No, I'm not reading between the lines with that headline. In this report from Bloomberg.com, Pope Benedict XVI, speaking at the John Paul II Pontifical Institute, said, "Only the foundation of complete and irrevocable love between man and woman is capable of forming the basis of a society that becomes the home of all men.....''
He added, "confusing marriage with other types of weak love'' should be avoided.
Weak love?!
I bet Apostle Dale and Garrey, partners for 19 years, would be shocked to know their love is weak. With crap like that spouted by one of the most (if not the most) influential religious leaders in the world, it HAS to be strong to survive. Without the legal protections afforded couples like me and my wife Brenda, it CAN'T be weak and last.
I wonder how the Pontiff would classify Brittney Spears' marriage to her friend Jason Alexander. It may have only lasted 55 hours before it was annulled, but since they were a man and a woman and did get married, at least they didn't have the type of weak love that he warned us against.
People who don't know what they are talking about should just keep quiet, even if they are supposed to be "infalible" like the Pope.
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I don't know why people think it is okay to hurt gay people. We're just people, afterall. I think maybe the heterosexual community basically needs someone to pick on, and we just happen to be handy.
ReplyDeleteTo me, myself, and i
ReplyDeleteIt must feel that way sometimes and sometimes it seems like humans just need someone to hate, but it doesn't have to be that way. There are many heterosexuals who do care about the rights of all people.
As to the Pope's comments. . . they just reinforce my many reasons for leaving the church.
Technically, the Pope's infallibility only extends to statements that are made "ex cathedra," and not to his existence as a human being or his decrees that aren't made expressly from the chair of St. Peter.
ReplyDeleteHe isn't really saying this with any manner of infallibility as the term relates to its proper theological context (which means this statement can be, and IS, a very disagreeable one), and thus it's subject to debate, as it's not dogmatically central to the Catholic Faith. Of course, that doesn't keep the statement from carrying an oppressive weight, as the Pope is obviously a man comfortably invested in and with the full authority of the church, in -or-exclusive to infallibility.
If anything, at the very least, I'm thankful for the recognition of homosexual love as love at all, regardless of comments concerning its quality or character, rather than mere hedonistic pleasure exclusive of genuine relationships. Here's for hoping the Church finally leaps out of the 13th century, and into the 14th or so ;)
sure, and the pope, single and celibate, is an expert on these matters?
ReplyDeleteI am a straight person who is very new to many of the ideas of the GLBT community. Along with this, I am what many would call a Christian because of my beliefs. When reading people's response to the Pope's comments, my heart is broken. The thing is, the church has failed miserably in sharing the true message of Christ. Please, please, please, do not let the bigotry and hatefulness of those that picket against homosexuality and scream from street corners under the name of religion convince you that their message is the message of Christ; because it is certainly not. Christ taught love and service above everything else. He became angry at the people who judged others. (Pharisees) If anybody has not heard this, please let me apoligize for the church because of our actions. Let me apologize for the hatefulness and misunderstanding that has come from the church and has been associated with Christianity because that's not what it is about. Although I might not necessarily agree with a gay lifestyle, I find it easy to love and serve anyone who would agree. I don't understand many things about the GLBT community, but I'm learning. There are many people just like me who want to fight for you; maybe not for the lifestyle but for respect. And I think that's important. The fact is, we have all sinned, but that doesn't make Jesus love any of us more or less. The point of this is this: Don't let ignorance on the church's part affect your view of Jesus. Please.
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