Pope takes anti-gay marriage stance to new level

[Redfairen]

Source: Associated Press

The pope took his opposition to gay marriage to new heights Friday, denouncing what he described as people manipulating their God-given gender to suit their sexual choices — and destroying the very "essence of the human creature" in the process.

Benedict XVI made the comments in his annual Christmas speech to the Vatican bureaucracy — one of his most important speeches of the year. He dedicated it this year to promoting family values in the face of vocal campaigns in France, the United States, Britain and elsewhere to legalize same-sex marriage.

In his remarks, Benedict quoted the chief rabbi of France, Gilles Bernheim, in saying the campaign for granting gays the right to marry and adopt children was an "attack" on the traditional family made up of a father, mother and children.

"People dispute the idea that they have a nature, given to them by their bodily identity, that serves as a defining element of the human being," he said. "They deny their nature and decide that it is not something previously given to them, but that they make it for themselves."

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/pope-takes-anti-gay-marriage-stance-level-105918474.html

[mountain grammy]

1. Way to drive more Catholics away from the church!

[goclark]

18. The Catholic churches in my neighborhood

are looking hard for people to attend.

The other neighborhood churches seem to be gaining in membership.I am Methodist -- catholics are joining the church I attend.

[bluemarkers]

2. he probably still thinks the earth is the center

of the universe....

He is such a backwards, small minded, sniveling little "man" who as a catholic priest denies nature by supposedly staying a virgin - what the heck does he know about family values?? Hiding pedophiles amongst unsuspecting parishes? I don't think so.

The catholic church's opinion of itself and it's influence has grown to astronomical proportions lately. I guess they are jealous of the born again fundies who have tried to influence American politics - to disastrous results imo. Or either they see their influence shrinking and mess like this is a last ditch effort to stay relevant?

[Shadowflash]

3. Wow!

Our very 'essence' as a person and human being is derived for our reproductive organs?

I guess that makes things like churches and religion irrelevant, then, doesn't it?

[carla]

17. The Poop is wrong again.

Our nature, if such exists, derives from our ability to be what we are not, and to not be what we are. Transgenderism is a perfect example of humans being humans as befits their nature. We are the animal that chooses what we are, will be and what to do with our own history. Jean Paul Sartre, since we are including French commentators, defined human being as the for-itself. That means, roughly, that we are not what we are and are what we are not. We negate our being as history and transcend it by choosing to be other than what we are. At our heart we are a negation of what we claim to be. Silly Poop.

[socialindependocrat]

4. And "brain function" is not a defigning element, too? n/t

I think that if God had not meant for gay men to have sexual relations he would have made
penises square

and then He would have used to square peg in a round hole argument.

but since He didn't, he must have known that someday, someone would put two and two together..

[byeya]

5. Drop diplomatic relations with the Vatican!

[Joe Bacon]

32. We have no business sending an ambassador there.

As a staunch believer in separation of church and state, I don't believe we should have an ambassador there.

[logosoco]

6. What a hateful little man.

This is also an insult to anyone who chooses not to have kids.

[coldbeer]

7. You are allowed to be gay

But not allowed to be married?

[glinda]

8. Has he added those who have

gender reassignment therapy to the mix now? He is a rat bastard.

[caseymoz]

11. No, you're allowed to be gay . . .

. . . but you're not have gay sex.

[lunatica]

30. Well he's allowed to be hetero as long as he doesn't have sex

But then it's supposed to be that way for all priests, and we've seen how well that's worked out.

[caseymoz]

33. Ah, but you see, you can't hold the perfect system . . .

. . . responsible for the puny humans who always fail.

The RCC is such a racket.

[Garion_55]

9. is he aware that black people can marry white people?

which was an attack on traditional marriage too.

[caseymoz]

10. This has to be the most extreme distortion.

The argument from LGBT has been that sexual orientation is not a choice. You talk about a straw man that's utterly at odds with your opponents real POV.

As Humanae Vitae and the international, never-ending, child abuse scandals show the RCC cannot be trusted with sexual matters at all. These are guys who are either sexually twisted or who must wear a haz mat suit before going near sex. A terrible combination.

[fascisthunter]

12. and religion isn't twisting human nature? Hmmm... very interesting

see, the difference between what I just said, which I think has some truth, yet is over-the-top, is that I would never try to take that choice away from you. Even your own Lord states free will was a given choice, so if gays and lesbians choose to live out in the open, then it is their god given choice to do so... not to mention, it is NATURAL to be born gay, Bi or heterosexual. Time for old ignorant, hateful humans like you to stop trying to twist human nature into your own BS way of thinking.

