The English Catholic Church - Moving with the times?

Image by Getty Images via DaylifeAfter the recent did he mention it or didn't he mention speech by the Pope it is good to see that the English Catholic Church is moving with the times according to GCN.ie. Bishops in England have sent out leaflets urging priest not to use 'heterosexist' language in church.

Priest have been told not assume that all Church goers are heterosexual. "Remember that homophobic jokes and asides can be cruel and hurtful - a careless word can mean another experience of rejection and pain,". It is good that part of the Church is waking up to how it talks about part of its congregation.

Of course no everyone is happy with this. Lynette Burrows, a Catholic commentator, describes the move as 'pitiful'. She said it was ridiculous that Church leaders appeared to be ' grovelling' to a secular agenda.

'It is things like this that are enfeebling the Church at the moment - the concentration on things that don't matter and missing the things that do,' she said.

'What is pitiful as well as demeaning is that the Church is running after homosexual opinion but nothing is going to make homosexuals like the Catholic Church.

'This is because the Catholic Church teaches that homosexuality is a disorder and whatever the bishops say will not change that.'

Of course this isn't a secular agenda. This is how the Church reacts to its member. Fair play to the Bishops in my opinion. It is about time the Church addressed it followers on this and actually supported them.

This post actually gives a nice follow in for me to introduce an interesting site for Lesbian and Gay Christians, LGBT Christians. Their aim is to "bring Christ to those who have been alienated by those organisations that claim to be his Church and claim to preach his love and yet through ignorance and misconception preach not love to Gods lesbian, gay and bisexual children" and "seek to create an atmosphere of understanding between those who think that homosexuality has no place in Christs Church and those who think they do"

To quote John 13:35

By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

Do check them out.

Did we get it wrong on the Pope?

Image via WikipediaTallyman as an excellent post pointing out that the mainstream media and many blogs (including me!) got the Pope's message wrong. Now I was working from what was reported in the media considering the Pope's speech was in Latin.

Tallyman points out that there was "nothing new" in the speech but that the Pope was "following some very simplistic, narrow logic". As he points out the "Pope regularly says things like this. This is something that we all understand to be Roman Catholic doctrine. How many gays still attend Church knowing this?". I, like him, know lots!

The most important part in Tallyman's post is when he points out that the Pope "does not single out the gay community in his New Years message." (Emphasis his). In fact he points out the over arching theme of the message which was“Fighting Poverty to build Peace” which is a good idea.

He goes to point out that the Pope mainly called for teaching of abstinence to be considered a way of halting the spread of diseases, such as AIDS, and connects these diseases to poverty. Now while some people disagree with this way of halting the spread of AIDS, it must be admitted that it is one of halting the spread of the disease.

Tallyman concludes with the following

So, in one line the Pope has incensed the Gays, the Greens and certain sections of the media to declare him as inciting hatred. The Pope stuck to Catholic (albeit misguided dogma) in relation to what it deems to be a natural order. It didn’t tell all good Catholics to shun their homosexual neighbours, disown their homosexual children, or rise up in revolt against governments legislating for civil partnership. He asked us to me good Christians, to be mindful of the poor in this festive season and combat corruption and immorality in the name of the poor.

I don’t really see the harm in that.

So this to me seams to be logical, so why then did the Mainstream media take up the Pope's message wrong? Why were we led to believe that he was equating Homosexuality with Climate Change?

While I am no fan of the Pope, I don't think it is right that when he says something, it is misrepresented. As Tallyman puts it "i find any distortion of the Pope’s message by LGBT groups, the media, and those looking for a sound-byte, a bit rich, worrying, and it has to be said, gay." Sentiments I agree with completely.

"Humanity must be saved"

Image via WikipediaFrom the gays??? What? Really? We are responsible for the downturn in humanity? Has the Pope been having chats with Fred Phelps?

I am amazed and disgusted. I find myself in complete agreement with the headline from Froodie's blog "Pope Benedict incites hatred, misunderstanding and probable bullying and violence.".

While I know a lot of Catholics don't agree with the Church on everything but this does not help in anyway. A lot of elderly people do listen to the Pope for advice and guidance and him saying things like this do not help.

It is a step back for the Church in general. I have a lot of respect for individual priests who hold differing views then the Pope, but this will not help those Catholics who are gay and still hold the Church in high regard.

