Pope’s Speech Draws Criticism from Gays
VATICAN CITY, Italy, Dec. 23 (UPI)
Gay and lesbian activists say a speech by Pope Benedict XVI comparing homosexuality to global warming was irresponsible and encouraged homophobia.
Pope Benedict, addressing the Curia, the Vatican’s central administration, Monday in an end-of-year address, said humanity needs to listen to the “language of creation” to understand God’s intent in the roles of man and woman, adding that homosexual relations are a “destruction of God’s work,” The Times of London reported.
“The tropical forests do deserve our protection. But man, as a creature, does not deserve any less,” Benedict said.
“It is more the case that we need to be saved from (Benedict’s) comments,” Rev. Sharon Ferguson, chief executive of the Lesbian and Gay Christian Movement, told The Times, describing the Pontiff’s comments as “totally irresponsible and unacceptable in any shape or form. It is comments like that that justify homophobic bullying that goes on in schools and it is comments like that that justify gay-bashing.”
Benedict’s speech has been interpreted as a denunciation of “gender theory” — the study of how sexual gender affects behavior. The church dismisses gender theory, which gay and lesbian groups hail as a key to understanding and tolerance, The Times said.
© 2008 United Press International, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
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Good for him. Someone has to stand up for traditional values just like the Bible instructs. I will change my views on this the minute a same sex couple is able to procreate naturally without any help whatsoever. Try as they might it can’t be done. It is not natural that should be so apparent by now. Anyone who thinks like this is always labeled a homophobe and a racist.
I hope more religious leaders will step forward and give him the backing he needs in this critical time.
For the record Californians were absolutely right in passing Prop 8. It is a shame it did not pass by a larger majority. I live in Florida and of course I voted for the amendment defining marraige as between one man and one woman. We need to take our country back to what the bible intended.
Sorry Susan but you do not know what you are talking about. Homosexuality is not natural? Honey, it has been naturally occurring in all species forever. It is one of the many ways that any given species controls its population growth. But that is scientific fact and I am sure that is a no-no for bible thumping neanderthals. Oh wait you probably don’t believe in neanderthals either right? And your idea that procreation is the only definition of marriage is just ridiculous. Many hetero couples do not procreate, does that mean their marriages are invalid? Gay marriage has been legal in Canada for years and nothing happened. The sky didn’t fall, God didn’t smite our sinful country.
Hang on tight to that religion of yours Susan because it is slowly eroding and will soon be a thing of the past. Humans need to evolve past this irrational need to believe in a god/toothfairy/astrology/superstition whatever.
We do need to take back the country Susan but we need to take it back from the greedy, patriarchal hands of organized religion.