Newsflash: Studies are proving what nature has known all along.
The female body and the male body are designed to operate sexually in union with each other.
Homosexual activity defies the innate design of the human body. As studies are proving, such unnatural sexual acts lead to devastating physical, mental, and emotional wreckage.
Heterosexual, married unions turn out to be the healthiest relationships in which couples are most happy, and children are provided the best opportunities for success.
For all of time, humans of virtually every race, creed, and culture have recognized the necessity for monogamous, heterosexual marriages within their communities. Indeed, recognizing and desiring such as marriage remains innate to human existence.
SAINT THOMAS AQUINAS ON MARRIAGE AS A MEANS OF PERFECTION
Universal Doctor of the Catholic Church, Saint Thomas Aquinas says nature “inclines” us humans to appreciate the necessity of marriage in two, important, and distinct ways:
(1) Marriage, as with anything written into our human nature, serves as a means of perfection for each individual; and
(2) Marriage, whose understanding is commonly inherited to all, functions as “necessary” for society to function perfectly.
Here is a quote from him in the Supplement to the Summa Theologica:
“I answer that, Nature inclines to a thing in two ways. In one way as to that which is necessary for the perfection of the individual, and such an obligation is binding on each one, since natural perfections are common to all.
“In another way it inclines to that which is necessary for the perfection of the community; and since there are many things of this kind, one of which hinders another, such an inclination does not bind each man by way of precept; else each man would be bound to husbandry and building and to such offices as are necessary to the human community; but the inclination of nature is satisfied by the accomplishment of those various offices by various individuals.
“Accordingly, since the perfection of the human community requires that some should devote themselves to the contemplative life to which marriage is a very great obstacle, the natural inclination to marriage is not binding by way of precept even according to the philosophers. Hence Theophrastus proves that it is not advisable for a wise man to marry, as Jerome relates (Contra Jovin. i)” (Suppl. q. 41, A 2, co.).
UNPACKING THOMAS AQUINAS’ QUOTE
As I understand this, Saint Thomas isn’t even making an argument, necessarily. He merely points out what is obvious to everyone. Our human nature causes certain inclinations to be held by everyone.
Take for instance the desire to do good and to avoid evil, which Saint Thomas says is the first natural good shared by all people. All humans also share a desire to preserve their lives and to avoid death. These predispositions are built into the design of the human person. Saint Thomas points out that marriage is one of these aspects of nature that every person shares as recognizing as valuable.
Saint Thomas emphasizes that to act in accordance with nature is the only means to obtain perfection. To defy human nature is to deny reality. It leads to destruction.
For example, people are not meant to fall from tall heights, survive underwater without aid, or eat only junk food for every meal. Such activities defy human nature and each ends destructively, or even fatally for the individual.
To thumb one’s nose at nature, to rebel against it, and to choose homosexual relations also ends destructively for the individual.
ONE MORE SAINT THOMAS MORSEL OF TRUTH
On the question of whether matrimony remains a part of natural law, the Universal Doctor answers in the affirmative (Suppl. q. 41, A 1, co.).
He observes that nature inclines mankind to recognize and promote marriage for two important reasons:
(1) “Nature intends not only the begetting of offspring, but also its education and development until it reach the perfect state of man as man, and that is the state of virtue. Hence, according to the Philosopher (Aristotle) (Ethic. viii, 11,12), we derive three things from our parents, namely ‘existence,’ ‘nourishment,’ and ‘education.’
“Now a child cannot be brought up and instructed unless it have certain and definite parents, and this would not be the case unless there were a tie between the man and a definite woman and it is in this that matrimony consists;” and
(2) Nature intends mankind to live in community. Men and women are not self-sufficient, so they must depend on one another. So it goes that some duties for civil society fall to men and others to women, in harmony, in complementary, if you will.
In other words generally speaking, men need women to take care of things around the house and to nurture the children. Women need men to provide food on the table and safety and security in the home. Everyone has a role. When everyone does their part, things function smoothly—“perfection” is obtained.
