Reply #219: legislation or the Church [View All]

[imenja]

You know that I already made it clear I am more than willing to further legislative goals. I find your outburst a bit tedious when I have already asked to be included on an email list that will inform me of pending legislation.

This thread, however, was not about legislation. It was about the Church itself. It has taken at least six posts for me get an answer on what the OP hoped to achieve. Even then it was you who answered, not he. It seems to me if his goal had been clear, he would have found a way to respond to my inquiries with something other than his views on what is wrong with my church.

Writing the Pope is likely quite pointless, for both you and me. Not because the Church views you as evil and I as somehow more elevated spiritually. Clearly that is not the case. It is pointless because Church doctrine is a result of mediation between the upper clergy and the Holy Spirit. It emanates downward, not upward from congregants. I hope that you and others do not limit your outrage to the Catholic Church. For some, this controversy is an opportunity to promote what they see as the superiority of their own religion. I only hope that you, unlike Molly Sark, have not deluded yourself into believing that the Christian Right is fundamentally a Catholic movement. It is not Catholic Churches that display signs reading "God hates fags."

As for the Pope thinking you're evil, If you insist on believing that no one is going to dissuade you from the notion. You have every opportunity to read the original statements of the Church on the subject. As reprehensible as they are, they do not denounce anyone as evil. You will be far more persuasive in bringing Catholics to your side if you represent accurately the statements of the Holy See. If you read the Persona Humana, you know quite well that the Church sees temptation itself as evil. The Curia outlines a variety of sexual transgressions, among them pre-marital sex and masturbation. Those who succumb to that temptation are not evil but sinners, as every human being is, as Christ himself was when he walked on earth. In that particular document, homosexuality is condemned with no greater force than other so-called sins in which heterosexuals engage. Evil, in fact, is mentioned in terms of the temptation of Jesus Christ himself, not homosexuals. If you choose to read that document as a statement that you are evil, it similarly condemns as evil every person who has engaged in sex outside of wedlock, had sex for a purpose other than procreation, or has masturbated. That, however, is not what the document says.

You can find additional doctrinal statements on the Vatican website as well, including the Church's statements on the proper role of clergy in politics. You will find the statements issued on homosexuality in 1986 and the widely reported 2004 condemnation of gay marriage. This will give you all the ammunition you seek to denounce the Church. You should do so, however, based on an honest reading of Church doctrine rather than second hand statements circulated through the media.
http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/documents/rc_con_cfaith_doc_19861001_homosexual-persons_en.html

You might also learn something about Catholic efforts to effect change on this matter. Gay clergy have lobbied the Pope to reconsider his statements. http://beliefnet.com/story/165/story_16572_1.html
Reverand Thomas' primary concern, however, is that the Church not take action to restrict the entrance of gay men into the priesthood, a rumor that has circulated as a result of the sex abuse scandals. My guess that this rumor will not transpire into practice, for surely Pope Benedict knows that if he excluded gay men from the clergy, the numbers of initiates would decline dramatically.
There are also Catholic organizations devoted to this and other principles of equality. http://www.mtn.org/cpcsm/about.htm

If you can dissuade yourself from the belief that Catholicism above all other religions represents an unparalleled obstacle to gay rights, you will likely find common ground with Catholics who share your concern with human rights. If, however, you persist in your message that protestantism is superior, Catholics will not respond favorably.