Are Catholic Faith Schools Entitled To Teach Children That Homosexuality Is A Sin?

Question

My child attends a catholic faith school. As part of her religious studies education she has been told that homosexuality is a grave sin and that all individuals who practice it are destined to eternal damnation.

Is it right that a state school funded by the taxpayer (in the UK) should be allowed to teach such open discrimination against a segment of the population or should the established churches be allowed to teach freely their own gospel?

Answer 1

that's a matter of opinion.

it's a known fact the Bible declares homosexuality a sin.
why should religious schools re-write any bible to suit a small proportion of society?

my bible says it's a sin.
gay priests are in direct conflict with their own teaching & as such it is destined to end in tears!
god isn't open to negotiation about it.

so are you questioning god?
i already know the answer.
You are.
& if you are, you're a braver person than i am!

Answer 2

Catholics schools have the right to do what they do. Parents have the right to send their children to another school.

Assuming the school is teaching Doctrine properly, they are teaching that practicing homosexuality is sinful, on account that it violates the virtue of chastity - but that does not mean merely being homosexual is a sin.

There is a difference between being a homosexual (not a sin) and homosexual sex (is a sin).

Like any other form of fornication, homosexual sex constitutes "grave matter" that, if gone inrepented, can mean damnation for the sinner.

If the school is Catholic, it reserves the right to teach it's Doctrine. Hopefully, it does so in a responsible manner.

As you can see, Catholics are not being disciminatory towards the homosexual individual. Catholics are being discriminatory towards homosexual sin.

It is right to hate the sin, but not the sinner. It is also right to teach that sin does have adverse consequences, here in this world as well as the afterlife.

It would be discriminatory for the Church to believe certain beahavior to be morally wrong, and not share this knowledge with the sinners. It is not disciminatory to warn people that certain behavior is morally wrong.

Any school, wishing to identify itself as a Catholic school, is mandated to teach Catholic beliefs and practices, regardless of the political law of the land.

Parents who do not approve of Catholic teaching, do not have the send their children to a Catholic school. They can receive their education at a secular school, where they will receive an indoctrination of a different kind.

Catholics schools have the right to do what they do. Parents have the right to send their children to another school.

Answer 3

While I think any discussions about ANY type of sexuality is inappropriate for elementary school (below 8th grade), I think this is an issue of tolerance, not sex. Do young kids even know what homosexuality is? However, they may have classmates with two male or two female parents and that can be confusing to them, and potentially threatening to the child involved. Many times children mimic what their parents say at home and they may get the idea there's something not "normal" about those children of homosexual couples. I think the lesson is not about homosexuality directly, but rather that there are different lifestyles and types of love, and no one should be punished for what they (or their parents) are.

Answer 4

I do not know.

+ Separation of Church and State +

In the United States, Catholic schools receive no funds from the government so there is no problem of this sort.

+ Homosexuality +

Created in the image of the one God and equally endowed with rational souls, all men have the same nature and the same origin. Redeemed by the sacrifice of Christ, all are called to participate in the same divine beatitude: all therefore enjoy an equal dignity.

The Catholic Church believes there is nothing sinful about being homosexual. But homosexuals like all unmarried people are called to celibacy.

The Church specifically says that homosexuals "must be accepted with respect, compassion, and sensitivity. Every sign of unjust discrimination in their regard should be avoided."

Here is the text of the document, On the Pastoral Care of Homosexual Persons (1986): http://www.newadvent.org/library/docs_df86ho.htm

With love in Christ.

Answer 5

This and similar problems now being caused by the Catholic church will be addressed in the fullness of time.

England is a Protestant country.

The bishops of the Catholic church are already interfering in the politics of the people by saying that any Catholic MP who votes in favour of abortion on demand, will not be allowed to attend Holy Communion.

What next!

The Catholic church excommunicated HM King Henry VIII. It made no difference. Who remembers the name of the Pope responsible for that? Not me.

The priests of the Catholic church have a bad record when it comes to child abuse. Why don't they do something about that?

In 1800 Napoleon put an end to the Catholic Inquisition. The records captured by the Grande Armee of France revealed that the Inquisition had tortured over 80,000 people during it's reign of terror and had burned 12,000 at the stake.

The great Spanish painter Goya was sent by Napoleon to draw pictures of those poor souls who had survived the tortures of the Inquisition. The pictures he made are horrific.

Answer 6

if your child attends a catholic school you are either a catholic yourself or it is the best school for your child. either one is a good thing but as far as the schools teaching you can't expect them to go against their beliefs. there religion teaches the congrgation that the Lord fobids this behavior in there bible. if you have a problem with this then you should pull your child out of this school and send your child to a school that teaches to the children what you think should be taught. you have a choice and you should exercise that choice you don't have a right to change a faith based school from their beliefs. as far as discrimination i don't see any problem there. if this was being taught in a public school that is not connected to any religion then i would say maybe to it being discrimination.

Answer 7

When you choose to send your child to a school of a particular faith... then yes - they do still have the right to teach their beliefs on certain subjects - good or bad. If it worries you a lot - maybe you can find out if you are able to move your child to a non-denominational school instead - where they can freely mix amongst children of many faiths. These schools are usually more open minded. :-)

Answer 8

I think you will find that they would be taught the same thing in most religous schools pretty most of the christian religions say the same thing.

It has to do with the religous ethos of the school if it is a catholic ethos they will teach catholic religion. And that is the stance of the catholic church.

They have a similar ban on sex outside marriage.

if you don't like it don't send your kids there. simple really.

Answer 9

I would think freedom of speech, which I assume exists in The UK, would allow them to teach what they want, as long as they also inform the students that they have to respect whatever rights homosexuals have under secular law.

I support gay rights, but I don't agree with those who think it is necessarily hatred to say those who practice homosexuality are destined to eternal damnation. It is not hatred to try to convince someone not to do something you think will harm them. It would be hatred to be happy about the supposed eternal suffering, or to subject them to earthly suffering as well.

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Answer 10

Yes
Along with the whole list of sins in the Bible.
Look up the Torah for a complete list that does include the kosher laws.

If not they can't leave one out without the others.