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Ratzinger
The Catholic Church taught gay men to hate themselves, then offered them a way out by becoming (celibate) priests and monks.
Now Pope Ratzinger plans to stop gays entering the priesthood. (Though God knows how.)
As we plough on into the 21st century the Church hierarchy responds to the pressures of modernity by becoming even tighter-arsed.
It's a mad policy- one that will deepen an already calamitous manpower crisis.
Of course it's impossible to be sure how many of the great figures in the Church's history were gay, but it's certain that lots of them were. Several of the Renaissance Popes were shameless. Julius III made his lover a cardinal. So did Paul IV.
More recently Pope Paul VI (1963-78) was outed by the writer Roger Peyrefitte as the patron of an exclusive male brothel in Milan.
At the heart of the Vatican is the Sistine Chapel. Its paintings are among the core images of western Christendom. They are the work of Michelangelo- the greatest of the many gay artists to have served the Church. I like to think of Ratzinger sitting there in his white and gold with all those voluptuous male nudes gesticulating at his back and flying over his head.
They will be gesticulating and flying (and seducing all-comers) long after Ratzinger has gone.
Now Pope Ratzinger plans to stop gays entering the priesthood. (Though God knows how.)
As we plough on into the 21st century the Church hierarchy responds to the pressures of modernity by becoming even tighter-arsed.
It's a mad policy- one that will deepen an already calamitous manpower crisis.
Of course it's impossible to be sure how many of the great figures in the Church's history were gay, but it's certain that lots of them were. Several of the Renaissance Popes were shameless. Julius III made his lover a cardinal. So did Paul IV.
More recently Pope Paul VI (1963-78) was outed by the writer Roger Peyrefitte as the patron of an exclusive male brothel in Milan.
At the heart of the Vatican is the Sistine Chapel. Its paintings are among the core images of western Christendom. They are the work of Michelangelo- the greatest of the many gay artists to have served the Church. I like to think of Ratzinger sitting there in his white and gold with all those voluptuous male nudes gesticulating at his back and flying over his head.
They will be gesticulating and flying (and seducing all-comers) long after Ratzinger has gone.
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Oh, for a new Church with open doors and a sense of wonder and delight.
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And Ratzinger is very old. He won't be around for long.
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It does seem to me that sexual orientation or proclivity is a separate issue entirely from controlling oneself. But perhaps I'm being simplistic.
It seems equally sensible--or nonsensical--to make a rule that reads, "If you plan to molest altar boys, you cannot be a priest."
They ought to at least write that down, too.
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It was stupid and inhumane, but this new development is worse.
Vocations are bound to fall away and
(this is the good bit)
somewhere down the line the Church will have to statt ordaining women out of sheer desperation.
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http://observer.guardian.co.uk/international/story/0,,1558063,00.html
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How very sad that what they teach is that God loves all no matter what sins have supposedly been committed. But that sounds like being gay is a sin.
this is why I don't get involved in discussions about religion.
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Pretty stupid and offensive and inhumane but less so than the new ruling.
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I truely think that the Cardinals lost it when they elected this Pope.
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But of course a lot of those priests were raping little girls.
It's a half-baked ruling that fails to go to the heart of the matter and its assumption that gay = child-rapist is going to cause huge offence.
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Hooray for the Orthodox!
Hear hear
Re: Hear hear
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Besides, in a world before government pensions, gay men were the ideal candidates to be priests, since that way they could perform a valuable service for the community and have someone to care for them in their old age, since they wouldn't have children to do so. Perhaps the Church should also oppose old age pensions, since they are one of the primary reasons it's now possible to be gay and out?
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It's fascinating how one thing leads to another.