We agreed Gays should adopt kids in my Morality Class? CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL?? Problems, agree anybody?

Question

In my Morality class at my catholic High school. Our teacher asked for a show of hands of who believed Gays should adopt kids. Almost everyone raised their hands. He asked if anybody disagreed, and why. So i raised my hand, and the whole class went "NO, are you serious"?. I said gays shouldnt be able to adopt because children need a father and a mother, and a gay, no matter how femine and a Lesbian, no matter how manly cannot replace a mother or a father. at saying this, the whole class (save a couple kids) became enraged and started calling me weird names like "hatemonger" and "Bigot. The teacher, a hippy, did nothing to intervene despite the churches teaching.
Did i deserve this reatcion, was there anger justified, and does anyone share/disagree with my opinion. I want to hear from gays, straights, and catholics.

Answer 1

I disagree, just because single parent kids can grow up fine even if they totally lack a mom or a dad. Plus I read this website: http://www.apa.org/pi/lgbc/publications/lgpchildren.html

It's based on a number of studies on the topic.

I can totally understand your point of view, and it's fine. I was worried about this too, because I'm gay and want to have kids, adopted and biological. But I do not wish under any circumstances to harm the children, that's not fair of me.

But it seems they grow up fine, no ill effects, so I'll be a happy father in the years to come.

I say religion aside, you should base your views on facts, that's what I did.

Answer 2

While I agree, that a child should be brought up in a family with a mother and a father, there are times when a child may very well be better off being adopted into a same-sex parent family.

What if the alternative was an endless rotation from house to house in an overburderned foster care system? What if the only alternative was living in a neglectful orphanage? Would not a child living under these circumstances be better off in a home with two same-sex parents?

It is quite possible that a same-sex parent home could provide the child with more stability that he/she would otherwise receive if left to contend with foster care or an orphanage.

The bottom line is, the topic covered by your class cannot be answered with a blanket "yes" or "no". It's an "all depends" situation. One must consider the personal plight of the child(ren) in question. One must examine stability, or lack thereof, in the child(ren)'s current situation and compare that to the potential stability of the specific same-sex parental homes that are being considered for a given adoption.

Long story short, there are too many personal variables that MUST be considered in making a morally proper judgement. A blanket "yes" or "no" ignores these variables, thus making an accurate moral judgement nearly impossible.

Answer 3

Wow, I am really happy to hear that your class thinks same sex couples should be able to adopt. Coming from a Catholic school, I think that is amazing and makes me feel warm and fuzzy and hopeful. It's never good to call people names, so I feel for you there, but I also think you are misinformed about what it takes to raise a child. Single parents do it all the time, and they have wonderful kids. Those children don't have both a mother and father. Studies have shown that children raised by same sex couples are just average, normal kids. It doesn't turn them gay, doesn't cause them to be social misfits. The important thing is having a parent or parents that truly love you and care about you. That is all that matters. Right now I'm sure you're thinking something along the lines of "where are these studies you speak of." I couldn't even begin to remember the names of the psychologists who did them, but I promise I am not lying. I am a student of sociology with a minor in psych, and in my Human Development course we covered all sorts of things about same sex relationships. It was a while ago though, and it isn't my main focus so I can't remember their names. I promise though, what I'm saying is what I learned. Anyway, I applaud your class. Again I'm sorry you were called names, maybe your classmates should take a kinder route in disagreeing with you. I hope that they will be able to enlighten you though, and maybe you will lose some of the misconceptions you have.

Answer 4

While I disagree with your position, as do most modern psychologists, you didn't deserve to be treated that way. You raised a valid point and should not have been shot down like that. This is coming form a straight guy who was a Catholic for several years. I'm actually surprised that a Catholic high school teacher and his students held such a liberal view on this issue, in regards to the traditional Catholic view on gay rights.

Linda C, so you are basically arguing children who grow up with gay or lesbian parents will by default become homosexual? Your argument makes no sense whatsoever, as children of straight parents, don't always turn out straight.

