Homosexual's Religious Status to Be Examined

By Alma Kaufman

Religion Editor

If you want some enlightenment on the religious view of homosexuality tune in on Tom Haley's pretaped "Sunday Dialogue” tomorrow noon on TV Channel 3.

Does homosexuali-

ty separate the individual from God?

"If he is unable to control it, "no," responded the Rev. Ernest C. Hepner of St. Mary Catholic Seminary.

"So long as it's an illness he's all right," said the seminary professor. "When it's a lifestyle, then he's got a problem.

Miss Kaufman

"The modern homosexual would resent the fact that his behavior is considered immoral,” pointed out Rabbi Philip Horowitz, spiritual leader of Brith Emeth Congregation and faculty member at John Carroll University.

"When psychologists had us convinced homosexuals were an aberration we were all very comfortable,” said the rabbi.

He advised evaluation of "the many hangups in ancient days" in interpreting religious writing on the subject.

Jewish scripture has a very definite statement against homosexual relations between males, but leaves woman free to indulge, said Rabbi Horowitz.

In an interview after the taping he

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said the homosexual prohibition can probably be attributed to the fact that those who wrote about it considered it part of pagan idolatry.

The writers were just as vituperative about the woman who was a religious harlot in the pagan temples, the rabbi said.

"Their point of departure was, ‘is this or is it not pagan?" he said.

His own view is that what happens in privacy between two consenting adults is nobody's business.

"But society frowns on what two people do in privacy," reminded host Tom Haley.

"Then society has a problem,” retorted Rabbi Horowitz.

He said most of his knowledge of homosexuality has been received across the counseling table.

He described the experience of a bisexual young man who fell in love with a young woman and asked for counsel before marrying her. Following the rabbi's advice, the man told her about his problem. She decided to marry him anyway.

"When he has a great artistic success he cannot respond to her. He just floats off 'with a homosexual friend.'

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The young man agonizes over his behavior but has been unable to change it. His wife apparently is able to understand.

"They've made themselves a beautiful marriage," related the rabbi. He criticized the cruelty of "what we do to homosexuals."