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Daleon, Miguel Philip S.

De Chavez, Lorenz Gerard S.


De Guzman, Carlos B.

10/27/15
PH 104 T
Hermida

Group Output: Aquinas & Same-sex Marriage

In Thomas Aquinas moral theory, he describes the eternal law as Gods idea of
an ordered universe, it is an ordering and directing of all humans to their highest and
proper end. Furthermore, Aquinas goes on to convey the natural law as that which
represents a rational creatures participation in the eternal law, that as rational beings
made capable of reason and free will, we not only possess the natural inclination to
know and choose, but we do so towards our own proper act and end. We are called
to recognize God as the eternal lawgiver, that through the eternal law God has dictated
that we act towards the good that leads to the flourishment of the individual, and that
through natural law, we are called to use our innate rationality to discern what is best for
us by nature and about what is ordained by God. In the question of same-sex marriage,
Aquinas views on the eternal and natural laws may prove to be in opposition to such an
issue. The act and sacrament of marriage is a means for both man and woman to reach
human perfection, to unify and welcome new life through procreation, and that through
their unification with each other and with God they are able to reach their natural and
proper end. The act of same-sex marriage not only goes against Gods ordering towards
human flourishment but also against the principles of natural law. In being unable to use
reason to discern what is ultimately good for ones self, and in failing to participate in the

eternal law that directs ones self to his/her proper end, same-sex couples who seek
finality through marriage are unable to fulfill the good to which we are naturally inclined.
The issue on same-sex marriage can be seen in different perspectives. For our
group, we see that the main intention of same-sex marriage is to allow same-sex
couples to raise a child and have a family. We see that although such an issue may go
against the achievement of a persons proper end as dictated by the eternal law and by
his own nature, we also take into consideration Aquinas teachings on the nature of the
human act. Aquinas explains how human actions cannot be morally evaluated without
looking into the intention and the circumstance of an action. The object of the act of
same-sex marriage is marriage itself or the union between two individuals; in this
aspect, the act cannot be judged as morally incorrect. He also mentions that the
intention cannot be separated from the object of the act. In our view, one cannot morally
judge the issue on same-sex marriage without seeing the intention of the same-sex
couple. If their main intention is to be able to create a family and to raise a child, its end
goal, together with the object of the act, cannot be seen as morally wrong. Lastly, we
must also look at the circumstance of the act. In this case, the marriage is between
persons of the same sex. This aspect can only be seen as negative in the eyes of
conservative religious persons. However, if we examine this in a non-religious
perspective, we can see that no real harm is done when the marriage is between
persons of the same sex; this circumstance does not corrupt the act nor the intention of
building a family.

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