Other blogs have reacted in various ways to this declaration. Iain Dale thinks the Pope should "Just Join the BNP & Have Done With It". Una of Unarocks points out that the Pope is teaching the wrong stuff and should be concentrating on "Love" a very good point! Also she points out

On one hand, i suppose, you can laugh this stuff off- who gives a fuck? Who cares what an old repressed dude in a wine dress says? Surely if you get pissed off by this it legitimises his statement as something worth listening to? Then on the other hand, this is a man with huge power and influence and a massive willing and listening audience who believes ten per cent of the population is evil.

And I agree with her fully on that point!

I love Joe Scanlon's post title on this issue "Plant a Tree - Shoot a fag" which basically could sum up the Pope's speech to some people!

As the papers point out (Irish Indo and UK Times) "The Catholic Church teaches that while homosexuality is not sinful, homosexual acts are". So they think the fact that you are gay is not sin (yay, therefore not a choice) but we can choose to ignore it! Really? You can ignore the fact that you have fallen in LOVE? I don't think so. Having actually experienced true love for another man, it is an overpowering experience (as it is for anyone I would assume straight or gay) that hits you. It cannot be ignored. Yet this "ancient institution" expects us do so. No thank you! There is reason I CHOOSE to no longer to be considered a Catholic. I CHOOSE no longer to be associated with comments such as this or the on earlier this year from a high ranking Vatican Official that called homosexuality "a deviation, an irregularity, a wound".

An issue that most of these posts and my comments so far are on the issue of transgender which the Pope also tosses into the mix. He opposes Gender Theory and said

"That which is often expressed and understood by the term ‘gender’ in the end amounts to the self-emancipation of the human person from creation and from the Creator," the Pope said.

"Human beings want to do everything by themselves, and to control exclusively everything that regards them. But in this way, the human person lives against the truth, against the Creator Spirit."

Wow! Even Iran is more ahead then the Catholic Church on Transgendered issues when it espousing beliefs such as this.

The Church needs to get a grip and move with the times. The Church is losing membership and it wonders why? The Church has to be seen to approach issues with a modern mindset, something it has failed to do since the election of Pope Benedict XVI in 2005.

I wonder what he will complain about next Christmas? Single mothers?

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Me and Religion: Part II

So when I last posted about my religion (back in July!) I was thinking about becoming a Bahá'í as the whole atheism thing didn't exactly work for me! Well nor has being a Bahá'í. So what am I now? Well I am a pagan. I believe in a number of gods and also have great faith in Angel Cards and Runes. It is a strange feeling these. I also have many other things happen to me that is pointing me in this direction some of which I won't mention as they are very personal. I'm not exactly sure why I am typing this but I feel the need to get it off my chest and so that you know where I am coming from when I right about religious issues or figures.

I suppose I was always close to nature and I suppose my interest in history and mythology now tie in very closely to my religion. It strange that it is only this week that I started using Runes and they have already had an impact on me. I got them over two years ago for Christmas and I don't know whay I didn't use them. They are amazing and freakishly accurate. I did a runecast today on me giving up coffee (I'm doing it in support of someone giving up smoking, so a good cause) and they told me it was a good thing to do. That I needed patience as well as will power and that I will be successful. So good news! My angel cards also regularly come up good and in fact give me a kick up the arse at times to ask people out!

Anyways thats enough for now. Some information for any other pagans in Cork there is a moot every second Sunday. next one is this Sunday 9th at 4:00pm in the Cornerhouse pub on Coburg Street.

A Churches Pragmatic Approach

Though I am not a chritian (still not sure what I am) I am always heartened of reports in the press of Churches that a Pro-LGBT. One of those churches is the Episcopal Church in the United States. Two Bishops in California have released guidelines for clergy to allow gay marriages to take place in their church. The marriage itself will not be carried out by a clergy member but by the civil registrar.

The two Bishops, Marc Andrus, Bishop of California, and Mary Gray-Reeves, Bishop of El Camino Real, deserve great applause and appreciation. This comes about due to the May 15th Supremem Court ruling in California. Also there will be a amendment in the fall elections to try and change the constitution to ban gay marriage. Could be an interesting election, its one I will be watching more then the Presidentials, well nearly!

