The Ethics of Homosexuality

Homosexuality and values

Many say that one cannot be both gay and properly spiritual.  But Plato, who penned some of the loftiest prose ever written, thought differently.  Through mutual encouragement, he said, male lovers can help each other achieve insights into the essence of the good and the beautiful which are spiritual-mystical in nature.  

Seeking similar insights are people today within predominately gay spiritual communities such as the Metropolitan Community Church and Dignity, a Catholic group.  There is simply no evidence whatsoever that the religious development of the people in these associations is in any way hindered by their sexual orientation.

Others claim that homosexuality, as supposedly an extreme form of selfishness, inhibits friendship.  Yet no less than Aristotle spoke highly of the friendships established by paramours of the same sex which were based on mutual respect and well-regard, and which, Aristotle says, lead to the development of good character and virtuous living.

Is heterosexuality never wrong?

Some people assert that heterosexual relationships are always right because they are based on a procreative paradigm.  Thus a relationship could not be selfish or manipulative, as long as the genders of the people involved are male and female.  However, a cursory look at any advice column will quickly demonstrate the patent falsity of this idea.   Moreover, if the sole guarantor of the rightness of a relationship is its heterosexuality, one is hard-pressed to explain why such high rates of divorce occur among unions which are heterosexual.  

By Truthseeker

Resources

• Sexual Orientation: Gays; Lesbians; Homosexuality; Ethics: references to literature on the ethics of homosexuality, including philosophical essays.    

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