Washington is agog with celebrations of the Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI this week. I hate to be a pooper at the papal party but...it is worth pointing out a visit by another holy man to the United States last week. Archbishop Desmond Tutu went to San Francisco to address a meeting of the International Gay and Lesbian Human Right Commission.
Compare the statements and actions of these two Christians and tell me which one more accurately reflects the generous and loving teachings of Jesus Christ:
Pope Benedict XVI:
"Although the particular inclination of the homosexual person is not a sin, it is a more or less strong tendency toward an intrinsic moral evil; and thus the inclination itself must be seen as an objective disorder. Pastoral attention should be directed toward those who have this condition, lest they be led to believe that the living-out of this orientation in homosexual activity is a morally acceptable option. It is not."
Archbishop Desmond Tutu:
"It is impossible to keep quiet when people are frequently hounded...vilified, molested and even killed as targets of homophobia...for something they did not choose-their sexual orientation." The Nobel Peace Prize recipient praised LGBT people for being "compassionate, caring, self-sacrificing and refusing to be embittered."
He spoke critically of his Church, apologizing for the way it has ostracized lesbian and gay people, and for making them feel as if God had made a mistake by creating them to be who they are.
In December, after months of being taunted, fifteen year old Lawrence King was killed in Los Angeles by a schoolmate who hated his effeminately gay way.
Two holy men. Same God. Maybe the word of the Holy Father is not the word of God. Maybe someone should tell him.
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Nazi Pope
He forgot to say "Except for Roman Catholic Priests."
Why do they dress the pope sooooooo gay?
Make up the story and the words to fit the story.
So it pains me greatly to have not only abandoned, but rejected the Catholic church because of its institutionalized discrimination of women and status as second class citizens. I would like to see one of our political leaders speak to that.
The church's handling of the sexual abuse scandal, especially here in Boston, was criminal. Has anyone asked the Pope how Cardinal Law is doing, installed in a cushy job and away from any culpability or accountability for the hurt inflicted on thousands of Catholics here in Massachussets.
Did you know that in the early 1900's a wife could not inherit her husband's property after he died? The property was taken away from widows. Thanks Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony !
As a representative of the Catholic Church, the Pope stands for some good things and some bad things--exactly what you'd expect of a person who leads a human institution. Of course a human-created institution has flaws, like a police force or a charity organization. The Church doesn't demonstrate superior leadership or insight into the human condition. To me that makes it silly to give more reverence to the Pope than the leader of any other human organization, including nations. Will Bush be going to the airport to meet Sarkozy if he visits?
Does anyone have any proof, other than their hatred of all things not themselves?
Semper fi
Semper fi
In my humble opinion, it would have been much more spiritual and appropriate for Cardinal Tutu to have been chosen as Pope, than someone who carried arms for the Third Reich. The man (why not woman?) chosen as Pope should be someone who has demonstrated by his personal behaviour that morals and ethics are more than just propaganda, to be used to justify centuries of child molestation, torture (the inquisition), homophobia, sexism, and hypocrisy. Is it not a sin by the Church itself to hide the child molesters in its midst?
Many Catholics have been and are examples of "the life well spent", I just happen to believe that this current Pope is neither saintly, nor wise, nor moral, nor compassionate. Shouldn't someone chosen to serve as Pope set by his own example the best that humans are capable of? Who would Jesus Christ have preferred to choose as a disciple, Cardinal Tutu, or Pope Benedict XVI, after listening to the comments both men have made?
Semper fi
However, each man is far more complex. In addition to his difficult views on homosexuality and abortion, Benedict is an ardent critic of the Iraq War and Occupation as well as a vigorous opponent of capital punishment and one of the globe's most vocal and powerful advocates for impoverished nations and the poor. Tutu is a rightly revered and respected cleric who helped lead his country out of darkness and into the light. He is also controversial for his statements on the holocaust and Israel and regarded by some as anti-Semitic (not a view that I share BTW).
So, which is the "real" Benedict? Which is the "real" Tutu? In my opinion, the answer in each case is "both." These are both highly intelligent and moral men whose nuanced views on the world and morality will be agreeable to some and jarring to others. Attempting to reduce either man to the Least Common Denominator of their most difficult or unpopular views is perhaps good for blog-time but not very good for understanding the truth.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XAxGbh_x92A
Tell you what, rwe. If the church is SO all fired up about the 'rights' of an unborn child over the rights of the mother, then how about the church take over all responsibility of the rearing of the child they so desperately wanted to live.
Once the 'precious babies' are born, the church wants nothing to do with them until they're old enough to molest or 'marry'...
Oh, did I go there? Yeah, I did.
Ratzinger is like a referee in monopoly game, he understands that game very thoroughly. He has played a role in exploring and refining the rules of Roman Catholic belief. His understandings help the church enforce its 'truth', all else is heresy. His understandings do not hold up in most Protestant Christian churches, Orthodox, Churches of God, let alone Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, Sikhism, and so on. As a 'monopoly referee' he has no credentials in, say, soccer.
In Catholic thinking the faithful believe the 'truth'. In the broader perspective, truth is true and need not be believed. Science is a much better approach to finding the truth than any organized religion, though the scientific method has its limitations its ideas are verifiable. The conflict between religious organizations makes it clear that 'religious truths' are often not true.
With leaders who love that wrinkled worm of underaged boys, the Catholic Church has lost whatever moral high ground it once claimed. The church is corrupt, the pope is blind, and Catholics everywhere would do well to invest in logic classes.