Pope on the gay offensive again

The leader of the world’s largest Christian denomination has called upon Italians to oppose moves to grant a form of civil partnership to gay and lesbian couples.

The centre-left coalition government of Prime Minister Romano Prodi, elected in May, has promised some limited form of partnership legislation.

rest of the article www.pinknews.co.uk..." target="_blank" class="postlink">here

the pope is getting in over his head lately, he might want to take some caution as to who he offends next. It was pretty foolish of him to try and impose his views on the very left government of italy. His oppresive right wing storm troopers are no longer in power and italy and his word no longer carries weight.

I particularly like the part where he says "the Church was not acting politically and merely wanted to help shape social policy in Italy." someone needs to inform the pope on the definition of "acting politically"

90% of Italian are Roman Catholic, of which approximately 1/3 attend church regularly. Therefore, as the religious leader for the vast majority of Italian citizens, I would say that his personal viewpoints and opinions are perhaps more important than you realize.

It sounds to me that you are the one who is offended, not the citizens of Italy.

I'm certainly no papist being a protestant, but the guy should at least be able to have free speech to telll people what he thinks about something. As the head of the Roman Catholic Church he's the chief interpreter of that religion and since most religious people in Italy are Roman Catholic, I don't see the problem.

I wonder if the Papa can even see the hypocrisy of him telling any of his flock anything about how to run their sexual lives in view of the illegal, cover up, despicable pedophilia scandal of Priests, that continues to rock the Vatican and Catholicism in general.

Originally posted by djohnsto77
I'm certainly no papist being a protestant, but the guy should at least be able to have free speech to telll people what he thinks about something. As the head of the Roman Catholic Church he's the chief interpreter of that religion and since most religious people in Italy are Roman Catholic, I don't see the problem.

agreed.

People are forgetting a part of a free society is called freedom of religion. He and Catholics are entitled to pratice their faith and if the majority of Italy is Catholic, than i do not see the problem with his remark.

His oppresive right wing storm troopers are no longer in power and italy and his word no longer carries weight.

abit immature to use the words "storm troopers" when regarding a Germany pope eh?

[edit on 20-10-2006 by infinite]

The link to the article didn't work for me, but I have to say that I think the Pope was well within his rights to say this. I'm not Catholic, but he is the leader of that church and must be an ambassador to the world to state how they stand on homosexuality. That is his job. The bible says it's wrong and he has to stand strong for that however he can. This looks to be an article put out to intentionally get yet another minority group in an uproar about something that doesn't really affect them. Well, unless you are living in Italy and want to marry your partner, but otherwise who cares what he says? Does it say he's bribing the government to implement Catholic policy?

Anyway, it's not like the Pope even lives in Italy...Vatican City remains a sovereign state recognized by most countries with the Pope as absolute dictator.

Originally posted by djohnsto77
the Pope as absolute dictator.

i wouldn't call him a dictator djohnsto77

absolute monarch would be a nicer title.

[edit on 20-10-2006 by infinite]

By the way, pedophilia is just as common in other christian denominations as in the catholic church. Its just that people hate the catholic church, so thats all you hear about.


All I can say is.........God bless him and God bless the Catholic Church!!!

Originally posted by infinite

i wouldn't call him a dictator djohnsto77

absolute monarch would be a nicer title.

Yeah well 6 to one 1/2 dozen to the other. I agree your title sounds nicer though...anyway, he is an absolute ruler, this is from my National Geographic Desk Reference:

Vatican City (Holy See)
...
Government: The Pope, who is elected for a life term by the College of Cardinals, has absolute legislative, executive and judicial powers.

[edit on 10/20/2006 by djohnsto77]

[edit on 10/20/2006 by djohnsto77]

Originally posted by soshootme
By the way, pedophilia is just as common in other christian denominations as in the catholic church. Its just that people hate the catholic church, so thats all you hear about.

A little documentation as to your first sentence would be oh so cool.

And as to your second sentence that "people hate the Catholic church"; who and why?
Talk about painting with a broad brush...............

Originally posted by djohnsto77

Originally posted by infinite

i wouldn't call him a dictator djohnsto77

absolute monarch would be a nicer title.

Yeah well 6 to one 1/2 dozen to the other. I agree your title sounds nicer though...anyway, he is an absolute ruler, this is from my National Geographic Desk Reference:

Vatican City (Holy See)
...
Government: The Pope, who is elected for a life term by the College of Cardinals, has absolute legislative, executive and judicial powers.

[edit on 10/20/2006 by djohnsto77]

[edit on 10/20/2006 by djohnsto77]

How 'bout we settle on the term potentate?

I wasn't saying that he isn't within his rights to say something like that I was just stating that I disagree with it. and yes, 90% of Italians are roman catholic but that is the Italian people. The current government is very left leaning and will not hold the popes word at higher standards than their own policy towards gays.

I'm relatively liberal when it comes to social issues but you know if the Catholic church doesn't agree with it I mean what can I tell you. He didn't do anything wrong. He was just speaking his opinion.

I think your being a little over the top using the term "storm troopers". =/

Originally posted by Kacen

I think your being a little over the top using the term "storm troopers". =/

Well maybe, but Kacen, look into the background of EL Pappa.

He's the leader of a church with 1 billion members and he's telling his members what the church teaches. It's his job to do so. He has the right to say what he wants. People have a right to listen or to tune him out.

Well, with this, I'm reminded of Voltaire's famous quote.

"I may disagree with what you say, but I will fight for your right to say it.

I honestly would'nt fight for the ppe to have the right to be, well a
religious fanatic nutjob who spews hate, but still, he has the right
to say it.

as regarding my statement about pedophiles in other christian denominations, there was a book about it:

Pedophiles and Priests: Anatomy of a Contemporary Crisis
by Philip Jenkins

In this book he discusses anti-Catholic sentiment behing the exploitation of pedophilia in the catholic church. He also discusses that only about .02% of the Catholic priesthood has committed this crime(still unacceptable), something over the last 40 years or so, while the protestant churches contain a ghastly 2000+ cases of pedophilia EVERY YEAR.

the author is non-Catholic by the way.

I'll try to find some more, i don't have time now......gotta go see my girl

[edit on 21-10-2006 by soshootme]

Originally posted by iori_komei
religious fanatic nutjob who spews hate

excuse me?

its his religious view point and its not hate. just cause you don't believe in it, doesn't automatically make it a "hate crime"

i can think of other non-christain leaders who have said ALOT worse and no one made a thread about that and cried tears over it

Originally posted by iori_komei
religious fanatic nutjob who spews hate

He's a religious leader who is preaching to the people of his congregation exactly what the Catholic church believes. He didn't say 'go out and kill' .. he said that homosexuality is wrong in scripture and therefore in Gods eyes so don't do it.

I know you have been very open about your bisexuality Iori ... and perhaps you are upset because he is telling Catholics that the Catholic church follows scriptural teachings - specifically ROMANS - when it comes to your homo/bi - sexuality??

Seriously .. believing in the bible doesn't make somone a religious fanatic nutjob and believing that scripture says homosexuality is wrong doesn't make someone full of hate.

'Nutjob' and 'full of hate' are not what this pope is. If you want to see 'nutjobs' and 'people full of hate' then take a look at that Phelps fella' ... he goes to funerals of dead US soldiers and pickets them, holding up signs saying God hates Fags and things like that. THOSE are nutjobs full of hate.