Posted by Rob (165.121.33.204) on August 14, 2002 at 20:23:22:

In Reply to: Chastity - where does affection end and sexuality begin? posted by Gerry on August 14, 2002 at 06:16:04:

Your comment:

In Baha'i, homosexuality is strictly forbidden but science is explicitly accepted. The Science of Sexuality includes that as many as 40% of homosexual men and women do not engage in intercourse, but they are homosexuals, notwithstanding that homosexuality has been now excluded as a mental illness."

Reply:

The Baha'i Faith, as with other faiths, seeks to provide moral or spiritual guidance to overcome some natural tendencies. Just because humans have a natural or mental ability and tendency to do something that comes naturally does not, in a moral context, make it spiritually correct. We see religious laws limiting to some extent all kinds of "natural acts" which human beings are prone to excercise. Sexual behavior, certain drugs, foods and drink, warfare, lying, imprisonment, etc. are all controlled by religious laws which curtail the "natural" human tendency to behave quite freely in all these catagories with no bounds.

Wile it may be "natural" for one to behave in certain ways whether from mental illness (which naturally can occur) or from a sane natural desire to follow ones "natural" tendencies, the role of religion is to control some natural tendencies so we can be freed from nature to some extent and enter a spiritual existance.

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