The papacy and homosexuality - a new dawn?

[Kalis]

I'm neither homosexual, nor Catholic, however this took my interest.

From the article; "...he (the pope) said:"If a person is gay and seeks God and has good will, who am I to judge him?" He also referred to the teachings of the Roman Catholic church, which say that while homosexual acts are sinful, homosexual orientation is not."

Is this a potential breakthrough in acceptance? Or just more fudging of the issue, due to the acts themselves remaining a sin?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-23489702


p.s. This isn't a thread to discuss whether it is a sin, it's whether people believe his statements will be helpful due to his influence - politics as opposed to religion.

p.p.s. I was going to try and insert a pun on popery and potpourri, but I couldn't work one in.


Edit: The BBC article has changed slightly since I started this thread, but the essence remains the same.

[v2prwsmb45yhuq3wj23vpjk]

More fudging. While this new Pope seems nice with the whole "I want to help the poor" thing, I can't help but think there are ulterior motives.

[Simulacrum]

Hasn't the papacy officially been pro-evolution, etc, for ages?

I dubt this will change anything at all, religious people don't actually give a fuck what other religious people think. They all practice their own little crazy arbitrary personal iteration of the religion, and stop caring what anybody else thinks beyond maybe their family members and closest religious authority.

[Deleted]

Trying to keep the church relevant and modern. NOW STAY AWAY FROM THOSE CHOIR BOYS.

[Deleted]

I'm neither homosexual, nor Catholic, however this took my interest.

From the article; "...he (the pope) said:"If a person is gay and seeks God and has good will, who am I to judge him?" He also referred to the teachings of the Roman Catholic church, which say that while homosexual acts are sinful, homosexual orientation is not."

Is this a potential breakthrough in acceptance? Or just more fudging of the issue, due to the acts themselves remaining a sin?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-23489702


p.s. This isn't a thread to discuss whether it is a sin, it's whether people believe his statements will be helpful due to his influence - politics as opposed to religion.

p.p.s. I was going to try and insert a pun on popery and potpourri, but I couldn't work one in.


Edit: The BBC article has changed slightly since I started this thread, but the essence remains the same.

"Homosexual acts are sinful" is what you call a breakthrough in acceptance?

[Wildtree]

I'm neither homosexual, nor Catholic, however this took my interest.

From the article; "...he (the pope) said:"If a person is gay and seeks God and has good will, who am I to judge him?" He also referred to the teachings of the Roman Catholic church, which say that while homosexual acts are sinful, homosexual orientation is not."

Is this a potential breakthrough in acceptance? Or just more fudging of the issue, due to the acts themselves remaining a sin?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-23489702


p.s. This isn't a thread to discuss whether it is a sin, it's whether people believe his statements will be helpful due to his influence - politics as opposed to religion.

p.p.s. I was going to try and insert a pun on popery and potpourri, but I couldn't work one in.


Edit: The BBC article has changed slightly since I started this thread, but the essence remains the same.

First of....
What ever the pope says, what ever the catholic church proclaims should have absolutely zero impact on politics whatsoever.
Separation of Church and State should be absolute.
Reality however teaches otherwise. The separation works cherry picked, and most political results are in fact heavily influenced by religious views.
With that said, if the pope can pull it off and open the church to a more modern view about homosexuality, then it would be a slap in the face of all the rather anti-gay militants, whose main weapon is the Bible. They'd then look incredibly stupid, even more than they already do.

[Deleted]

All he is saying is that it is ok to be gay, as long as you are celibate. I do not think that is a breakthrough at all.

[Wildtree]

"Homosexual acts are sinful" is what you call a breakthrough in acceptance?

There are more sexual acts sinful, and all of them are committed by straight people. And yet they are basically accepted, even by the church. You go to your local priest and confess your sins regularly, then you should be fine, in case of doomsday.

[Deleted]

He didnt say that in cathedra hence not out of Authority and hence its still a sin.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Papal_infallibility
Its no Dogma

[Bakis]

homosexual acts are sinful, homosexual orientation is not.

Keyphrase. Be gay - just dont kiss, hold hands, have sex or show your love.
At least he dont want to make it illegal like in Russia, oh he cant.

[Deleted]

He didnt say that in cathedra hence not out of Authority and hence its still a sin.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Papal_infallibility
Its no Dogma

So somethings he says are not true unless he says them in a certain time or place?

[Deleted]

Saying what people want to hear.

Catholics are the most sexually repressed deviants.

[Sorshen]

The papacy is basically a corporation. Of course they're trying to get along with the times.

[Bakis]

The papacy is basically a corporation. Of course they're trying to get along with the times.

Oddly enough they havent succeeded a single time ever

[Deleted]

So somethings he says are not true unless he says them in a certain time or place?

Its not 100% at least and not binding. The next Pope could take it back for example. If he had said that in cathedra that would be extraordinary i would say well go Pope

[Deleted]

Its not 100% at least and not binding.

Sounds like a get out of jail free card to me.

[Kalis]

Its not 100% at least and not binding.

We used to have this thing at school, where if you crossed your fingers when you made a promise it meant that it didn't count - so the papcy is run along similar rules by the sounds of it.

[Deleted]

"Homosexual acts are sinful" is what you call a breakthrough in acceptance?

Aren't pretty much all sexual acts other than for reproduction sins in the bible ?

- - - Updated - - -

We used to have this thing at school, where if you crossed your fingers when you made a promise it meant that it didn't count - so the papcy is run along similar rules by the sounds of it.

We're talking about a religious entity, they function with rituals and what-not.

[Butler to Baby Sloths]

So somethings he says are not true unless he says them in a certain time or place?

A comment is only infallible if he makes it "official". Otherwise it is just an opinion.

[Deleted]

It is a change, not a big one tough, a real change would be female catholic priests. (And he already made a statement that its a definite no)