A Constant Back and Forth Between Santorum and Homosexuals

Rick Santorum, a Republican presidential candidate joined the CNN show, Piers Morgan Tonight in August 2011 and discussed Santorum's opposing view on homosexuality. Santorum shared his political views and because of Morgan's persistent request on his religious views, he shared his personal beliefs as well. Morgan believed Santorum's beliefs to be "bordering bigotry."

Santorum, a traditional Catholic has been overt in his belief against homosexuality. He opposes same-sex marriage and parenting. He had voted for the 2006 Constitutional Amendment to define marriage between one man and one woman. He also advocated for the reinstatement of the U.S. military policy, “Dont Ask, Don’t Tell,” which ended in 2011. Not only did the homosexual community criticize Santorum’s particular point of view, they also defended their progressive biblical beliefs.

Santorum clearly stated in an interview with AP that he is not against homosexuals but the act. 

The issue of homosexuality being or not being a sin has also been brought up to Santorum several times, one of which in the same Piers Morgan interview.

“The Catholic church teaches that homosexuality is a sin. I’m a Catholic and I subscribe to the church’s teaching,” said Santorum to Morgan.

However, not all traditional churches, such as the Catholic church hold this belief.

Reverend Boon Lin Ngeo, better known as O. Young is the first homosexual to come out of the closet in his home country of Malaysia. Currently, he is a reverend of Metropolitan Community Church of New York (MCCNY) - a church open to the LGBT community. He explains how many traditional Christians have changed their view on homosexuality.

“Even today, there are still many traditional Christian churches see homosexuality as a sin, but of course many have changed their position, some of them no longer see homosexuality as a problem, but homosexual behaviors are,” said O.Young in an email.

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Although Santorum grew up as a Roman Catholic, an example of a more progressive church is a church of Francis Xavier, located nearby Union Square.

“There are many inclusive, welcoming, gay-friendly congregations in mainline Protestant denominations - and even among Roman Catholics, like nearby [Church of Saint] Francis Xavier,” said Mark Larrimore, a Lang Associate Professor of Religious Studies.

Santorum also believes that same-sex marriage should be prohibited. According to an CNS News interview with the editor-in-chief Terry Jefferey in January 2011, Santorum believes it to be “common sense” that marriage is between a man and a woman and that it is a violation of the natural law.

However, the homosexual community believes that there is no such thing as a traditional marriage. 

According to a NYTimes column called “The Marriage Ideal” written by Ross Douthat, he wrote that a marriage between a man and woman might not always be considered as the norm.

“Given the prevalence of modern and ancient examples of family arrangements based on polygamy, communal child-rearing, the use of concubines and mistresses and the commonality of prostitution, heterosexual monogamy can be considered "unnatural” in evolutionary terms,” wrote Douthat.

In the same Piers Morgan interview, Santorum shared some of his personal beliefs on truth, particularly on homosexuality. He states that since the truth is what the church, Bible, and reasons teaches, this point of view is “legitimate.”

“I don’t think the truth changes. I don't think right and wrong change based on the different eras of time. There are some truths that are in fact eternal and are truth based on nature and nature’s law,” stated Santorum to Morgan.

Conservation and progressive Christians particularly defend their perspective views when referring to certain Bible passages, such as Leviticus 18:22, Romans 1:26-27, and so on. However, they have different interpretations, whether it is literal or in context with modern society.

The New International Version of Leviticus 18:22 states, "Do not have sexual relations with a man as one does with a woman; that is detestable."

“We [MCCNY] believe that the Bible which was written more than 2,000 years ago, does not say anything about homosexuality. The reason is that homosexuality as a sexual orientation is a contemporary concept. The word ‘homosexuality’ was coined in the late 19th century. Thus, the writers of the Bible simply didn't have the concept of homosexuality,” said O.Young.

However, the traditional Christian literally interprets such biblical texts.