Conflicts Identification - Essay Example

The rules and regulations of Roman Catholic Church has made the number of churchgoers dwindle over the years, and has created identity crisis and many other ‘sins’ in the society. There is absolutely no doubt that the children of divorced parents feel alienated in Roman catholic churches because the church teachings and biblical references do not recognise divorce anywhere, whereas the society, popular culture, media, TV and cinema treat divorce as a regular norm in the society. Naturally these conflicting identifications worry the children of divorced parents because religion seems very orthodox and static, while the society, media, people have moved forward.

At the same time, in another issue of homosexuality, Roman Catholic churches have remained firmly against it as human abhorrence, whereas the western society has moved on and accepts homosexuality as one of the variations of human desire that need not bring shame like in olden days. So, once again, homosexuals as well as the society wonder about the identities of homosexuals. In a way, religion could be sending the wrong signals as an institution that is rigid, unbending, closed, old and ancient.

In addition children of second marriage find themselves in a very difficult quandary, because their parentage is not recognised by the Church. "Contracting a new union, even if it is recognised by Civil Law, adds [to the seriousness of the situation]; the remarried spouce is then in a situation of permanent adultery. If a husband, separated from his wife, approaches another woman, he is an adulterer, because he makes that woman commit adultery also," Cleave (2002, p.17). "A theological metaphor that richly describes the complex experience of children of divorce is the biblical story of the exile.

As divorced parents are swept up into rebuilding their lives, their children often feel relegated to the margins".http://www.religion-online.org/showarticle.asptitle=2169This could create psychological problems, inadequate learning capabilities and lack of focus in children. As they grow up, and come to know that they are unappreciated by the Church, this could either lead to defy the church, which under the circumstances, need not be a bad happening, or they pine for the approval of the church, which will never be found.

Returning to the topic of homosexuality, it has remained one of the burning issues in the Church, which has not been moved forward even an inch for almost centuries now. "The official hierarchical teaching of the Roman Catholic church condemns homosexual genital behaviour since its criterion for the moral use of genital sexuality is within a heterosexual marriage" Curran (2001, p.329). Many Catholic moral theologians have called for a change in the Church outlook; but till now no such change has taken place.

All this is happening, in spite of the ready knowledge that nearly 50% of the catholic priests in America are homosexual. The problem here is the belief of the church that if there is no procreation, there should never be any physical relationship. If this firm underlying principle had not been there, any kind of physical relationship should be agreeable to the church. This rigidity has created an identity crisis for the homosexuals, who could be harassed, ill-treated, discriminated, and even assaulted and for all these inhuman treatments, Church stands as a silent supporter, when it reiterates: "Every human being is called to receive a gift of divine sonship, to become a child of God by grace.

However, to receive this gift, we must reject sin, including homosexual behavior-that is, acts intended to arouse or stimulate a sexual response regarding a person of the same sex. The Catholic Church teaches that such acts are always violations of divine