

\ What Elton John has accused the Lord of is outrageous. /

The Lord was accused of worse during His earthly sojourn.

\\Likewise, one should never tell someone who has a tendency towards homosexuality that is OK to engage in immoral activity.
\\

And where have I, or anyone else, said that?

In any case, Sir Elton's comments were unworthy of note or reaction.

Forgive me, but I thought our Lord was tempted in all ways like man, but did not sin.

Heb 4:15 "For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin."

Now, if Jesus was not tempted, is homosexuality a sin? And if Jesus was tempted, then, while Elton John was crass and vulgar in pointing it out, Jesus was attracted to men.

Note: I am not defending Elton John's statement. However, he does have free speech under British Law, so he can say anything he wants. And no, the Queen is not obligated to remove his knighthood for saying something vulgar about Jesus. If she did, then there would be a lot fewer knights, etc., in Great Britain.

The sinner Brendan

Fr. Brendon,

That the Lord might or might not have been tempted is irrelevant to what Elton John stated. Elton John accused the Savior of being homosexual, he did not speak in terms of temptation.

Your question is also misconstructed. Homosexuality (attraction to the same sex) is not sinful. Acting out in is sinful. The Church and her Scripture are both clear on this. I recommend being careful as to the way you post as you are coming across as someone whose posts seem to approve of homosexual activity, and one cannot be a Catholic in good standing and do so.

Elton John certainly has freedom of speech. And we also have the freedom to call his speech blasphemy, and even to ask the Queen to cancel his knighthood as a result of his attach on the Lord. My expectation, however, is that nothing will come of it as the United Kingdom is far less a Christian nation than it used to be.

John