Thank You, Pope Benedict!!!

Nice & Wavy

Well-Known Member
:clap: :clap:

Pope Benedict Takes Anti-Gay Marriage To New Level In Christmas Speech On Family Values
By NICOLE WINFIELD
12/21/12 06:10 PM ET EST


VATICAN CITY — The pope pressed his opposition to gay marriage Friday, denouncing what he described as people eschewing their God-given gender identities to suit their sexual choices – and destroying the very "essence of the human creature" in the process.

Benedict XVI made the comments in his annual Christmas address to the Vatican bureaucracy, one of his most important speeches of the year. He dedicated it this year to promoting traditional family values in the face of gains by same-sex marriage proponents in the U.S. and Europe and efforts to legalize gay marriage in places like France and Britain.

In his remarks, Benedict quoted the chief rabbi of France, Gilles Bernheim, in saying the campaign for granting gays the right to marry and adopt children was an "attack" on the traditional family made up of a father, mother and children. "People dispute the idea that they have a nature, given to them by their bodily identity, that serves as a defining element of the human being," he said. "They deny their nature and decide that it is not something previously given to them, but that they make it for themselves." "The manipulation of nature, which we deplore today where our environment is concerned, now becomes man's fundamental choice where he himself is concerned," he said. It was the second time in a week that Benedict has taken on the question of gay marriage, which is currently dividing France, and which scored big electoral wins in the United States last month. In his recently released annual peace message, Benedict said gay marriage, like abortion and euthanasia, was a threat to world peace. The Vatican went on a similar anti-gay marriage media blitz last month after three U.S. states approved gay marriage by popular vote. After the peace message was released last week, gay activists staged a small protest in St. Peter's Square. On Friday, gay activists sharply criticized the pope's take on gender theory and insisted that where gay marriage has been legalized, families are no worse off.

Italy's main gay rights group Arcigay called the pope's comments "absurd, dangerous and totally out of synch with reality." And a coalition of four U.S. Catholic organizations representing gay, lesbian and transgender people said the pope had an "outmoded" view of what it means to be man and woman. "Increasingly Catholics in the United States and around the world see what we see. Catholics, following their own well-formed consciences, are voting to support equal rights for LGBT people because in their churches and communities they see a far healthier, godly and realistic vision of the human family than the one offered by the pope," according to a statement from the groups Call To Action, DignityUSA, Fortunate Families, and New Ways Ministry. Church teaching holds that homosexual acts are "intrinsically disordered," though it stresses that gays should be treated with compassion and dignity. As pope and as head of the Vatican's orthodoxy watchdog before that, Benedict has been a strong enforcer of that teaching: One of the first major documents released during his pontificate said men with "deep-seated" homosexual tendencies shouldn't be ordained priests.

For the Vatican, though, the gay marriage issue goes beyond questions of homosexuality, threatening what the church considers to be the bedrock of society: a family based on a man, woman and their children. In his speech, the pope cited Bernheim as lamenting how a new philosophy of sexuality has taken hold, whereby sex and gender are "no longer a given element of nature that man has to accept and personally make sense of: it is a social role that we choose for ourselves, while in the past it was chosen for us by society." He said God had created man and woman as a specific "duality" – "an essential aspect of what being human is all about." Now, though, "Man and woman as created realities, as the nature of the human being, no longer exist. Man calls his own nature into question. From now on he is merely spirit and will."

The Vatican's opposition to gay marriage has been falling largely on deaf ears. In addition to the U.S. election gains, the Constitutional Court in largely Roman Catholic Spain upheld the law legalizing gay marriage last month. Earlier this month, the British government announced it will introduce a bill next year legalizing gay marriage, though it would ban the Church of England from conducting same-sex ceremonies. In France, President Francois Hollande has said he would enact his "marriage for everyone" plan within a year of taking office last May. The text will go to parliament next month. But the country has been divided by vocal opposition from religious leaders, prime among them Bernheim, as well as some politicians and parts of rural France. The Socialist government's plan also envisions legalizing same-sex adoptions. Benedict quoted Bernheim as denouncing the plan, saying that it would mean a child would essentially be considered an object people have a right to obtain.

"When freedom to be creative becomes the freedom to create oneself, then necessarily the Maker himself is denied and ultimately man too is stripped of his dignity as a creature of God," Benedict said.
 

Avidprayer

New Member
I'm not Catholic but this ALL THE WAY!! I appreciate the fact that he didn't give in to societal pressure and took a stand for the truth !!!
 

Nice & Wavy

Well-Known Member
I'm not Catholic but this ALL THE WAY!! I appreciate the fact that he didn't give in to societal pressure and took a stand for the truth !!!
Neither am I but I was so thrilled to see this man take a stand with this!!! The truth will always prevail!!! :clap: :clap:
 

Shimmie

"God is the Only Truth -- Period"
Staff member
Precious Wavy, did we not talk about this on the phone yesterday? 'Boeing' takes and stand and now this. Folks are rising up and taking a stand and are refusing to succomb to being pressured into sin.

And it confirms how we shared that no matter what the denomination, we all share the main belief, Jesus Christ and and we acknowledge that He rules.

Praise God and thank you so much for posting this news. I love it.

The bottomline is that 'God has rights, too' ! And how much more, His children and followers.

:bighug:
 
Last edited:

auparavant

New Member
Make note, though, this is not new...there are many encyclicals demonstrating what we uphold and believe...and that he is not attacking gay people. There's a difference between calling down hellfire and damnation against gay people (our Church doesn't believe being a homosexual is the sin...it's the act...and the condition comes from sin in the world which gives way to this disordered condition...that is a HUGE difference between what some churches throw out there in absolute anger) and discussing what we feel is Christ's admonition...in love. This is not new, though. A good place to start is the Theology of the Body and, of course, the catechism.


