U.S. Bishops Have No Trouble Judging Gays

[cbayer]

http://www.religiondispatches.org/dispatches/petermontgomery/7218/u_s__bishops_have_no_trouble_judging_gays/

July 30, 2013 3:45pm
Post by PETER MONTGOMERY

Pope Francis’s informal comments about gay people – “Who am I to judge them if they’re seeking the Lord in good faith?” – have drawn a lot of attention, including a valuable context-providing analysis from Mary Hunt here on RD.

The remarks stood out because their gracious tone toward gay people is a striking departure from the rhetoric of this pope’s immediate predecessor -- so striking, in fact, that Thomas Reese, a priest and former editor of the Jesuit-published America magazine, wrote, "The pope made it clear that there is no room for homophobia either in the church or society. But if I had said what he said 24 hours before he said it, I would have been reported to the archbishop."

Advocates for LGBT equality expressed hope about what this tone might suggest. Marianne Duddy-Burke, executive director of DignityUSA, told the Washington Blade she welcomed the new tone, saying "We hope it translates into similar expressions of openness among bishops and cardinals here in the U.S. and in other countries."

Human Rights Campaign President Chad Griffin, like Duddy-Burke, recognized the potentially positive impact of the pope’s words, but said that the Church’s actions are still harmful.

Like his namesake, Francis’s humility and respect for human dignity are showing through, and the widespread positive response his words have received around the world reveals that Catholics everywhere are thirsty for change.

But as long as millions of LGBT Catholic individuals, couples and youth alike are told in churches big and small that their lives and their families are disordered and sinful because of how they are born—how God made them—then the Church is sending a deeply harmful message.

more at link

[trotsky]

1. HEL-LO!

But as long as millions of LGBT Catholic individuals, couples and youth alike are told in churches big and small that their lives and their families are disordered and sinful because of how they are born—how God made them—then the Church is sending a deeply harmful message.

YES, that is still what the pope believes! Nothing he said contradicts the core RCC belief that homosexuality is wrong and a sin. That homosexual Catholics are NOT allowed to have a committed, loving relationship with the person they love - if they are to remain Catholics.

We live in insane times when a homophobic, sexist bigot can reiterate homophobic, sexist church policy and get praised by liberals. (And the people who point out that he and his church STILL push homophobic, sexist policies are the ones who get insulted, attacked, and slapped down.)

I'm proud to be insulted and attacked by apologists because I'm on the right side of human dignity. The reaction of my GLBT friends, both here on DU and in real life, to the pope's recent pronouncement, only strengthens my convictions.

[skepticscott]

2. Bingo!

And people like the OP continue to fawn and praise the guy as if he's the world's champion for gay rights, just because he doesn't sound like as big a bigot as his predecessor. Very low bar there.

[trotsky]

4. Key words: "doesn't sound like"

His actions are the same, but his words are kinder. It's as if the bully at school is still beating you up and taking your lunch money, but says he likes your shirt before he does it. Everyone, rejoice at this positive message!

[hrmjustin]

3. I hope it signals a shift to better things.

[skepticscott]

5. Boy, is it a long way

From "hope", "signals", "shift", "better" to an unqualified "yes, this is the way things should be".

When has the Catholic Church ever seriously made progress bridging those kinds of gaps? Yeah, I know you'll say you choose to cling to foolish hopes, but when has that ever done any good with the RCC?

[hrmjustin]

6. Well then don't cling to hope then. I will continue to pray that they see the light.

[skepticscott]

7. You'd do better

to cling to foolish hopes.

[hrmjustin]

8. We shall see.

[Humanist_Activist]

9. How can homophobia have no room in a Church who has it written in its Catechism?

[cbayer]

10. Agree. They would have to change it for it to be meaningful.

[Humanist_Activist]

11. So you think the sexuality section of the Catechism of the Catholic Church is homophobic?

Then why support a Pope that quotes from and derives his attitudes and beliefs from that same document?

[cbayer]

12. Who said I support the Pope?

I have serious problems with the RCC, it's hierarchies and it's popes.

The only thing I have said is that I am glad to be seeing some things that indicate that he may be heading in a new direction.