This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2012, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Given the Catholic Church's stance on homosexuality, Dean Spencer doesn't think it treats gays with dignity ("Catholic 'dignity,'" Forum, Nov. 18). Gay men or women are treated with respect and dignity.
The Catholic Church teaches that all people with that sexual orientation are called to be dedicated and participating followers of Christ. If you are married, single or have taken solemn vows, you are obliged to stay close to God at all times, having the Ten Commandments as one's trajectory. The relativism Spencer promotes is not an option.
Intrinsically evil acts are never anything but evil: abortion, homosexual marriage, human cloning, stem cell research and euthanasia. These things will never be approved by the Catholic Church.
Also, the church will never approve of artificial birth control. It is not 100 percent effective; pregnancies do occur, and then developing babies are chemically or physically aborted. It is incalculable how many babies are killed by the pill and intrauterine devices.
Throwing darts at the Catholic Church may help one vent, but the church will never morph into the popular views of the day.
Spencer should read an unbiased treatment of the Middle Ages; he will be surprised.
William Archuleta
Salt Lake City