If you start off very firmly believing that same-sex romantic relationships can be normal and healthy, and you’re then trying to decide “what religious tradition should I join that makes the most sense given what I presently believe?”
I’m not sure I understand what you mean. If I already had strong reason to think that the whole of Catholicism was true, then I couldn’t just say “well, but I don’t want same-sex romance prohibited, so I’ll decide not to believe in Catholicism.” That would be fallacious reasoning. But if I start off fairly certain that there’s nothing wrong with same-sex romance but am also looking for some sort of theistic tradition that makes sense given what I already know, then Catholicism’s views on sexuality would seem to count against it.
Perhaps you could compare this issue to the “it all adds up to normality” sentiment. Even if I decide I have to abandon my old theory of gravity, my new theory better be one that has pencils falling down and not up when I drop them. Likewise, even if I have to abandon my general thoughts on theism, I had better not pick a religious tradition that conflicts with strongly held moral sentiments of which I am still reasonably confident. What’s the fallacy there?
But if I start off fairly certain that there’s nothing wrong with same-sex romance but am also looking for some sort of theistic tradition that makes sense given what I already know, then Catholicism’s views on sexuality would seem to count against it.
Depends on how strong my evidence is for this position. If it’s nothing stronger than “I can’t think of any reason why same-sex romance is bad”, then it doesn’t take much evidence for Catholicism to overcome it.
Fallacy of consequence.
I’m not sure I understand what you mean. If I already had strong reason to think that the whole of Catholicism was true, then I couldn’t just say “well, but I don’t want same-sex romance prohibited, so I’ll decide not to believe in Catholicism.” That would be fallacious reasoning. But if I start off fairly certain that there’s nothing wrong with same-sex romance but am also looking for some sort of theistic tradition that makes sense given what I already know, then Catholicism’s views on sexuality would seem to count against it.
Perhaps you could compare this issue to the “it all adds up to normality” sentiment. Even if I decide I have to abandon my old theory of gravity, my new theory better be one that has pencils falling down and not up when I drop them. Likewise, even if I have to abandon my general thoughts on theism, I had better not pick a religious tradition that conflicts with strongly held moral sentiments of which I am still reasonably confident. What’s the fallacy there?
Depends on how strong my evidence is for this position. If it’s nothing stronger than “I can’t think of any reason why same-sex romance is bad”, then it doesn’t take much evidence for Catholicism to overcome it.
Assumes meta-ethical realism in order to be a valid inference (but then, I suppose, so does Catholicism).