Of course this serves to highlight the growing split in the Anglican Communion in which the Episcopal Church is a member. The Lambeth Conference, which takes place next month could either split the church or heal it. Though gay issues are not on the agenda, the Nigerian Church is not very pleased with the goings on in the US. Expect it to feature a lot, if they get their way!

----
Full Story:
US Bishops issue guidelines for gay marriages - Religious Intelligence
Links of interest:
Evangelicals Concerned
Lambeth Conference

God Hates Ireland really?

Well we have had Godhatesfags, Godhatessweden, godhatesamerica and my personal favourite godhatefredphelps. Now we have godhatesireland.

Where do people get off?

Now i know the WBC, does not speak for all americans, but this kind of hate speech belongs in the past. Calling David Norris a fag (A cigarette in Irish slang, something they have failed to notice) and putting a pink triangle with a shamrock on his picture is not going to offend Norris in any way. He has heard way worse.

This is disrespectful to the Irish Nation
This is disrespectful to the Catholic Church, while I have no love for the church myself, it cannot all be tarred with one brush.
This is disrespectful to Irish Law
This is disrespectful to the ECHR Court and Convention.

I feel sick after reading this line

"However, the worst part of the Catholic Monster would definitely have to be the fact that the priests "secretly" rape little boys and girls, and their parents pay the priests to do it!"

Never have I heard such stupidity. This is just completely wrong. That has never happened! no parent would do that.

I am very annoyed over that website, I know its only Fred Phelps et al, who very few people take seriously, Thank God!

Burma - The (Good) power of Religion

As may of regular visitors will know, I am a huge supporter of Aung San Suu Kyi and the democracy movement in general in Burma (or Myanmar what ever you want to call it). Over the last few days Buddhists monks and nuns have started protesting against the regieme and have even called for its downfall!

"A group calling itself the All Burma Monks Alliance urged ordinary people for the first time "to struggle peacefully against the evil military dictatorship" until its downfall."*

Aung San Suu Kyi was allowed out of her house to the delight of protesters.

But things are starting to get difficult with the regime starting to increase security around Aung San Suu Kyi House and security around the protests.

The regime cannot use violence against the monks due to the huge public outcry that it will cause not only in Burma, but in other Buddhist countries and China, one of its main supporters. Times are getting very interesting in Burma.

* Source Guardian 24/9/07 "Burmese monks' protests grow"

You Must Be In An Arab Country, If…

Got this off Gay patriot (an excellent blog) but this is an excellent post!

“When you cannot find a single garden in your city, but there is a mosque on every corner - you know that you are in an Arab country…

“When you see people living in the past with all the trappings of modernity - do not be surprised, you are in an Arab country.

“When religion has control over science - you can be sure that you are in an Arab country.

“When clerics are referred to as ’scholars’ - don’t be astonished, you are in an Arab country.

“When you see the ruler transformed into a demigod who never dies or relinquishes his power, and whom nobody is permitted to criticize - do not be too upset, you are in an Arab country.

“When you find that the large majority of people oppose freedom and find joy in slavery - do not be too distressed, you are in an Arab country.

“When you hear the clerics saying that democracy is heresy, but [see them] seizing every opportunity provided by democracy to grab high positions [in the government] - do not be surprised, you are in an Arab country…

“When monarchies turn into theocracies, and republics into hybrids of monarchy and republic - do not be taken aback, you are in an Arab country.

“When you find that the members of parliament are nominated [by the ruler], or else that half of them are nominated and the other half have bought their seats through bribery… - you are in an Arab country…

“When you discover that a woman is worth half of what a man is worth, or less - do not be surprised, you are in an Arab country…

“When you see that the authorities chop off a man’s hand for stealing a loaf of bread or a penny, but praise and glorify those who steal billions - do not be too surprised, you are in an Arab country…

“When you are forced to worship the Creator in school and your teachers grade you for it - you can be sure that you are in an Arab country…

“When young women students are publicly flogged merely for exposing their eyes - you are in an Arab country…”

“When land is more important than human beings - you are in an Arab country…

“When covering the woman’s head is more important than financial and administrative corruption, embezzlement, and betrayal of the homeland - do not be astonished, you are in an Arab country…

“When minorities are persecuted and oppressed, and if they demand their rights, are accused of being a fifth column or a Trojan horse - be upset, you are in an Arab country…

“When women are [seen as] house ornaments which can be replaced at any time - bemoan your fate, you are in an Arab country.

