Provocative Pope Says Gay Lifestyle is a "Destruction of God's Work"

Hello Bloggers - In shocking statements to the Catholic Curia, or governing body, Pope Benedict said today that "saving humanity from homosexual or transsexual behaviour was just as important as saving the rainforest from destruction." Wow! Is he serious? Homosexuals and transsexuals are a threat to humanity? That's news to me.

On a more serious note, I think he is being incredibly irresponsible, even reckless. I don't care if he's trying to protect the morality of man, or the church, the only RESULT of statements expressing hateful judgements on a whole community of people - including millions of YOUNG PEOPLE - is self-hatred and SUICIDE. Statements like that do nothing to help make the world more moral. They do nothing to heal or help. They only HURT!

If you don't agree, and you think the Pope wasn't expressing hate, then I don't think you've ever been on the receiving end of it. Trust me, those kinds of statements hurt people. They make people, especially young people, feel like they're not good enough, and that they need to be fixed somehow. There is plenty of evidence to support it. They also encourage acts of hate, or violence. This is bad, very bad. We're not talking about a disease that can be cured. We're talking about human beings who have little choice but to be who they are.

He went on to say that "[the Church] should protect man from the destruction of himself." The pope said humanity needed to "listen to the language of creation" to "understand the intended roles of man and woman." He compared behaviour beyond traditional heterosexual relations as "a destruction of God's work".

"DESTRUCTION OF GOD'S WORK? He's equating homosexuals with a destructive force. It's almost as though he's making homosexuals scapegoats for all kinds of moral problems. I'm sorry, but that's hateful. Again, this is BAD, VERY BAD!

The Catholic Church opposes homosexual acts, gay marriage, and, in October, a leading Vatican official called homosexuality "a deviation, an irregularity, a wound". I wish I could confront that Vatican official. In my opinion, he's the only wound that should be healed.

Homosexuals are not a "destructive" force, no matter what you say. There are plenty of heterosexual problems out there that are destructive that should be addressed. Why pick on a weak minority? I'm sorry, but I cannot tolerate that kind of language. I might be very spiritual and part Catholic, but I think the Pope is FULL OF BS!

He also defended the Church's right to "speak of human nature as man and woman, and ask that this order of creation be respected". I would like to say to HIS HOLINESS to LEAVE THE GAY COMMUNITY ALONE! They are often victims of extreme violence. It's a dangerous thing to call them out, to point a moral finger at them that way. It's going to lead to a world of HURT!

Stick to the teachings of Jesus. He didn't seem to have a problem with gay people. If he did, he probably would have said something. In my humble opinion your Holiness, any pain and suffering, or death, resulting from those words ARE YOUR RESPONSIBILITY, and the CHURCH'S. I would be careful what is preached from your pulpits, because the words might even lead to lawsuits.

Hasn't the church already hurt gays enough? You might represent the Catholic Church, or even God on Earth, but in my opinion you are saying things to hurt, not to help.

Monday's Political/Spiritual Rant #2 - Michael

PS - The London Times and other great world newspapers reported on this story, and they all seem to agree that the Pope stoked homophobia. I agree.