DAY 259
CHALLENGE
“Some people are born homosexual, so it’s in accord with their nature for them to engage in homosexual behavior. God made them that way.”
DEFENSE
The premise of this challenge is shaky, and the conclusions drawn from it are erroneous.
First, the claim that some people are born homosexual is problematic. The origins of same-sex attraction are not well understood.
It may be true that most people with same-sex attraction do not recall a moment where they chose to have this condition, but humans are a highly cognitive species for whom training is important. It would be very surprising if our sexual desires were not in some degree conditioned by our life history and the sexual training we have experienced (e.g., what we choose to fantasize about). This applies both to people with same-sex attraction and those without it.
At the same time, we also have innate tendencies, which may be based on a variety of factors, including the hormones our bodies produce, our individual genetics, and so on.
The Catholic Church does not claim that the cause or causes of same-sex attraction have been established. The Catechism states: “Its psychological genesis remains largely unexplained” (CCC 2357).
Second, just because people are born with temptations does not mean that we can simply say “God made them that way” (see Day 235). Third, even if same-sex attraction were purely innate, this would not lead to the conclusion that it is moral to engage in homosexual behavior. Everyone has temptations, and sometimes these are due to
factors we have no control over.
It is commonly thought that some people have a genetic predisposition to alcohol abuse. Other people have suffered traumatic brain injuries that increase the risk of their engaging in violent and criminal behavior. However, these predispositions do not justify giving in to one’s impulses.
A person with a genetic predisposition to alcohol abuse is not justified in becoming an alcoholic, and a person with traumatic brain injury is not justified in committing violent crime. We all have immoral impulses—temptations—and we are called not to give in to them but to resist and overcome them.