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eridani

(51,907 posts)
Thu Mar 6, 2014, 07:14 AM Mar 2014

Pope Francis Suggests Support for Civil Unions

In developoed countries, the culture wars are over and our side won. In the rest of the world, the values based on genocidal mass murder that have been in force for 5000 years still hold sway, and it's going to take more than a papal pronouncement to change that.

http://readersupportednews.org/news-section2/336-161/22402-pope-francis-suggests-support-for-civil-unions

In an interview published Wednesday, Pope Francis appeared to support governments that recognize civil unions to provide non-traditional couples with access to benefits:

On the question of marriage and civil unions, the Pope reaffirmed that "marriage is between a man and a woman".?States seek to justify civil unions "to regularize different situations of living together," pushed by the need to regularize the economic aspects between people, such as, for example, to ensure health care, he said.?"We have to look at the different cases and evaluate them in their variety".
Over the last year, Francis has nudged the church in a more welcoming direction on issues like contraception, divorce, and marriage equality. Unlike Francis' predecessor, Pope Benedict XVI - who sermonized that same-sex marriage is a "serious harm to justice and peace," and a "manipulation of nature" - Francis has directed the church to become more inclusive. He has also instructed American Bishops to poll how everyday Catholics view same-sex marriage, divorce, and contraception. Last year, Francis himself welcomed gays priests, arguing, "who am I to judge?" Before becoming the Pope, Francis may have supported civil unions as an Argentina archbishop, though he was simultaneously condemning marriage equality as a product of the "father of lies" that was "destructive to the plan of God" and that would "gravely harm the family." The Vatican continues to oppose same-sex unions and has had to deny past reports of Francis' support as "paradoxical" and a "manipulation" of his words.

Francis also discussed plans to revisit the church's position on birth control, saying "it is a matter of going into the issue in depth and bringing it about that the pastoral practice takes account of situations and of what is possible for persons."

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Pope Francis Suggests Support for Civil Unions (Original Post) eridani Mar 2014 OP
This isn't a really different stance Goblinmonger Mar 2014 #1
yeah, the West has nothing to do with genocide and mass murder! MisterP Mar 2014 #2
Well, it's a small but possibly significant step. cbayer Mar 2014 #3
What will have a more immediate and lasting effect... trotsky Mar 2014 #4
 

Goblinmonger

(22,340 posts)
1. This isn't a really different stance
Thu Mar 6, 2014, 11:10 AM
Mar 2014
Pope Benedict XVI - who sermonized that same-sex marriage is a "serious harm to justice and peace," and a "manipulation of nature"


the Pope reaffirmed that "marriage is between a man and a woman".?


Does he think that those in a same sex "civil union" are going to hell? Can they get sacraments in the church if they haven't been married and are living in homosexual sin? It's the same old same old. But how gracious of him to say that governments don't have to follow the laws of the church. I guess that's a minor change in attitude.

cbayer

(146,218 posts)
3. Well, it's a small but possibly significant step.
Thu Mar 6, 2014, 05:26 PM
Mar 2014

I'm not sure we can expect much more or for things to go much faster.

trotsky

(49,533 posts)
4. What will have a more immediate and lasting effect...
Thu Mar 6, 2014, 05:45 PM
Mar 2014

is to see to it that he and his church have less influence over the secular laws of all countries. They can make whatever rules they want for the members of their church - but they need to butt the hell out of everyone else's business.

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