▁letter ▁gave ▁instructions ▁on ▁how ▁the ▁cler gy ▁should ▁deal ▁with , ▁and ▁respond ▁to , ▁les bian , ▁gay , ▁and ▁bis ex ual ▁people . ▁Design ed ▁to ▁remove ▁any ▁ambigu ity ▁about ▁perm iss ible ▁toler ance ▁of ▁hom osex ual ▁orientation ▁resulting ▁from ▁the ▁earlier ▁Person a ▁Hum ana — and ▁prompt ed ▁by ▁the ▁growing ▁influence ▁of ▁gay - accept ing ▁groups ▁and ▁cler gy — the ▁letter ▁was ▁particularly ▁aim ed ▁at ▁the ▁church ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States . ▁ ▁It ▁aff ir med ▁the ▁position ▁that ▁while ▁hom osex ual ▁orientation ▁is ▁not ▁in ▁itself ▁a ▁sin , ▁it ▁is ▁never theless ▁a ▁t endency ▁towards ▁the ▁" m oral ▁evil " ▁of ▁hom osex ual ▁activity , ▁and ▁therefore ▁must ▁be ▁considered ▁" an ▁objective ▁dis order ". ▁ ▁The ▁letter ▁went ▁on ▁to ▁say ▁that ▁when ▁hom osex ual ▁activity ▁is ▁the ▁result ▁of ▁deliber ate ▁choice , ▁it ▁is ▁not ▁made ▁in cul p able ▁by ▁natural ▁sexual ▁orientation . ▁Furthermore , ▁the ▁letter ▁arg ues ▁that ▁this ▁natural ▁hom osex ual ▁orientation ▁is ▁" ess entially ▁self - ind ul gent " ▁since ▁hom osex ual ▁sexual ▁acts ▁are ▁not ▁pro cre ative ▁and ▁therefore ▁not ▁genu in ely ▁lov ing ▁or ▁self less . ▁ ▁The ▁letter ▁condem ned ▁physical ▁and ▁ver bal ▁violence ▁against ▁gay ▁people ▁and ▁that ▁" such ▁treatment ▁deser ves ▁condem n ation ▁from ▁the ▁Church ' s ▁past ors ▁wherever ▁it ▁occurs ." ▁At ▁the ▁same