This address was given by Archbishop Silvano M. Tomasi to the United Nations. It is a must-read!
It begins very well!
"The Holy See takes this opportunity to affirm the inherent dignity and worth of all human beings, and to condemn all violence that is targeted against people because of their sexual feelings and thoughts, or sexual behaviors. "
Indeed, this cannot be said too often!
The first point of the address discusses the meaning of the phrase sexual orientation, and points out that sexual orientation refers to attractions and feelings, not behavior. The Notes section following the address proper gives places where secular organizations define sexual orientation in this way. I've provided direct links here:
PDF file of ABC of Women Workers' Rights and Gender Equality, second edition, page 167.
PDF file of Amnesty International's Crimes of Hate, Conspiracy of Silence: Torture and Ill-Treatment Based on Sexual Identity, from the preface on page 4 (unmarked, so the fourth page scrolling down).
PDF file of Asia Pacific Forum's "ACJ Report: Human Rights, Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity" (15th Annual Meeting, Bali, 3-5 August, 2010), page 8, discussed under "Terminology".
I was pleasantly surprised to see sexual orientation described this way by three respected and public organizations! We need more level-headed discussions of sexual orientation like this, discussions in which the subject is treated rationally instead of emotionally. A web site designed to help towards that goal is Bridges Across the Divide.
Archbishop Tomasi apparently includes homosexuality in the list of sexual behaviors the state can and should regulate:
"But states can, and must, regulate behaviors, including various sexual behaviors. Throughout the world, there is a consensus between societies that certain kinds of sexual behaviors must be forbidden by law. Pedophilia and incest are two examples."
I think on this point I disagree with the good archbishop and agree with C.S. Lewis, and hope the Church does, as well:
"I quite agree with you about Homosexuals: to make the thing criminal cures nothing and only creates a blackmailers' paradise. Anyway, what business is it of the State?" (From a letter Lewis wrote to Delmar Banner, dated 27 May 1960, and quoted in The Collected Letters of C.S. Lewis, Volume 3: Narnia, Cambridge, and Joy, 1950 - 1963.)
Archbishop Tomasi apparently includes homosexuality in the list of sexual behaviors the state can and should regulate:
"But states can, and must, regulate behaviors, including various sexual behaviors. Throughout the world, there is a consensus between societies that certain kinds of sexual behaviors must be forbidden by law. Pedophilia and incest are two examples."
I think on this point I disagree with the good archbishop and agree with C.S. Lewis, and hope the Church does, as well:
"I quite agree with you about Homosexuals: to make the thing criminal cures nothing and only creates a blackmailers' paradise. Anyway, what business is it of the State?" (From a letter Lewis wrote to Delmar Banner, dated 27 May 1960, and quoted in The Collected Letters of C.S. Lewis, Volume 3: Narnia, Cambridge, and Joy, 1950 - 1963.)
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