UNWRAPPING SAINT THOMAS ONCE MORE
What the 13th-Century philosopher and theologian says here is that all people recognize the uniqueness of children. Where a new life wasn’t, one comes. Every society has had to form itself around the possibility of children.
Nature inclines mankind to recognize the value of having children and the desire to do so.
Children should not only be born, but there remains the proclivity to raise them, to educate them so that they will become virtuous. With such a sound upbringing, these children become contributors to society.
St Thomas Aquinas, man-genius.
This raising of the next generation occurs best in a heterosexual, monogamous, lifelong marriage. This is the relationship that produces the most children and the children with the most virtue and advantages to make for healthier lifestyles that contribute more to society.
As seen in the first quote from the Angelic Doctor, it behooves society to have its children raised by parents in “traditional” marriages. Since such children turn out better, on average, nature inclines all people to preserve and to promote such an arrangement.
In other words, nature predisposes mankind to make policy what serves the greatest good in community. Homosexuality, especially homosexual couples adopting or artificially creating children, do not serve this greater good and are actually doing a disservice to society.
WHAT THE EVIDENCE SHOWS
Here are recent studies to confirm what remains written on human nature, shared by everyone.
As Ben Johnson recently pointed out, the homosexual lifestyle shaves 20 (twenty) years off life expectancy.
Gay men are 44 times as likely to carry HIV than heterosexual men.
A study of gay and bisexuals found that 19.2% had suffered physical violence from their partner(s). The same study reports 18.5% had been raped by their partner(s). As well, 20.6% experienced verbal abuse from their partner(s), the study registered.
Homosexuals are more than twice as likely to seek treatment for mental health conditions, as well as for substance abuse.
Before you blame all this on societal rejection of the homosexual lifestyle as the reason for their depression, look at Dr. Delaney Skerett’s research that found that romantic relationship woes serve as the primary cause of suicide among the LGBT community.
When the homosexual sexual lifestyle remains so unhealthy, why is it being enshrined by our legal system? Laws and the judicial system exist to improve society, serving our natural inclination to act in ways that serve the good of society, as Saint Thomas observes. Homosexuality does not serve the greater good.
Those studies and many more show how harmful the homosexual lifestyle remains for the individual. The evidence for the harmful effects it has on society as a whole, namely children, is evidenced below.
Mark Regnerus, from the University of Texas at Austin, conducted a study of children raised by homosexual parents (1).
He surveyed nearly 3,000 people. Of which, 175 claimed their mother had a same-sex relationship while they were growing up, while 73 had a father do the same.
The Family Research Council summarized Regnerus’ findings.
When compared to those raised by heterosexual parents, children raised by homosexual parents found that they are more likely to
a. Have received welfare
b. Attain lower educational levels
c. Feel less secure over family of origin
d. Maintain more ongoing “negative impact” from family of origin
e. Higher rates of depression
f. Higher rates of arrest, and
g. If female, a greater number of sexual partners—both male and female
And that is just a sampling of Regnerus’ findings. You can purchase the study here.
IN CONCLUSION
I know this is a politically incorrect thing to point out, but I must do it anyway.
So long as our society continues to deny reality, and persists in defying nature, destruction will remain the course. Homosexuality continues to be an unnatural, and therefore unhealthy lifestyle. It harms both the individual, as well as society as a whole.
I realize it will take a lot of effort and a lot of prayer to turn back the tide. But just because something is difficult does not mean it should be left untried.
YOUR TURN
What do you make of Saint Thomas Aquinas’ observations of natural law and marriage?
What are your thoughts, after reading this post?
Please, sound off below, and please keep it cordial. Thanks!
1. Mark Regnerus, “How different are the adult children of parents who have same-sex relationships? Findings from the New Family Structures Study,” Social Science Research Vol 41, Issue 4 (July 2012), pg. 752-770; found online here: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0049089X12000610
