The Christian tradition has generally prohibited all sexual activities outside of sexual intercourse.
See also: History of Christianity and homosexuality and Catholic Church and HIV/AIDS It also opposes same-sex civil unions and does not bless them, although some priests and bishops have offered blessings for same-sex couples or spoken in favor of priests being able to bless them. The church opposes same-sex marriage and is active in political campaigns against it. Research conducted in the fields of social sciences and study of religion indicates that the Catholic Church's teachings on sexuality are "a major source of conflict and distress" to LGBT Catholics. In December 2019, the Pontifical Biblical Commission published a book that included an exegesis on these and other passages. The church points to several passages in the Bible as the basis for its teachings, including Genesis 19:1-11, Leviticus 18:22 and 20:13, I Corinthians 6:9, Romans 1:18-32, and I Timothy 1:10. The church also teaches that gay people "must be accepted with respect, compassion, and sensitivity", and that "every sign of unjust discrimination in their regard should be avoided." whilst holding that discrimination in marriage, employment, housing, and adoption in some circumstances can be just and "obligatory." The church teaches that gay people are called to practice chastity. Homosexuality thus constitutes a tendency towards this sin.
Sexual acts between two members of the same sex cannot meet these standards. According to the Catholic theology of sexuality, all sexual acts must be open to procreation and express the symbolism of male-female complementarity. The Catholic Church teaches that, as a person does not choose to be either homosexual or heterosexual, being gay is not inherently sinful.
Under no circumstances can they be approved." Regarding homosexuality as an orientation, the Catechism describes it as "objectively disordered." They do not proceed from a genuine affective and sexual complementarity. They close the sexual act to the gift of life.