Vatican: criticizing the Pope = terrorism

[Phlegm]

http://www.reuters.com/article/topNews/ ... edType=RSS

"This, too, is terrorism. It's terrorism to launch attacks on the Church," it said. "It's terrorism to stoke blind and irrational rage against someone who always speaks in the name of love, love for life and love for man."

[Ganzo]

o - k

[10sun]

http://www.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUSL0211344020070502?feedType=RSS

"This, too, is terrorism. It's terrorism to launch attacks on the Church," it said. "It's terrorism to stoke blind and irrational rage against someone who always speaks in the name of love, love for life and love for man."

Well, he is Catholic.

[Tossica]

Fuck the pope.

[Lueyen]

I had a lot of respect for John Paul II, Pope Benedict XVI and the direction he is taking the Catholic Church in quite a few areas is disturbing.

[Arlos]

I would tend to agree with you about Pope Palpatine.

-Arlos

[Lueyen]

Well things like this article I take somewhat with a grain of salt since I can't really verify if the writer is skewing what was said (I wasn't able to find an English translation of the source).

He wants to reinforce and reiterate traditional teaching thats fine. For example Catholic teaching is that homosexual sex is a sin, fine you want to condemn actions thats a church's prerogative. What bothers me about this though is the Church's stance on homosexuals pursuing becoming clergy. Catholic priests and nuns take a vow of chastity, both in thought and action. If a person holds to that vow then sexual orientation should be a non issue. Basically the Church defines sin as an action, thought or deed that is offensive to God. Doctrine is pretty clear that temptation in and of it's self is not a sin, while entertaining or giving into it is. In short simply having desires for something that is sinful is not in and of it's self a sin, someone having homosexual desires is not guilty of sin unless they entertain or act upon them (agree or disagree I don't care, that's not my point). In baring homosexuals from becoming clergy, the Church is in essences indicating a belief that because of temptation alone they are somehow unfit to serve god in one of the strongest forms of devotion. I find it completely contradictory and opposite theology and doctrine.

I guess I should note that John Paul II referred to homosexuality as "objectively disordered" in his book and was not inclined to change the position on clergy either, although the reference was aimed more at homosexual marriage. While I may not agree with that he came off as far more compassionate about it then the new pope, who seems less interested in helping people deal with a proverbial cross and protecting the office of clergy and more interested in condemnation.

[Arlos]

And even if they have acted on their desire, supposedly Confession and paying the pennance the priest assigns you absolves you of your sin, does it not? Furthermore, you don't have to be a virgin to become a priest, you merely have to stay celebate AFTER you are ordained. Hell, Saint Augustine (who we've discussed before) was a noted playboy in his youth, and at one point basically said "God, Grant me chastity and continence, but not yet"...

So, that would seem to make the ban even MORE hypocritical. If temptation is not a sin, then there should be no issue. If Confession truly absolves sin, and someone holds to their vow of celibacy, then past ACTS of homosexual behavior shouldn't matter either.

Personally, I think the whole vow of celibacy thing is pretty stupid, and causes far more problems than it solves. The Anglican church seems to do OK without it, as best I know.

Anyway, I avoid the whole thing by not being Catholic any more, he can pronounce all he wants, and I can tell him to go stuff himself. Pope John Paul II was a man of peace, and truly wanted to better the lives of everyone in the world. I could respect him wholly, despite any disagreements of faith I had with him. The new pope, however, is an authoritarian arch-traditionalist who seems like he wishes we were still in the days of witch burnings and the Spanish Inquisition. I do not like him, not at all. It wouldn't surprise me if his actions resulted in the Catholic church undergoing a major schism as the diocese more in tune with the real world break away.

-Arlos