“When birth control and family planning are perceived as a Western plot - place your trust in Allah, you are in an Arab country…

“When at any time, there can be a knock on your door and you will be dragged off and buried in a dark prison - you are in an Arab country…

“When fear constantly lives in the eyes of the people - you can be certain that you are in an Arab country.”

Let me add one: “When you see your partner hanging by a rope in a public square just because he is gay — you can be certain you are in an Arab country.”

excellent eh?

Surprise, Surprise the bishops are against lowering the age of consent!

Catholic bishops hit out at proposed lowering of age of consent

Catholic bishops are hitting out at the proposal to lower the age of consent to 16, saying it sends the wrong signal to young people and parents.

In a statement issued after the December meeting of the Irish Bishops Conference they say they are viewing the proposal with alarm.

Last month the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Child Protection recommended that the age of consent be lowered to 16.

Today the bishops are setting out their views on the issue.

They say it sends out the wrong signal to a young generation who, under the influence of teenage glossy magazines, peer pressure and binge drinking, feel engaging in sexual activity is something trivial.

The bishops also feel it sends out the wrong signal to parents, who they claim are themselves confused as to how they should react in the face of their children's activities.

The heads of the Irish Catholic Church go on to say they are amazed that politicians and public opinion makers shy away from confronting the basic demands of morality.

In today's statement the bishops are also calling for legislation to control the technology of assisted human reproduction.

Source: BreakingNews.ie

Well, all I can say is thank god the Government dosent pander to the Catholic Church as much as it used to.

I hope they do reduce the age of consent to 16 as long as they keep an equal age of consent for homosexuals also.

Americans will argue over anything!

from breakingnews.ie

Row over first Muslim congressman's Koran swearing-in

The man who will become the US Congress’ first Muslim member is under fire from conservatives because he plans to use the Koran during his ceremonial swearing-in.

The decision by Keith Ellison, a Democrat, to use Islam’s holy book for next month’s ceremony instead of a bible triggered an angry column by Dennis Prager on the website Townhall.com.

Prager, who is Jewish, headlined the post: “America, Not Keith Ellison, decides what book a congressman takes his oath on.” He argued that using the Koran for the ceremony “undermines American civilisation”.

“Insofar as a member of Congress taking an oath to serve America and uphold its values is concerned, America is interested in only one book, the Bible,” he wrote. “If you are incapable of taking an oath on that book, don’t serve in Congress.”

His criticism has been taken up by other conservative bloggers, but Ellison’s incoming chief of staff, Kari Moe, dismissed the row.

“I think the criticism is being flamed by the politics of division that were rejected in the ’06 election cycle,” said Moe, who worked for 10 years for the late Democratic senator Paul Wellstone.

Moe noted in a telephone interview that the tradition was for all members of Congress to be sworn in together on the House floor. It was in the photo-opportunity ceremony that a bible was used – or, in Ellison’s case, the Koran.

But Prager said the ceremony was no less significant than the actual swearing-in.

“That’s the whole point: it’s exactly because it’s ceremonial that it matters to me,” he said. “Ceremonies matter. Ceremonies are exceedingly important. That is the way a society states what is most significant to it.”

Prager said the issue was not about freedom of religion.

“I want Jews like myself to take the oath on the Bible, even though the New Testament is not our bible,” he said.

Asked if it would be a problem for a Jewish politician to take the oath on a bible that included only the Old Testament, Prager said it would, because the point was to honour “the bible of this country”.

Ellison won an open House seat in November’s elections to replace long-time Democratic Rep Martin Sabo, who is retiring.

To me it don't matter what book he swears on as

1. America does not have an official religion (or language!)
This is substantiated by the fact that the Ten Commandments cant be displayed in Courthouses etc.

2. The fact he going to swear on the Koran will make the oath more important to him as the Koran is what he belives in. If he swears on the bible that will mean nothing to him. Jewish members of congress really should only swear on the Old Testament!

3. How in gods name does the Koran “undermines American civilisation” (Prager). I dont get it? Does that mean the bible undermines Iranian civilisation? Its a holy book on how one should live ones life to be close to god. Obviously Prager never read the Koran.

