Gay Senator - What will inform her, sexuality or morality?

By Catholic Online (NEWS CONSORTIUM)
11/7/2012
Catholic Online (www.catholic.org)

Senator may be informed by her sexuality, which would prove a disaster.

Wisconsin is sending the first openly lesbian senator to Washington to fill one of that state's senate seats. Despite insistence that her campaign was about the issues, her sexuality was also a topic of discussion for many. She will now impact legislation on important issues.

Tammy Baldwin will be the first openly gay senator in U.S. history.

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MADISON, WI (Catholic Online) - Democratic Representative Tammy Baldwin will now be the first openly gay U.S. senator in history. She will be present and available to cast votes on important issues of the day which could potentially include gay marriage, abortion, and supreme court justices.

In addition to her likely stance on critical, non-negotiable moral issues, she also helps insulate the Democratic majority in the U.S. Senate. Republicans lost their bid to retake the Senate after several candidates fell from grace with voters following unfortunate gaffes and misunderstandings.
Baldwin insists she is not out to promote a radical agenda, but instead said, "I didn't run to make history. I ran to make a difference, a difference in the lives of families struggling to find work and pay bills."

Taken at face value, the intention is quite admirable, and what one would expect from a Senator.

However, gay advocates are already galvanized by her victory. Herndon Graddick, president of one of the nation's homosexual lobbying organizations said, "Tammy Baldwin's victory showed what a majority of Americans already know: that candidates should be judged on their qualifications for the job and not their sexual orientation."

For the most part, one must agree that the chief qualification of a candidate should be competency. Yet, political leaders will be trusted with responsibility on a wide range of issues. It is fantastic that public confidence in Baldwin's ability to help working-class Americans is high. But how will she treat the marriages of those same people? Will they be afforded the respect they deserve by being recognized as the only legitimate and sacred form of marriage that can actually exist? Will Baldwin come out in favor of the fundamental right to life of the individual?

And how much does her sexuality inform her decision making on these issues?

Unfortunately, Tammy Baldwin has a record which indicates she is opposed to the protection of life.

If Senator-elect Baldwin can govern with respect for the non-negotiable issues of morality then her sexual orientation should remain a matter best left to her and God. However, if she permits her sexual choice to inform her decisions on critical issues such as these, then it will be impossible to support her efforts.

� 2012, Distributed by NEWS CONSORTIUM.

- - -

Pope Benedict XVI's Prayer Intentions for January 2013
General Intention: The Faith of Christians. That in this Year of Faith Christians may deepen their knowledge of the mystery of Christ and witness joyfully to the gift of faith in him.
Missionary Intention: Middle Eastern Christians. That the Christian communities of the Middle East, often discriminated against, may receive from the Holy Spirit the strength of fidelity and perseverance.

Keywords: Tammy Baldwin, senator, elected, lesbian, homosexual

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1 - 10 of 11 Comments

MauraHennessey
5 months ago
To Fr Bill;
The Western World at large uses the American Psychiatric Association's DSM-IVTR as the current diagnostic standard in mental disorders and diseases. Homosexuality is not included in the DSM and has not been in any of the previous versions since 1973, based upon peer reviewed and replicatable research.

It is disingenuous to claim that homosexuality is a recognised mental illness, Fr Bill, and weakens the Church's position for a cleric to propose such a thing using a an outadated and repudiated source(the 10th edition of the ICD does not include homosexuality--your use of the 9th edition would be akin to using Foxe's Book of Martyrs to justify denying Catholics the vote)
DLL
6 months ago
I think gay marriage is a matter of a moral issue. States should not be in a position to to enact a moral decision into law. The federal government should be the only power that can decide such major social issues. The vote is starting to go the way for approving gay marriage. It is a young persons issue. It is against and always will be against the teachings of the Catholic Church. Why? It is a Holy sacrement of the Church. Marriage between a man and a woman is a dogma of the Church. Holy law and civil law do not agree. The Catholic Church cannot ever marry a same sex couple for these reasons. It is not a matter of hate. Perspective is the difference. Theology and democracy are not the same,as a matter of fact they are radically different. Democracy can justify same sex marriage and attraction. A Senator is one who represents a democracy. Even if our country legalizes same sex marriage it cannot force the Catholic Church to accept anything but a marriage that is between one man and one woman. Those are the only marriages that the church can ever perform. Gods laws as taught by the Holy and Apostolic Church are not to be disobeyed by any Catholic,this is a sacred oath we all make to God.
Stephanie
6 months ago
Chuck Anziulewicz - Because homosexuals tend to be very active against the Church and in some states and countries, people have been forced to close adoption agencies, businesses, and even allow same-sex couples to marry in Churches that forbid homosexual acts.

