STOP ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH LEADERS' ATTACKS AGAINST GAYS, AND TRANSGENDER INDIVIDUALS

Religion News ^ | October 20th, 2004

[missyme]

(Lynchburg, VA) -- In response to continued attacks against gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender (GLBT) individuals and couples, Soulforce is implementing a two prong campaign this year to try to change the hearts and minds of Catholic Bishops, and beseech them to stop the spiritual violence perpetuated by Roman Catholic religious policies, teachings and anti-gay rhetoric.

Local Soulforce groups and other supportive groups in a dozen different cities are trying to dialogue with their local bishops through letters and other correspondence. Soulforce's commitment to the non-violent principles as taught by Gandhi and King dictates that each group first try to dialogue with their local Bishop first. If these attempts fail and Bishops refuse to dialogue, vigils are being planned in front of local chanceries. Local Soulforce groups planning vigils on November 9 include, Cleveland, Philadelphia, New York City, Albuquerque, Washington, DC/Arlington, Orange County (Los Angeles), Atlanta, Detroit, and San Francisco. Additionally, supportive groups in Denver and St. Louis are also planning vigils outside their local chanceries on November 9th. (Call media contact above for specific details on each location)

Soulforce Twin Cities will attend Mass at St. Paul's Cathedral on Sunday, November 7 wearing rainbow sashes. The bishop in Oklahoma has agreed to dialogue, so no vigils will be taking place.

"We are praying for these bishops to follow in the footsteps of Oscar Romero, who gave his life to stop the violence against the Salvadoran people. Most of these bishops, know the truth of our lives, but they are fearful to speak out," said Kara Speltz, Chair of the Soulforce Catholic Denominational Team. "They know the gifts we have brought to our church, because they've seen them first hand, in their families, parishes and chanceries. On this day we call down the power of the Holy Spirit to transform their fear and temerity into courage and prophecy. As M.L. King, jr. said in his letter from a Birmingham Jail, 'We will have to repent in this generation not merely for the vitriolic words and actions of the bad people, but for the appalling silence of the good people.'"

On November 14, 2004, Soulforce volunteers will gather in Washington, D.C. to try to continue to speak to the bishops, and vigil outside of the USCCB meetings. If the USCCB persists in ignoring Soulforce's requests for dialogue, a civil disobedience will be considered.

This will mark the fifth year in a row that Soulforce has had a presence outside of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' (USCCB) annual meeting. This is the first time Soulforce and Soulforce local groups have done vigils at their local Chanceries prior to the USCCB's annual meeting.

Additionally, Soulforce is encouraging supportive people to individually communicate with their local bishops concerning the devastating effects of their anti-gay rhetoric, their outspoken support of the now-defeated Federal Marriage Amendment, and their involvement in electoral politics. For more information, see www.soulforce.org/denomination/rc/usccb2004/.

Soulforce, Inc. is a national interfaith movement committed to ending spiritual violence perpetuated by religious policies and teachings against gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender individuals. Soulforce teaches and employs the non-violent principles of Gandhi and King to the liberation of sexual and gender minorities. www.soulforce.org

[badpacifist]

Maybe the inquisition wasn't such a bad idea?

[Tweaker]

We shall see if the RCC fears God or men.

[I_Like_Spam]

A strategic move in waiting until after the election, to commence this assault against Catholic morals.

Saves Mr. Kerry from having to make a stand which would either against his most rabid supporters or against the great majority of Catholic faithful.

[I_Like_Spam]

A strategic move in waiting until after the election, to commence this assault against Catholic morals.

Saves Mr. Kerry from having to make a stand which would either against his most rabid supporters or against the great majority of Catholic faithful.

[Diago]

The author of this article needs to come to Cleveland:

http://www.dioceseofcleveland.org/gayandlesbianfamilyministry/images/glfmlogo.gif

The official logo for the Diocese of Cleveland Gay and Lesbian Ministry [Warning: This is not a joke]:

Go see for yourself:

http://www.dioceseofcleveland.org/gayandlesbianfamilyministry/mission/index.htm From previous stories on Bishop Pilla:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/1060132/posts

In March, 2002, about two years after leaving the diocese, Charlie [the bishop's former lawyer] says he met again with Bishop Gries. “I met with Bishop Roger and I told him as a friend that he needed to tell Pilla to step down. That's all I said.”