[idwiyo]

13. FFS, why does anyone listen to this bigoted, misogynistic, racist, pedophile protector?

[sarcasmo]

14. F the pope.

[Jokerman]

15. Nothing like a creepy, celibate old man who thinks he's an authority on "sexual choices". n/t

[madrchsod]

16. if god did`t like gays he would`t have created them...

even god`s kid did`t think they were bad people.

is`t benie hiding out at least one child molester in his little kingdom?

[rivera]

19. This is also an insult

This is also an insult

[yardwork]

20. Hitler Youth guy said what?

[Le Taz Hot]

21. Says the ex Hitler Youth.

Preaching hate from the pulpit. Yeah, pope, in 2012, you have relevance.

[colorado_ufo]

22. There are so many contradictions and limitations with his remarks

versus history and reality! As far as "deny their nature," how is forbidding their nuns and clergy to have sex and/or marry not denying nature?

And the argument could be taken further and further - no need for me to elaborate!

[Hassin Bin Sober]

23. Fuck that nazi motherfucker.

[Hulk]

24. Fuck the pope.

I paid homage to these sleaze bag parasites for most of my life. Thank God, God...or somebody, talked me out of becoming a priest. I would have left long ago, or I would have been mentally unstable and hung myself in the basement.

Who cares what this jerk-off has to say about anything outside of his little royal palace? He can go screw himself. What a worthless piece of shit. At least Pope John Paul knew enough to keep his nose out of business that he knew NOTHING ABOUT! Fuck this idiot!

[warrant46]

37. Right On

[crim son]

25. This pope is a vile, little man.

However being a member of the Hitler Youth should not be used as a slur, given the fact that virtually all young people at the time were subjected to severe societal pressure to join the group or have their family be ostracized. My exhb's family lived through the era. His grandfather refused to let his kids join the group and consequently his business failed because the local people refused to patronize it as his refusal was considered proof that he was not supportive of the Nazis - which was true. Smart, brave man. But suppose he had allowed his kids to join. How would that be the children's fault?

There is enough to despise about the Rat without bringing up Hitler Youth.

[AntiFascist]

34. No doubt the Pope has formally renounced his membership in the Hitler Youth...

but he may not have the strength of character to abandon all of its influences.

[Occulus]

36. That really means he lied, in essence.

No shock there.

[Bjorn Against]

26. Can we officially call the Catholic Church a hate group yet?

If any secular group pushed the hate against gays that the Catolic Church pushes they would be considered a hate group, using religion to justify hate does not make it any less hateful.

[regnaD kciN]

27. What does that have to do with Jesus, Ratty?

[dflprincess]

28. I was speaking to my aunt the other night and she really surprised me

she's in her late 80s, always been active in her parish and has 12 kids so she certainly didn't ignore the birth control rules, always a Democrat, but not that liberal and fairly judgemental even about some of her own offspring.

Anyway, we got on the subject of the local Archbishop who most people seem dislike (including my other aunt who is in her 90s). Finally Auntie says to me "You know, all my life we were taught to believe the we are all made in God's image - so why is he so hateful about Gays?"

They're even losing the older Catholics on this one.

[ronnie624]

29. People who consider sexual orientation a 'choice' or a 'preference',

couldn't be very sure about their own, in my opinion. The haters are hating themselves, more than anything else.

[LeftyMom]

31. .

[MindMover]

35. Sounds like he is looking in the mirror and talking about himself ...

"People dispute the idea that they have a nature, given to them by their bodily identity, that serves as a defining element of the human being," he said. "They deny their nature and decide that it is not something previously given to them, but that they make it for themselves."

[Zorra]

38. Just another deluded authoritarian fascist bully control freak who thinks he's God, and who believes

he knows the absolute truth and tries to force his control oppression bullshit on everyone else.

It's really sad; I can't help but feel sorry for the miserable little dude.

[BigDemVoter]

39. Fuck that ridiculous EUNUCH in all his dresses, jewels, and baubles.

A sillier, more ridiculous sight, I've NEVER seen.

Every time I see that sour puss with his thin, nazi lips, and red shoes, I want to laugh.

[Politicub]

41. I hate the pope with every fiber of my being

[Politicub]

40. The nazi youth don't fall from the tree. Next he will call for tattoos for all gay people

so society can identify them.

Oh wait - that's been tried already.

If there's any upside to the ranting lunatic pope, it's that he's showing the world how out of touch he is, and how the church is ill prepared for the future.