As far as the media reporting this "response" - not agenda of "attack" - it's just that - they see the orthodox stance and RESPONSE as a negative campaign. It is not. I find it troubling how groups that claim the catholic religion seem to have no comprehension of their "orthodox" faith at all. We are deeply committed towards human dignity for all...but it is orthodoxy. By it's very meaning, it doesn't redetermine the basic beliefs.
 
Last edited:

Nice & Wavy

Well-Known Member
Precious Wavy, did we not talk about this on the phone yesterday? 'Boeing' takes and stand and now this. Folks are rising up and taking a stand and are refusing to succomb to being pressured into sin.

And it confirms how we shared that no matter what the denomination, we all share the main belief, Jesus Christ and and we acknowledge that He rules.

Praise God and thank you so much for posting this news. I love it.

The bottomline is that 'God has rights, too' ! And how much more, His children and followers.

:bighug:
Yes we did just talk about this yesterday. It's certainly good to see! You are more than welcome, sis.

:hug2: :love2:
 

Shimmie

"God is the Only Truth -- Period"
Staff member
Make note, though, this is not new...there are many encyclicals demonstrating what we uphold and believe...and that he is not attacking gay people. There's a difference between calling down hellfire and damnation against gay people (our Church doesn't believe being a homosexual is the sin...it's the act...and the condition comes from sin in the world which gives way to this disordered condition...that is a HUGE difference between what some churches throw out there in absolute anger) and discussing what we feel is Christ's admonition...in love. This is not new, though. A good place to start is the Theology of the Body and, of course, the catechism.


As far as the media reporting this "response" - not agenda of "attack" - it's just that - they see the orthodox stance and RESPONSE as a negative campaign. It is not. I find it troubling how groups that claim the catholic religion seem to have no comprehension of their "orthodox" faith at all. We are deeply committed towards human dignity for all...but it is orthodoxy. By it's very meaning, it doesn't redetermine the basic beliefs.

I just want to be clear that no one here is 'attacking' gays. It's never been that way. :nono:
 

auparavant

New Member
I just want to be clear that no one here is 'attacking' gays. It's never been that way. :nono:

I think you misunderstood my post....:perplexed Talking in generals and technique of response. Oftentimes, out there...it's that people begin to chime in on hell and damnation. That's not the catholic approach out of respect for another's human dignity. I know some might feel we are scared of offending. Well, there is never any reason to offend nor cast judgment as He is sufficient judge of all. I'm speaking on so many preachers/churches that have a very angry approach to the subject of homosexuality, which those LBGT groups and the media pick up on. Then when there is a calm response, people are still attacked as casting the first "assault." Folks are calling the catholic position a "holy war." I don't remember seeing any swords and helmuts being stocked up in the presbytery or anything. :giggle:
 
Last edited:

Shimmie

"God is the Only Truth -- Period"
Staff member
I think you misunderstood my post....:perplexed Talking in generals and technique of response. Oftentimes, out there...it's that people begin to chime in on hell and damnation. That's not the catholic approach out of respect for another's human dignity. I know some might feel we are scared of offending. Well, there is never any reason to offend nor cast judgment as He is sufficient judge of all. I'm speaking on so many preachers/churches that have a very angry approach to the subject of homosexuality, which those LBGT groups and the media pick up on. Then when there is a calm response, people are still attacked as casting the first "assault." Folks are calling the catholic position a "holy war." I don't remember seeing any swords and helmuts being stocked up in the presbytery or anything. :giggle:

I understand. :yep: I just wanted to put 'out there' that no one here is attacking gays. No matter how loving one truly is towards gays, if 'they' disagree with gay marriage, the love is ignored, on purpose, by the gay agenda and those who support it.

That's because they are fearful of admitting the love; for if they do, it weakens their arsenal (which is weak in the first place, for God's blessing is not upon it.)

Merry Christmas Aupar... to you and your beautiful children.

Love,
Shimmie
 

Avidprayer

New Member
I understand. :yep: I just wanted to put 'out there' that no one here is attacking gays. No matter how loving one truly is towards gays, if 'they' disagree with gay marriage, the love is ignored, on purpose, by the gay agenda and those who support it.

That's because they are fearful of admitting the love; for if they do, it weakens their arsenal (which is weak in the first place, for God's blessing is not upon it.)

Merry Christmas Aupar... to you and your beautiful children.

Love,
Shimmie

At the bolded, I agree wholeheartedly. I cannot tell you how many times I've had to shake my head because everyone who doesn't agree with/ support that lifestyle is labeled as 'homophobic.' Quite frankly I'm tired of being labeled as such when it couldn't be further from the truth as I am not afraid of homosexuality, I'm aware that it does not line up with the Word of God which then means that I don't agree with it.
 

Shimmie

"God is the Only Truth -- Period"
Staff member
At the bolded, I agree wholeheartedly. I cannot tell you how many times I've had to shake my head because everyone who doesn't agree with/ support that lifestyle is labeled as 'homophobic.' Quite frankly I'm tired of being labeled as such when it couldn't be further from the truth as I am not afraid of homosexuality, I'm aware that it does not line up with the Word of God which then means that I don't agree with it.

I hear you, Avidprayer... and :welcome3:

Those few words are all they have, and it's not backed by life. Their words show what lives in their hearts; each time they speak those words, it is from the abundance of their hearts which reveals what's going on inside of them...which is a negative mindset, unwilling to 'see' and except the truth and the love that God truly has for them...
 
Top