Catholic Church Joins Forces Rallying Against Gay People

Hello Papamoka Bloggers - In shocking statements to the Catholic Curia, or governing body, Pope Benedict said today that "saving humanity from homosexual or transsexual behaviour was just as important as saving the rainforest from destruction." Wow! Is he serious? Homosexuals and transsexuals are a threat to humanity? That's news to me.

On a more serious note, I think he is being incredibly irresponsible, even reckless. I don't care if he's trying to protect the morality of man, or the church, the only RESULT of statements expressing hateful judgements on a whole community of people - including millions of YOUNG PEOPLE - is self-hatred and SUICIDE. Statements like that do nothing to help make the world more moral. They do nothing to heal or help. They only HURT!

If you don't agree, and you think the Pope wasn't expressing hate, then I don't think you've ever been on the receiving end of it. Trust me, those kinds of statements hurt people. They make people, especially young people, feel like they're not good enough, and that they need to be fixed somehow. There is plenty of evidence to support it. They also encourage acts of hate, or violence. This is bad, very bad. We're not talking about a disease that can be cured. We're talking about human beings who have little choice but to be who they are.

He went on to say that "[the Church] should protect man from the destruction of himself." The pope said humanity needed to "listen to the language of creation" to "understand the intended roles of man and woman." He compared behaviour beyond traditional heterosexual relations as "a destruction of God's work".

"DESTRUCTION OF GOD'S WORK? He's equating homosexuals with a destructive force. It's almost as though he's making homosexuals scapegoats for all kinds of moral problems. I'm sorry, but that's hateful. Again, this is BAD, VERY BAD!

The Catholic Church opposes homosexual acts, gay marriage, and, in October, a leading Vatican official called homosexuality "a deviation, an irregularity, a wound". I wish I could confront that Vatican official. In my opinion, he's the only wound that should be healed.

Homosexuals are not a "destructive" force, no matter what you say. There are plenty of heterosexual problems out there that are destructive that should be addressed. Why pick on a weak minority? I'm sorry, but I cannot tolerate that kind of language. I might be very spiritual and part Catholic, but I think the Pope is FULL OF BS!

He also defended the Church's right to "speak of human nature as man and woman, and ask that this order of creation be respected". I would like to say to HIS HOLINESS to LEAVE THE GAY COMMUNITY ALONE! They are often victims of extreme violence. It's a dangerous thing to call them out, to point a moral finger at them that way. It's going to lead to a world of HURT!

Stick to the teachings of Jesus. He didn't seem to have a problem with gay people. If he did, he probably would have said something. In my humble opinion your Holiness, any pain and suffering, or death, resulting from those words ARE YOUR RESPONSIBILITY, and the CHURCH'S. I would be careful what is preached from your pulpits, because the words might even lead to lawsuits.

Hasn't the church already hurt gays enough? You might represent the Catholic Church, or even God on Earth, but in my opinion you are saying things to hurt, not to help.

Michael Boh
Papamoka's Left Coast Contributor
from Our Rants & Raves Blog

American Catholics and the Pope

In my life, my Catholic faith is a foundation to live by. It isn’t by any means binding in the full teachings of the church as an American. More or less it is a standard of faith in God and Jesus Christ and how I should proceed or act in my life. It isn’t an easy faith to follow when everyone else is playing by different rules or no moral rules at all. That by no means states that I’m a jerk and the confessional gives me a pass on forgiveness. What it means to me is that I treat people with respect no matter their lot and life and when I can I offer help to all in any way that I can, I do.

From my personal perspective, I look at any kindness I show as a pay it forward sort of event. When shown kindness and compassion it is hoped that the person receiving it pays it forward to another person in their life. I don’t see the results of my actions but then again I do. Many people have touched my life when I needed it most and it isn’t important to give names because the act of caring for someone else is self rewarding. You know when you are helping someone and that warm feeling in your belly is all that you need to know that you are doing good. That is the goal that Jesus would have wanted for me as a person to follow.

As a Catholic somewhat involved in the faith I know the many good deeds that the church does for the many in need. It isn’t broadcast on the news or spoken of in the halls of government. They just do what they do and many that have been helped have come back to give help to the poor and down and out. Doing something that helps another person no matter who they are is something that is addictive and it begets more action by those helped. Helping out someone that is down and out no matter what action you take is addictive. That is something that you never need to go to meeting for to overcome this particular addiction. That is somewhat the foundation of the Catholic faith when you really think about it.

In America, the Catholic faith has been under strong attack for many misgivings and rightfully so. Pedophile Priests are not something we as Catholic’s want in our flock. It is a shame on our church and something we as members bare on our shoulders every day. When the church does not correct it with undoubtedly sound results then it is a cross the members of the faithful have to face and carry.

It is pretty clear that the years of child molestation by very mentally sick Priest’s will carry forward for many years to come. I have no sympathy for the animals and bastards that harmed children and yet as a Catholic I am supposed to forgive. Forgiveness comes far more easily when the monster disguised as Priest’s are behind bars. That is what an American Catholic thinks in the nutshell. A crime against children is a crime against the future of families. How can you raise your family as Catholic if the crimes are passed over or ignored by the people that are the leaders of the church?

I wish Pope Benedict a fruitful trip to his flock in America but he should think deep into his heart and soul and ask for the forgiveness of his lost flock. The issue of pedophile priest’s will not go away over night or for a generation or two. Shame of his flock and our church goes deep into the American spirit and festers with the neglect of the church policing itself. Where they saw a wrong doing they looked the other way and that was wrong no matter how you look at it.

In the mean time, the faithful of the church will still give and give again and again. The work of serving the poor never ends and in that respect I am proud to be a Catholic. In the numerous cases of child abuse I am somewhat ashamed to be a Catholic and that is a dilemma that many American Catholic’s face.

Pope Benedict in his visit to America can change that ideology of American Catholic’s if he has the courage to do so.

Papamoka

Cross posted at To the Center

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