Dear JamieofIcaria
(Good story, by the way)
You raise some really good points in your posting, and actually I agree with a lot of them. I was raised a Catholic, too, though in me it 'took', and I've done an awful lot of thinking over the years about how to reconcile the two.
In all religious debates, one has to be really careful not to simply heap on to all who believe in a particular religious system today all the unpleasant things that all who share the basic theories have done to others in the past. This form of argument is done far too much these days; in philosophy it's called the 'ad hominem' argument; X can't be true, because look what wankers A & B were who shared the same beliefs. In Catholic terms, Catholicism is bollocks because Mary Tudor of England burnt Protestants, witches were burnt in Germany, and Richard the Lionheart went on the crusades. That's the same as saying that atheism is bollocks because Stalin butchered millions of his own people; I wouldn't want to make that argument, simply because it is a weak one, in both regards. As human beings are concerned, whatever they believe, you simply can't rely on people to be sensible even with regard to their own beliefs. Human nature is fundamentally unreliable. The ad hominem argument doesn't work.
Now clearly there are many people who are both gay and who believe in God; I am one. And I have never burnt anyone, nor do I even remotely wish to do so. Especially not you (and especially if you keep on writing)
:D
In fact, (can of worms here??) I hate the whole capital punishment thing from beginning to end. It's one reason why I'm glad to live in Europe.
I can only speak for Catholic theology. You're right in saying that Catholics have no problem with a person 'being' gay. That's where (as far as I can see) we differ from fundamentalist Protestants (feel free to differ, guys; I want to learn if I'm wrong). Thus, a Catholic could never say those appalling words 'God hates fags' and still claim to be a Catholic. We believe it is what you DO that makes a difference. Hence your point, which you make very clearly.
And here's where I really do agree with you. What comes next is not articulated clearly in Catholic theology. OK, so we're gay, it's not our 'fault'. What happens if you actually dare to do something about it; i.e. have sex with another man? Ow, ow, ow!
This is not consistent. It is a clear principle in Catholic theology that what you cannot help is not your fault, and therefore is not a sin.
But how often do you hear this said?
Oh, I've gone on long enough; sorry, brothers (and interested sisters).
Lots of love.
Nick Turner