Homosexuality Vs Morality

Introduction

In today's society, there exists a myriad of issues which, when discussed, tend to raise the temperature of the citizens' proverbial blood. There are a handful of topics that always seem to escalate this temperature to the boiling point among individuals who earnestly participate in discussion, debate and argument. Some examples of such delicate subjects are the death penalty, abortion, and euthanasia. An issue that has in recent years, begun to command the intensity of the foregoing, is the acceptability of homosexuality in mainstream society. Until recently, homosexuality was considered strictly taboo. If an individual was homosexual, this revelation was considered a grave secret to be kept from all family, friends, and society at large. However, it seem that society has begun to accept this lifestyle by allowing same sex couples some of the rights afforded heterosexual couples. The idea of coming out of the 'closet' has moved to the forefront of homosexual individuals when it used to be the exception. The Government of Canada has recently passed law making it illegal to discriminate against an individual's sexual preference. With this in mind, the government would then require all facets of society, including religious communities, to welcome the marriages, adoptions, and families of homosexuals as though they were in no way different from heterosexual ones. It seems unreasonable that such an authority be involved in legislating the acceptance of an identifiable group that behaves in a manner unbecoming of any moral, decent, and even moderately religious human being, when our society itself can offer no consensus on such a moral issue.

Analysis

Ethics can be defined as "the conscious reflection on our moral beliefs with the aim of improving, extending or refining those beliefs in some way." Kantian moral theory and Utilitarianism are two theories that attempt to answer the ethical nature of human beings (Plato, pp 23-189).

The Greek philosopher Aristotle defined good as something that fulfils its purpose e.g. a good tool is one which performs its function, regardless of the possible hazard, which it may present if that function is abused. The Roman Catholic tradition takes a very different view; the deontological view. Other denominations and religions, including atheists can also take this view. There are two types of deontology. The Roman Catholic tradition relies heavily on the idea of the nature of the action e.g. the main purpose of sexual intercourse is the production of children. Therefore, sexual intercourse is good as long as it produces children. Anything which prevents sexual intercourse from producing children must be bad; such as contraception and homosexuality (Michel, pp 167-43).

Another view is the Utilitarian view, which goes as far as self-sacrifice if necessary. This is a 19th century theory developed by Jeremy Bentham and John Stuart Mill. The principle behind this view is that something is good if it provides the greatest good for the greatest number. Bentham uses this in the terms of the greatest pleasure for the greatest number of people. To apply this Bentham developed a method ...