Also, since they identify more with liberals than conservatives, they are likely to approve of other non-negotiables: abortion, euthanasia, embryonic stem cell research, and human cloning, because they are trying to get praise and votes from their party.

DLL- I agree that we need to pray for her. She definitely needs our prayers for both her public service as well as in her personal life. I pray that she serves the people faithfully and that her wounds may heal so that she can leave the homosexual lifestyle. But I do not agree that just because the general public accepts someone means that we as Christians necessarily have to. The public generally accepts communism in some cultures, and Nazi Germany supported Hitler, and both are against Christian teachings. Communism is bad because not only do individuals in power abuse their power, but also because it violates the principle of subsidiarity. Choices should be made at the lowest level possible. The family is the first school, the first government, the first economy, etc. The government should be there to help families, not to take over parental rights. Parents have the right to choose their family size (within reason) and pass their values/faith down to their children. And Nazi Germany was bad because they wiped out all "undesirables" such as Jews and blacks, the elderly and the disabled, and forced "undesirable" people to have abortions.
Stephanie
6 months ago
:) JMJ, thank you so much for quoting the Catechism. There is much misunderstanding on this issue and many people are too far left (loving homosexuals means we should let them marry in our church) or too far right (do not hire homosexuals, serve them food, etc.). The Church has always taught that homosexual inclinations are disordered, but that does not mean they were not created in the image and likeness of God and as such deserve dignity and respect. Love the sinner, hate the sin! Far left loves both the sinner and the sin, and far right hates both the sinner and the sin. As Christians, we cannot love or endorse sin, but we can show compassion to those who are struggling with sin.
staszec
6 months ago
DLL, great response. I am consistently amazed at the hateful speech that is spouted here in the name of Catholicism. What makes you hate others so much. I was not taught hatred in the Church why were you?
:) JMJ
6 months ago
Here is an excerpt on homosexuality from the Catechism of the Catholic Church.

"Homosexuality refers to relations between men or between women who experience an exclusive or predominant sexual attraction toward persons of the same sex. It has taken a great variety of forms through the centuries and in different cultures. Its psychological genesis remains largely unexplained. Basing itself on Sacred Scripture, which presents homosexual acts as acts of grave depravity, tradition has always declared that 'homosexual acts are intrinsically disordered.' They are contrary to the natural law. They close the sexual act to the gift of life. They do not proceed from a genuine affective and sexual complementarity. Under no circumstances can they be approved.

The number of men and women who have deep-seated homosexual tendencies is not negligible. This inclination, which is objectively disordered, constitutes for most of them a trial. They must be accepted with respect, compassion, and sensitivity. Every sign of unjust discrimination in their regard should be avoided. These persons are called to fulfill God's will in their lives and, if they are Christians, to unite to the sacrifice of the Lord's Cross the difficulties they may encounter in their condition.

Homosexual persons are called to chastity. By the virtues of self-mastery that teach them inner freedom, at times by the support of disinterested friendship, by prayer and sacramental grace, they can and should gradually and resolutely approach Christian perfection." (CCC 2357-2359 pg. 625-626)

Pay attention to the last paragraph..the Catholic Church does not approve homosexuality. It said homosexuals 'are called to chastity' and should be not be 'discriminated.'
I know since this is a really long comment it seems like I am really involved in this subject but I actually am not.
I put this on here because there seems to be some confusion in the comments on the Church's view on homosexuality.
Still don't believe me that this is really from the Catechism of the Catholic Church?
Do your own research and check out this really inspirational book on the Catholic Church's real beliefs on all subjects.
I promise your spiritual life will change forever.
God Bless,
:) JMJ
abey
6 months ago
The Devil's advocate.
DLL
6 months ago
As a heterosexual that does not influence the way I choose to serve the public,so this should also be true of any homosexual/lesbian person. Only bigoted and unjust,even wicked people,would be so influenced,by their sexual preferences,unfit as a fair well meaning politician. Just pray for her success,the general public accepts her,so must we as Catholic Christians. God loves all of us and is extremely tolerant of each and everyone of us. Prayer is love for God and each one of us must pray for those we do not quite agree with for any number of reasons. Condemnation is negative and the opposite of productive meaningful prayer. Pray that she identifies herself as not just some lesbian senator but as person who relates equally,lovingly and fairly for all those people that she represents.
Fr Bill
6 months ago
A primary symptom of the mental illness defined by the International Classification of Diseases (9) as Homosexuality, is that the core of the person's personality is sexuality. Thus, the woman's sexuality will define each and every vote she makes.
vance
6 months ago
This illustrates how bad our country and our church has taken a huge hit. This senator is just another arch enemy to the church. The HHS Mandate is coming due very soon. The faithful need to brace themselves for reality. Things are about to get even uglier than they are now. The nation has degenerated to a point of no return. The Catholic Vote elected this sodomite to office as well as Obama.

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