Relationships in America

I t is well-known that the traditional family, the foundation of any thriving culture, is under attack from secular forces seeking its demise. Thus I wish to pass on news of the Relationships in America survey project, a large new data collection effort that seeks to understand how American adults navigate and think about the significant relationships in their lives, especially romantic ones. The project asks a variety of questions to divorcees, examining the reasons for splitting and divorcees’ experiences of dating after divorce.

Using data from the study, Austin Institute sociologist Mark Regnerus analyzed regular churchgoers and separated them into two groups: those who support same-sex “marriage” and those who do not. When he compared their answers on other issues having to do with sexual morality, he found that the group supporting same-sex “marriage” was more likely across the board to agree with the following statements:

Viewing pornographic material is OK.
It is a good idea for couples considering marriage to live together in order to decide whether or not they get along well enough to be married to one another.
It is OK for two people to get together for sex and not necessarily expect anything further.
It is sometimes permissible for a married person to have sex with someone other than his/her spouse.
It is OK for three or more consenting adults to live together in a sexual/romantic relationship.
I support abortion rights.

In sum, Regnerus found that churchgoing Christians who say they support legalized same-sex “marriage” are more likely to support abortion, pornography, premarital sex, marital infidelity, and divorce as well! Some reflections for the pro- "same sex marriage" churchgoers:

Whenever one violates the natural moral order established by God, one sins and offends God. Same-sex “marriage” does just this. Accordingly, anyone who professes to love God must be opposed to it.

Marriage is not the creature of the state. It was established by God in Paradise for our first parents, Adam and Eve: “God created man in His image; in the Divine image he created him; male and female He created them. God blessed them, saying: ‘Be fertile and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it.’” (Gen. 1:28-29)

The same was taught by Our Lord Jesus Christ: “From the beginning of the creation, God made them male and female. For this cause a man shall leave his father and mother; and shall cleave to his wife.” (Mark 10:6-7).

Genesis also teaches how God punished Sodom and Gomorrah for the sin of homosexuality: “The Lord rained down sulphurous fire upon Sodom and Gomorrah. He overthrew those cities and the whole Plain, together with the inhabitants of the cities and the produce of the soil.” (Gen. 19:24-25)

Catholics, must have compassion and pray for those who struggle against unrelenting and violent temptation to homosexual sin. We pray for those who fall into homosexual sin out of human weakness, that God may assist them with His grace.

Catholics. though, must also be conscious of the enormous difference between these individuals who struggle with their weakness and strive to overcome it, (also discussed on these pages) and others who transform their sin into a reason for pride and try to impose their lifestyle on society as a whole, in flagrant opposition to traditional Christian morality and natural law. We pray for these too.

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