 There he declared that homosexual intercourse is performed by a choice of the will, unlike homosexual orientation which he acknowledged is not a matter of free choice.The church has also been politically active to oppose gay rights movements in the civil sphere.Beginning in the 1970s, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops taught that gays "should have an active role in the Christian community" and have called on "all Christians and citizens of good will to confront their own fears about homosexuality and to curb the humor and discrimination that offend homosexual persons.