In November 1971 a forum consisting of spokesmen for various religious groups discussed a proposal made to a high religious official. The proposal was to allow private religious celebrations of homosexual ‘marriages.’ In the discussion it was suggested that it would be appropriate “that the [homosexual] partners affirm the given pledge of faithfulness before the presence of God during the celebration and that the priest would implore God’s blessing.”

The forum included “Father” J. B. F. Gottschalk and “Reverend” A. Klamer, a well-known radio pastor. The “high religious official” was none other than Bernard Cardinal Alfrink, who reacted favorably to the suggestion. Many sincere churchgoers are extremely disturbed about this tolerance toward homosexuality. It has caused great confusion in their minds.

One way the clergy abandon and contradict the Bible is in their condoning or excusing homosexuality. For instance, in the previously mentioned forum, priest Gottschalk stated that the wrongdoing of the inhabitants of ancient Sodom was not their homosexual acts. Instead, he claimed that their wrongdoing had to do with “the fact that the law of hospitality was sinned against.” He also said in an interview with Elseviers magazine: “Homosexuality as a constitutional disposition lies completely outside the perspective of the Bible.”

In spite of the Bible’s very clear statements on this matter, the New Catechism, published in 1966 at the urging of the bishops of the Netherlands, states: “That the Holy Scriptures express themselves very severely as to genital homosexual contact must not be erroneously understood. They do not do this to denounce the fact that some people experience this aberration within themselves not due to some fault of their own.”

This weak, indulgent and Scripturally wrong attitude toward homosexuality is due directly to the critical attitude so many clergymen have toward the Bible. They have an exaggerated opinion of their own ideas, ideas which often clash, head on, with God.