I would ask that you consider the vagueness of MGL 272, Section 34 (Crime against nature) which states: Whoever commits the abominable and detestable crime against nature, either with mankind or with a beast, shall be punished by imprisonment in the state prison for not more than twenty years. The Catholic church claims that homosexuality is "unnatural" and a crime against nature. While it is true that it runs counter to the concept of the propagation of the species, scientists, veternarians and farmers have nonetheless observed homosexual behaviour in 1,500 species of animals. As one of many species, we go through puberty and discover that we are endowed with a sexual drive that is the engine of propagation of our species and is distinctly part of our nature. Ask any 15 year old boy. There is however a large group of people (1.4 million) who practice a far greater crime against nature called clerical celibacy practiced by priests, nuns, seminarians, bishops, deacons, cardinals and the Pope. Clerical celibacy may have been motivated to stop the loss of church property through inheritance by the sons of priests over one thousand years ago. A celibate clergy is an especially good idea, because it tends to suppress any hereditary propensity toward fanaticism. The bad news is that pedophelia in the priesthood will continue until clerical celibacy ends. Ending clerical celibacy might eliminate ninety percent of pedophelia within two or three generations. Religious celibacy as a deviant sexual behaviour I know the term 'deviant sexual behaviour' usually only encompasses those who are actually engaging in sexual activity. And don't get me wrong, abstinence is fine if it is your own choice for your own reasons. But allowing an external force or influence to dissuade you from entering into any positive, healthy, fulfilling sexual relationships well into your twenties and thirties - well that is really quite unhealthy and unnatural, and is obviously deviant behaviour from the human social norm. Whilst most societies would agree that promiscuity isn't particularly constructive behaviour, trying to scare and stigmatise and shame people into total abstinence is just pernicious and malign. Yet most organised religions promote this deviency at the core of their tenet.

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