Homosexuality

• Background

  • Homosexuality between men was considered mental illness for the first half of the 20th century.
  • Men convicted of homosexual acts were routinely given electric shock treatment and were subject to brainwashing techniques. 
• Traditional teaching - Roman Catholic

  • The bible condemns all forms of homosexual practice as it breaks the covenant relationship between God and his people
  • 'You shall not lie with a male as with a women; it is an abomination’ Leviticus
  • A primary percept of marriage is procreation, homosexual practise cannot procreate, therefore is wrong
  • Sex must remain open to the possibility of children
  • Homosexual relationships are an improper and misdirected use of sexual organs, they are 'intrinsically disordered’
  • Homosexuality must be treated with ‘respect, comparison and dignity’
• Liberal teaching

  • Liberal Christians are inspired by the idea of Jesus the liberator, whose message was to let the ‘oppressed go free’
  • The bible must be read in a historical context
  • Christianity has a strong sense of justice for the marginalised and so it is right and proper to value all human relationships as all people are made in the image of God
  • Sexual orientation is not a choice, it is given by God and should be valued.
  • Jesus didn't distinguish between people based on their sexual orientation.
  • It is the role of the Church to be inclusive
  • The church must adapt itself to society
• Harris

  • Harris believes that sex activities should not even be viewed in a moral context.
  • Sex acts that take place between 2 consenting adults must be disgusting by others, but this is not a moral reaction.
  • People have the right to be protected from danger and disgusting behaviour against their will, but they have no right stopping others from activities that don’t harm another.
• 'God loves us all alike'
• Homosexuality was criminalised until 1967
• Devlin

  • If homosexuality was legal it would undermine society because we have a common morality and purpose to survive and reproduce.
  • Therefore, if you legalise homosexuality that will be lost.
  • It might not be causing harm, but as a collective morality the UK needed to stand against homosexuality because of what it represented for reproduction. 
  • Homosexuality could jeopardise societies existence.
  • Society must take steps to preserve its own existence even if is means prohibiting sexual immorality.
• Hart

  • Challenged Devlin.
  • Society should enforce only a minimal morality based on protection from harm.
  • There is a distinction between what is immoral and what is affront to public decency.
  • Finds it difficult to see how a private act could do harm.