Good Video On Homosexuality And The Church

My Patheos Catholic blog-pal Frank Weathers posted this video on Gay Catholic Whatnot.

Overall, it’s really good. Watch:

Some thoughts:

• First, out of what central casting office did they get the priest? Can I get one like that for my parish?
• Overall, this is truly excellent. If only for the production values. Lord deliver us from earnest Christian shlock! This is exquisitely produced, and it’s a virtue in and of itself.
• It really is good overall, faithful to the Catechism–the whole Catechism–and humanity.
• In particular, one very very important point: it doesn’t hesitate to admit that the Church has failed in many ways pastorally with homosexual person. This, I believe, is important. I do have some quibbles though.
• Firstly, at times, the video does veer a bit too close to “oh poor you” condescension. Gay people aren’t victims, or they’re not more victims than anybody else. They’re human.
• Secondly, the video seems close to endorsing, or at least uncritically repeats, dubious/pseudo-scientifical ideas about purported psychological origins of same sex attraction (my mother/father was distant, I didn’t get the same-sex attention I needed growing up and so it turned into same-sex attraction, etc.).
• More generally, not all SSA people experience the “gay lifestyle” as this addiction-like prison from which they need to be freed; many of them are quite comfortable in this lifestyle and experience no distress from their orientation. I don’t think this video will appeal to them.

But again, overall, it’s a really good effort. If only this was the baseline for catechetical efforts!