Father. Is there any explanation of the following written by Paul?

Romans 1:27 and the males likewise gave up natural relations with females and burned with lust for one another. Males did shameful things with males and thus received in their own persons the due penalty for their perversity.

To my mind, he is actually reporting a historical fact that, 'Males did shameful things with males and thus received in their own persons the due penalty for their perversity.'

These males were not playing tiddly-winks, but were apparently engaging in homosexual activities. There were physical consequences to the men (...'in their own persons'). Could this have been the transmission of sexually transmitted diseases? Perhaps even AIDS?

One thing we do know is that St. Paul was refering to active homosexual acts, specifically, for men, acts of sodomy. Scholars from ancient times debate what is meant precisely by the "due penalty" for their perversity. It could refer to something physical--even apart from AIDS, other diseases to include rectal cancer and physical damage to the body can occur. But beyond this, an act of sodomy is so unnatural to a man that in itself, it is a humiliation. I would say that it is so unnatural, even if consentual, it resembles a rape--against nature.

Thanks, Don

Father Echert

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