I really hate American conservatives!

Gays, a Place in Religion?!?!

Many articles circulating in the gay press at the moment seam to be about the relationship between religious institution and the LGBT community. Between the Catholic Pope saying, “gay rights is an ephemeral social trend” and the Anglican Church about to split on gay clergy. I have started to question what religion means to me, as a young gay man.

As most people in Ireland I was raised a Catholic, baptised, made my communion, and my confirmation, but did I have a choice in this? No. My parents, family, and society forced it upon me in general. I was expected to believe everything in the bible as if I had chosen to sign on as a Roman Catholic and obey the Pope, but I did not.

Now that I’m older (some may disagree on wiser) I have come to see what the Church is really like. It is about preserving the vested interests of the Church. Protecting its role as moral guardian to the flock and setting social standards for all to follow. Unfortunately, the equalisation of rights for the LGBT community does not feature under any them.

As I was growing I learned to love my neighbour, this is a major lesson in the bible. But, it seams if I have a LGBT neighbour, he/she should be treated differently to me. They are not allowed marry the person they love or offered any protection for their relationship or any agreements they may have entered into as a couple.

Now does that not seam a bit hypocritical, or is the old case of the love the sinner, hate the sin?

Then you have religious maniacs like Fred Phelps over in the good ‘ole US of A. Now I’m the first to stand up to protect free speech but spouting out-right hatred is a bit much. According to Phelps all ‘gays’ will rot in hell. But I ask ‘is there a hell?’ Phelps also claims that Hurricane Katrina was Gods retribution on New Orleans.

Now people wonder why people seam to be disenchanted with religion with falling attendances across the developed world, but maybe people are beginning to get tired of the threats of fire and brimstone from the pulpit. Maybe their tired of following the Churches wishes and voting with their conscience not the religion with a dictator as it’s head.

My World View

You scored as Cultural Creative. Cultural Creatives are probably the newest group to enter this realm. You are a modern thinker who tends to shy away from organized religion but still feels as if there is something greater than ourselves. You are very spiritual, even if you are not religious. Life has a meaning outside of the rational. Cultural Creative 100% Romanticist 94% Postmodernist 75% Existentialist 69% Idealist 63% Fundamentalist 50% Modernist 50% Materialist 31% What is Your World View? created with QuizFarm.com

Nice and got me exactly!

USI CALLS ON CHURCHES TO HALT ANTI-GAY LOBBYING

9 June 2006



The Union of Students in Ireland (USI) has criticised the Presbyterian Church in Ireland for opposing civil equality for gays and lesbians ahead of new civil partnership legislation promised by Justice Minister Michael McDowell.



The planned legislation appears to reflect a growing realisation in Government that gays and lesbians can no longer be treated as second class citizens without political consequences – although USI continues to campaign for the extension of full marriage rights to all citizens.



USI said the Presbyterian Church is one of several Irish Churches currently lobbying the Government to retain laws that discriminate against citizens on the basis of sexual orientation, and it urged all faith groups to respect a necessary separation between Church and State.



USI gay and lesbian spokesperson Steven Conlon said: “That the Presbyterian General Assembly should be turned into a forum for undisguised political lobbying is of great concern to students.



“USI believes that religion is a matter for private consciences not public laws, and we oppose ministers of religion seeking to impose their religious viewpoints on ministers of government.



“Instead of seeking to exert pressure on the Government to implement an anti-gay agenda, USI urges all churches to embrace civil equality for all citizens regardless of sexual orientation”.

Is the role of religion dead in today's society?

Religon is dead in today's society to the majority of the population. The number of people attending services and making vocations as priest and ministers are declining.

There a number of reasons for this. Allegations of Child Abuse and allegatiosn of cover-ups have damaged the catholic church.

Other people seam to think that money is the new god.

Other people view the established churchs as old-fashioned with nothing to offer them. Others including myself view most relgions as very discriminatory towards groups they find themselves being part of due to their sexuality or habitation status.

Is this the way christians are supposed to be treating others due to the fact they are gay or single mothers.

Religon is not completely dead as many immigrants are very religous so attendences at mosques and some churches are increasing across europe. This has the affect of making others, including myself, to try and rediscover there spirituality weather it by joining a new church or by becoming reinvigorated within their own church.