Answer 5

I disagree with you, I respect your opinion and you do not deserve that reaction. I'm sorry those kids were being so mean to you.

I'm gay, and I want to adopt special needs kids when I grow up. These are the type of kids that not a lot of people want to adopt. They can bounce around in foster homes or group homes for years, without ever having a stable, loving home. Should these kids miss that chance because a gay or lesbian couple wants to adopt them?

All kinds of famillies; whether they be a traditional nuclear family, a family with adopted children, a single-parent family, same-sex parents, families where one or both parents are transgender, grandparents raising grandchildren, and whatever else, can be a positive, loving family for a child. Traditional family roles aren't always superior to non-traditional families. It all depends on the family - it goes on a case-by-case basis, in my opinion.

I don't think you're a hatemonger or a bigot. I just happen to disagree with you. I hope I didn't offend you, I'm just giving my personal opinion here.

Answer 6

Dude, all I can say is you are on the RIGHT TRACK! Man, did that take guts. Good job!

I'm Catholic, by the way, and agree with you 100%. You were totally, unquestionably correct in your stand for what the Church teaches. You rock!

I say all of this because you are learning quite early how to stand up and defend your faith. You are learning skills that most others will not have later in life. God bless you.

No, you did not deserve this reaction. The person I have the biggest problem with is your teacher. This is the person in charge of the classroom. It is HIS responsibility to keep order, to insure the discussion remains that - a discussion. He should never have allowed that kind of behavior. There was no call for it AT ALL. I'd probably be thinking of ways to report that guy.

Your classmates need an education in freedom of speech. You have every right to your opinion, and to stand up for what you believe it. This ain't Russia.

Keep it up, my friend. Study your faith ever more. Stand up for it. It's the biggest favor you can do for yourself.

God bless, and take care. Write anytime.

Answer 7

Well then I guess single parents shouldn't be able to have kids either?
Cause there's going to be one parent missing in that situation. Right, so then what it your beliefs on that? Take the kid away? Or should divorce be illegal? and you should make those children suffer to their parents unhappy lives just for them to have 2 married man/woman parents??

To say that the only reason gay adoption should not be aloud because u need a male and female parental figure is ridiculous. Raising a child has nothing to do with the sexes. It has to do with morals and family values.

While I don't feel you should have been outcasted in your class. You are entitled to your opnion no matter what that be. You should talk to a counsler, a teacher, or principal about what happened and how you felt.

Answer 8

I am straight. I don't believe you deserved that reaction. Your opinion is yours and you deserve it. You aren't stoping gays or lesbians from actually not adopting, you just don't believe it was right. Also, your teacher really should have stopped them, especially the cursing for the fact it is catholic school. I disagree with you though, a child doesn't truly need a mother and father. They just need, supportive, loving, caring parents that will help them and be happy with them. Having gay or lesbian parents isn't stoping any of that.

Answer 9

i don't know if you deserved it. you don't know any better. you're simply regurgitating what other people have told you is truth, and you haven't the intellect to consider the validity and objective truth of it.

i don't want to spend paragraphs explaining things that should be self evident with the application of a little logic and reasoning. however i will say, i agree with the other children in your class. (though they are probably doing the same thing you are, it's just they've been told different truths to you).

so perhaps you didn't really deserve it. i think your teacher should have encouraged debate, rather than asking everyone to state the side they have taken.

Answer 10

First, let's realize this, YOU just slammed gay people and then come into the gay forums, to ask us for help/our opinions. Do you think that we are going to be like, "yeah you are right, the Bible is totally the answer, we should all just worship THE BIBLE!!!" Second, I 1000% agree with your class and your teacher. You are obiviously out of your mind to think we would help or comfort you for being a bible thumping hater. Next, Open your eyes and realize that we are here, we aren't going anywhere. We are/will make AWESOME parents, regardless if you approve or not! Finally, if you are SOOOO religious and all about the Bible, you should love us as your brother, not discriminate against us. I guess it's easier to hate than to learn about others, love, & accept.