A mean spirited midieval thinking shit of a dope who should be deposed and/or ignored by his sheep like followers.
Pope Benedict XVI has said that saving humanity from homosexual or transsexual behaviour is just as important as saving the rainforest from destruction.He explained that defending God's creation is not limited to saving the environment, but also protecting man from self-destruction.
The pope was delivering his end-of-year address to senior Vatican staff.
His words, later released to the media, emphasised his total rejection of gender theory.
This is why we have a war on Christmas.
Humanities & Social Science
Comments
There's a saying about politicians that anyone who wants the job is automatically unfit for it. How much worse does it have to be when the job entails people believing you're infallible?
Posted by: Stephanie Z | December 23, 2008 12:35 AM
Greg, that should be: medieval, not midieval...
Posted by: biopunk | December 23, 2008 12:37 AM
Shorter Pope Benny XVI: Teh Gay is BAD!!!
Why do people even pay attention to this anachronistic fuddy-duddy?
Posted by: Miguel | December 23, 2008 1:19 AM
Did he mention anything about people who don't want or can't have children? Are we a threat to humanity too?...
Posted by: Gerald | December 23, 2008 3:19 AM
They pay attention to this anachronistic fuddy-duddy because they were likely raised in a religion that includes (among a wide range of other stuff) the idea that attention & great respect must be paid to him. If you go along with the rest of what you were told, more or less, why wouldn't you also go along with listening to the Pope, more or less?
Not that most Catholics "hear & obey" exactly as the RCC would like them to -- but (as a former Catholic myself) I remember the urge to treat his words with extreme respect was very difficult to shake, even though I may have disagreed profoundly with what he was expressing.
Posted by: Rob W | December 23, 2008 5:04 AM
This is one of those days when I'm especially proud to be an ex-Catholic.
Posted by: Paul | December 23, 2008 5:53 AM
When a bloke wearing a white frock starts lecturing about gender theory my response is "OOh, get her!"
Posted by: Wallace Turner | December 23, 2008 7:53 AM
I'm pretty sure that if we destroyed the environment, we'd destroy ourselves, too. I'd love to see Popatine's evidence that homosexuality is destructive, but of course he's just cherry picking his book of bronze age myths. BTW, the Benedictine nuns go up against the Pope over issues of women's rights, and I wouldn't be surprised if they ignored this either. How can they be Catholic nuns and not believe the Pope is infallible? An ex-nun told me she was attracted to the lifestyle - she went to summer camp hosted by the nuns, and enjoyed the music and charity work. If you concentrate on the fun stuff you're doing, you can ignore some of the wacky stuff you're supposed to believe.
Posted by: Jackal | December 23, 2008 8:07 AM
Come now, why see the differences and drive a wedge? We can work with the Pope on Global Warming. That is what matters; "we can disagree without being disagreeable, and then focus on those things that we hold in common". Never mind while doing the latter those we are working with are using these successes to undermine the rights of our fellow citizens. The frame of togetherness is needed don't you know. Those in position of authority must be allowed to speak if we are to overcome the threat of climate change. Don't oppress them by quibbling over civil rights of those who do not hold significant sway in our society. The concerns of these others are not as important as coming together as people.
(please read with a sarcastic/cynical view)
Posted by: ponderingfool | December 23, 2008 8:10 AM
The pope would have more credence talking about sexual deviance if he'd done more to stop pedophile priests rather than protecting them. There's a good argument to be made that he should be arrested under RICO laws if he ever sets foot in the US. Canada has laws about conspiracy and sex tourism, we could make a case against him too, I think.
But really, that's not going to happen. Pity.
Posted by: Brad | December 23, 2008 9:32 AM
@ Miguel
Because it advances the cause of gay rights in this country, and around the world. When someone old, out of touch, and (obviously to me) closeted says something willfully ignorant about decent human beings, it helps drive down their numbers and their collection plate offerings. This is a good thing.Posted by: Paul Lundgren | December 23, 2008 10:36 AM
There is a comedian (I forget his name) who has a song, with this line playing a prominent part:
"He used to be little Johnny Ratzinger, but now he's Ben-A-Dict to all of us."
Saying it reinforces the point.
Posted by: dean | December 23, 2008 11:00 AM
Posted by: Virgil Samms | December 23, 2008 12:10 PM
I'd just like to join in with Paul and Greg in emphasizing the "ex" part of my Catholic heritage.
This whole notion of special reverence for the Pope is not the thing that drove me away from the Church. It was the existence of God.
My point is that the church was getting more and more conservative. I could never figure out how this could be, if G*D and J*sus were everlasting and unchanging. How could a conservative be infallible on Doctrine, while changing the Doctrine laid down by a liberal? Ugh.
This old fart just makes it worse. Between this, and the lies about condoms; sometimes I just want to firebomb Vatican City. (Are you paying attention, Swiss Guard operatives?)
Posted by: Mike Haubrich, FCD | December 23, 2008 12:40 PM
Usual stupidity and hatred, what a shame...studies show that many rainforest tribes are gay friendly unlike the Catholic Church they have an excellent record of protecting the environment.
The pope ought to do something about systematic child abuse in his catholic church.
my thoughts on all this http://another-green-world.blogspot.com/2008/12/fk-pope.html
Posted by: Derek Wall | December 23, 2008 2:47 PM
I liked the last pope much better than the current one, What an ass.
Posted by: Stacy S | December 24, 2008 1:33 PM
Greg, I can understand how what you've read would upset you, but I don't understand how you could then claim a "war on Christmas." Pope Benedict is one person--he's not the representative of Christians everywhere, and some would even argue that he doesn't represent Catholics everywhere. A blanket "war on Christmas" reminds me of why I think that people who hate religion as strongly as you do, are just as dangerous as fundamentalists who claim to love God just as strongly.
Posted by: loel | December 24, 2008 10:49 PM
loel: The War on Christmas is not an action of atheists. It is an action of right wing fundie-symps who want the world to believe that atheists are attacking Christmas. The war on christmas was invented by O'Reiley and Donahue and others because being a victim makes them feel, somehow, powerful.
Go to the archives of my blog and click on "war on christmas" and read every post and watch every video.
Report back.
Posted by: Greg Laden | December 25, 2008 12:33 AM
ever wonder what it would like if the Pope and Cardinals wore real clothes instead of those outfits they chose to wear??
Posted by: Drevil | December 25, 2008 10:33 AM
Though, even in context and proper translation, the Pope's words reflect a very conservative and traditional Catholic perspective (surprise!), it is important to realize and remember that Papal infallibility is limited to very specific circumstances, and even then, his statements are subject to later interpretation and understanding regardless of context and the pope's intention at the time.
Popular media accounts of papal statements, at least in modern times, have rarely proven very accurate so much as "sensational". Creating and stirring controversy even when there is, or should be,very little. Seriously, should anyone be surprised that a strongly devoted Catholic man born 80 some years ago would hold very strict traditional and conservative views with regards to gender roles, sexuality and other such issues? His words are given and deserve much respect, for Catholics, because he represents the traditional voice which keeps the church anchored in its root beliefs, core values and scriptural/spiritual understandings. The Catholic church has never been about serving and administering to the cutting-edge social liberalism/enlightened understanding of the day, but has over time, generally, if somewhat begrudgingly, adopted and incorporated many if not most of the important social evolutions of the last 2 millenia. I think it a bit unrealistic to expect the church to instantly leap to full acceptance and endorsement of issues that the vast majority of its members, and humanity in general, have yet to fully accept and acknowledge.
Just my 2-cents
Trakar
Posted by: Trakar | December 25, 2008 11:45 AM