Pope Francis: Church can't 'interfere' with gays

[gerryh]

Pope Francis said the church has the right to express its opinions but not to "interfere spiritually" in the lives of gays and lesbians, expanding on explosive comments he made in July about not judging homosexuals. In a wide-ranging interview published Thursday, the pope also said that women must play a key role in church decisions and brushed off critics who say he should be more vocal about fighting abortion and gay marriage.
Moreover, if the church fails to find a "new balance" between its spiritual and political missions, the pope warned, its moral foundation will "fall like a house of cards."


Pope Francis: Church can't 'interfere' with gays – CNN Belief Blog - CNN.com Blogs

 

[Tecumsehsbones]

My attitude toward gods, any gods, is "Whatever you want to believe. Just keep it off my land, out of my face, and out of the civil statutes."

But knowing this guy pulls a lot of weight with believers and non-believers, I'm liking him. I liked Ratzenburger better'n Wojtyla, and this guy's better'n Ratzenburger. Even if he does just change the tone and not the doctrine, the change in tone is important.

 

[darkbeaver]

Every pope is a prick right from day one.

 

[coldstream]

These moral consequences include the Church’s teaching on abortion,
homosexuality and contraception. Pope Francis accepts the Church’s teachings and
said that they need to be discussed in context of the larger message of
salvation through Christ

.

Well that was the message, buried deep in the breathless media reports.. and a constructive one integral to the Church's moral teachings. NOTHING has changed. In fact the Church never 'interferes' with personal lives.. except to identify and ariticulate that which is inherently sinful and puts one's salvation in jeopardy (like the practice of homosexuality). The response is left to the individual's faith and conscience. That is the totality of the Church's mission.

I'm not sure if he used the word 'gay' again, or whether the press ascribed it to him, but he would be well advised to avoid it as it is infused with the homosexual political and social agenda.. which is the tip of the spear of a much larger moral dismantling in the West. Francis is not that familiar with English and i'm not sure he's fully aware of that.. and unfortunately is not the type to rely on advisors.

The problem comes with the manic reponse of the media, who implicitly assign a momentum.. towards 'reform'.. essentially a full capitulation of Catholic ethics to 'modern' mores'.. which CANNOT happen.. as regards abortion or homosexuality or contraception.. without undermining the Church's teaching on life, free will, human responsibility.

Personally i'm a fan of B16's vehicle of heavily redacted and vetted interviews.. theologically explicit and complete.. of the The Ratzinger Report and Salt of the Earth.. which eliminated much of the ambiguity and political opportunism of 'pundits' in the press.

But i know that's not Francis' style.

 

[karrie]

http://forums.canadiancontent.net/christian-discussion/118912-pope-francis-church-too-obsessed.html

This thread has a slightly more comprehensive article about what actual words the Pope spoke cs.

 

[PoliticalNick]

Pope Francis said the church has the right to express its opinions but not to "interfere spiritually" in the lives of gays and lesbians, expanding on explosive comments he made in July about not judging homosexuals. In a wide-ranging interview published Thursday, the pope also said that women must play a key role in church decisions and brushed off critics who say he should be more vocal about fighting abortion and gay marriage.
Moreover, if the church fails to find a "new balance" between its spiritual and political missions, the pope warned, its moral foundation will "fall like a house of cards."


Pope Francis: Church can't 'interfere' with gays – CNN Belief Blog - CNN.com Blogs

How you dealing with a liberal pope there Gerry? Do you need cpr? Should I call ems and a psycologist for ya? ;-)

 

[coldstream]

Pope Francis is a man of the 'southern church'.. actuated by charism and passion. JP2 and B16 were northerners, anchored in reason and logic. It has been an age old dialogue with in the Church.. but is more about style than substance.

If you've been to Italy you would not the marked difference between the exuberant, colourful and unconventional church architecture in the south.. and the sober restrained stone of the north. That manifests the difference.. one of expression.. not of an inconsistent profession of faith.

 

[Tecumsehsbones]

I calculate come Judgement Day, the #2 profession in hell will be lawyers.

#1 will be preachers.

 

[karrie]

How you dealing with a liberal pope there Gerry? Do you need cpr? Should I call ems and a psycologist for ya? ;-)

bahaha.... how is the liberal Catholic handling having a liberal Pope? Hmmm.

 

[captain morgan]

I calculate come Judgement Day, the #2 profession in hell will be lawyers.

#1 will be preachers.

You forgot Politicians

 

[Tecumsehsbones]

You forgot Politicians

Where the heck were you yesterday?!?!?! It was International Talk Like a Pirate Day, and I had to handle it all by myself, my pirate captain having jumped ship!

Poseur. Charlatan. Faker. D ick.

 

[captain morgan]

Where the heck were you yesterday?!?!?! It was International Talk Like a Pirate Day, and I had to handle it all by myself, my pirate captain having jumped ship!

Poseur. Charlatan. Faker. D ick.

You didn't get an invitation to the VIP booze cruise?

 

[WLDB]

You forgot Politicians

He covered them. They are mostly lawyers or in their own ways preachers.

 

[SLM]

You didn't get an invitation to the VIP booze cruise?

Funny but I don't recall being your 'plus one'.

You know how fond I am of the rum.

 

[PoliticalNick]

bahaha.... how is the liberal Catholic handling having a liberal Pope? Hmmm.

Gerry is far from liberal. I don't know if he could spell the word and I'm sure if he spoke it he would have to scrub his tongue with a wire brush.

 

[Sal]

Rather, he said, the Catholic Church must be like a "field hospital after battle," healing the wounds of its faithful and going out to find those who have been hurt, excluded or have fallen away.
"It is useless to ask a seriously injured person if he has high cholesterol and about the level of his blood sugars!" Francis said. "You have to heal his wounds. Then we can talk about everything else."

this is why the Catholic church has lost so many...when they get their focus back on healing, and love and acceptance, they will grow again...my fear is many old Catholic right wingers are going to have to die off first.

Hopefully buddy here can lead the charge...he seems ready, willing and able. He gets the ways of the human heart.

 

[karrie]

Gerry is far from liberal. I don't know if he could spell the word and I'm sure if he spoke it he would have to scrub his tongue with a wire brush.

Like many Canadians he's doesn't fall neatly to one side or the other, but, yeah he leans a lot further left than he does right, if you NEED to pigeon hole.

 

[PoliticalNick]

Like many Canadians he's doesn't fall neatly to one side or the other, but, yeah he leans a lot further left than he does right, if you NEED to pigeon hole.

Not about pigeon-holing....It's about giving Gerry a hard time over some of his more 'devout' catholic beliefs. ;-)

 

[Spade]

Pope Francis speaking frankly. Frankly, most Catholics I've spoken to despair for change.

 

[Goober]

Not about pigeon-holing....It's about giving Gerry a hard time over some of his more 'devout' catholic beliefs. ;-)

And you have your own devout beliefs?