Thursday, May 13, 2010

Pope Attacks Gay Marriage & Abortion

Pope Benedict XVI, speaking in Portugal, attacked gay marriage and abortion as “among the most insidious and dangerous challenges” to society. Even though I disagree, I give the Pope a pass on the abortion issue. If you really believe that even a fertilized egg qualifies as a human being with a right to life superior to the mother's rights, I can understand taking a hard line against abortion. And if you truly believe that abortion represents some sort of ongoing holocaust, it's certainly reasonable to see it as a major danger to society. But gay marriage is another thing entirely.

The idea that government legalization of marriage contracts between two adults, who happen to be of the same sex, is some sort of monstrous threat to society is ludicrous. There are a couple of responses to the Pope's words in the article. This one says it best.

"It is one thing to oppose gay marriage from religious convictions and another to make such a claim about it when you look at issues such as teenage pregnancy, sexual disease, drug abuse, world poverty and war. This is an appalling, unfounded and unjust claim. I do not really see on what basis he can say gay marriage is among the most dangerous challenges to society. It ignores real social evils the Church and others should be addressing with far greater urgency."
That pretty much nails it. No one expects the Pope to abandon his religious convictions and support gay marriage, or even approve of homosexuality. I see no reason why he should tolerate gay marriage for Catholics, since it violates Catholic doctrine. And unlike some, I think he has every right to speak out on the issue and try to influence the passage of laws. But those who disagree have the same right to point out that his attacks on gay marriage are a hysterical overreaction. Gay people are a small minority of the population, and those who wish to get married are likely a minority of a minority. They aren't going to destroy traditional marriage, and they aren't some sort of dire threat to civilization.

3 comments:

  1. Ahem, he said "among". Another straw man out of you so you can cynically wallow in your bigotry, narcissism and immortality; more puerile and neurotic rocking on the vile hobby horse of your incredulity. More Cultural Marxism out of you--you most clearly show this by quoting Marxist trolls from the comment steam of that article.

    Are you a agent provocateur of the Left posing as a conservative? Somehow I doubt it. You are not, however, "of the Right". You are quite confused person.

    You need to get yourself onto a church (or temple) for you have become morally depraved. Of course the pope is right, these are grave dangers to society. Res ipsa loquitur. This has been understood for centuries. That this has to be pointed out to you, and that the obvious sends you off into fit irrational bigotry says to me that you live at the fringes of society. It would seem to me you must not have a family. If you do, heaven help your children; they will need it.

    No Conservative has your contempt for the Judeo-Christian heritage for they know it is at the very root of the Civilization they hope to save.

    They know that this is precisely what separates her from the other Civilizations and is the fount of her greatest accomplishments.

    You are very confused person. Either that or an outright liar. Either you are lying to us or you are lying to yourself.

    ReplyDelete
  2. "Ahem, he said "among"

    I quoted "among."

    "Another straw man out of you."

    There's no strawman. I quoted his exact words. Try some reading comprehension.

    "you can cynically wallow in your bigotry, narcissism and immortality"

    Ok:)Are you trying to be funny?

    "more puerile and neurotic rocking on the vile hobby horse of your incredulity. More Cultural Marxism out of you--you most clearly show this by quoting Marxist trolls from the comment steam of that article. "

    Do you work hard to come up with absolute gibberish?

    "Are you a agent provocateur of the Left posing as a conservative? Somehow I doubt it. You are not, however, "of the Right". You are quite confused person."

    Yeah, you have me all figured out :).

    "You need to get yourself onto a church (or temple) for you have become morally depraved."

    I'm not sure how writing some relatively mild criticism of the pope makes me "morally depraved." And given that I'm an atheist, there's not much point in going to a church or temple.

    "Of course the pope is right, these are grave dangers to society"

    No, the pope is wrong. That's kind of the point.

    "hat this has to be pointed out to you, and that the obvious sends you off into fit irrational bigotr"

    That's pretty funny coming from an irrational buffoon. Anyone reading your nonsense and ridiculous personal attacks can judge who is being irrational and bigoted.

    "It would seem to me you must not have a family. If you do, heaven help your children; they will need it."

    Of course I have a family, as stated in the "about" section. And they are doing just fine, without any help from an imaginary heaven.

    "No Conservative has your contempt for the Judeo-Christian heritage for they know it is at the very root of the Civilization they hope to save."

    I don't have any contempt for Judeo-Christian heritage.

    "You are very confused person. Either that or an outright liar. Either you are lying to us or you are lying to yourself. "

    You are a complete imbecile who comes here anonymously and spouts nothing but nonsense and personal attacks. You apparently can't even understand the most basic points, and use words and terms about which you have only the most rudimentary understanding. Please take your idiocy elsewhere.

    ReplyDelete