I prod him to continue. “Because of the manner in which all of this had been handled.”

Charlie later says, “The thing that really fried me was the way the church in Cleveland has agreed to ‘infanticize' Anthony. It's like he's a child. ‘Oh, he didn't know this, he didn't know that.' Wait a minute, oh merciful God. Then what's he in charge of one million Catholics for? Yes, Quinn did crazy stuff, but he was a lieutenant, you are the general. Why didn't you stop it?

_________________________________________________________

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/762432/posts

The following appeared in "The Wanderer's" From the Mail Section.:

In Cleveland, which has been racked with the most damaging sex abuse scandals outside of Boston and Los Angeles, diocesan officials, including Bishop Anthony Pilla, maintain a stiff upper lip as some homosexual activists in the chancery and parishes continue to transform parishes into gay-friendly communities. Consider:

The Diocese of Cleveland's official web site (www.dioceseofcleveland.com) greets the viewer with a rainbow flag, and gay activists at the diocese's Gay and Lesbian Family Ministry (GLFM) office are way out and way proud.

One member of the GLFM recorded his experience on an area gay web site of his participation in the Cleveland Gay Pride Parade, informing, "The catholic group had a very nice sized contingent. There were a whole ton of other religious groups as well...Oh, did I mention that I am in the same video as a pornstar?!...Our table was almost across from The Grid's table, so we got to watch Matt Rush shirtless signing autographs and posing for pictures most of the afternoon. I felt so uncouth ogling a pornstar and trying to be a respectable representative of the Catholic Diocese of Cleveland...

"The Stonewall Democrats had the booth next to The Grid, and they had some mighty fine shirtless guys sitting at their table, too. After we took down our table at the pride festival, seven of us from the Catholic group went out to dinner...We also had the same waiter that we had last time...the cute one with attitude."

The author of that revealing letter is the apparent friend of Brian Halderman, a longtime gay activist of the Diocese of Cleveland who recently announced that he is joining the Society of Mary (Marianists) in Dayton.

In another Internet chat thread sent to FTM by a Cleveland reader, Halderman revealed that while a parishioner at Ascension Church (a church plagued by a number of predator priests), he was a chatechist involved in the sacramental preparation of second graders.

Reader, does all this help you understand what bishops such as Clark and Hubbard and Pilla mean by the "lay-run church.

You can contact the diocese of Cleveland toll free at 1-800-869-6525 or by e-mailing:

info@dioceseofcleveland.org

_________________________________________________________

The following exchange appeared in an article on a gay convicted priest here in Cleveland. [Note: Burkhart is a gay detective and McBride is the gay priest]: Burkhart and McBride dined on crab cakes and chatted lightly. After dinner, McBride turned the conversation to the recent Catholic Church scandal. He hoped that, when it was all over, the church would recognize that priests are sexual beings too -- and that some are gay.

"Back in the 1960s, would you have ever come to a place like this?" Burkhart asked. "I mean, in this town, where you were working?"

"Probably not, no," McBride said. "Realistically, in 1960, no."

"And in certain places it looks like the seminary on Saturday night now," Burkhart joked.

"Yeah, that really is how it is," McBride said.

They compared notes on seeing clergy in gay bars. Then Burkhart stammered as he asked McBride a personal question: "So, whenever you had sex . . . were you bound to go to confession and confess it before you said Mass, or . . .?"

"Well, you were supposed to, yes," McBride said.

"Do you think all these priests do?"

"No," McBride said. "I think they changed their minds and decided it's not a sin."

The full article can be found at this link:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/992919/posts

[Stubborn]

The RCC fears God, not men. Homosexuals do not fear God at all. Have the homnosexuals ever heard of the sin of sodomy?

Someone needs to teach the homosexuals that its one of the four sins that cries to heaven for God's vengeance - and I for one do not wish to get caught up in the aftermath of God's vengeance, even though homosexuals are not afraid of it.

[Tweaker]

So you say and so you believe.
I am convinced you are defending the indefensible, as post #6 points out.

[Stubborn]

The RCC has enemies within Her ranks and THEY are not true representatives of the RCC.

[AlbionGirl]

I look at that logo, and I sit here in a state of disbelief. It seems the benchmark can never be set low enough for the current standard bearers of the infestation. Oh, my goodness gracious what a complete abomination!

[rudyudy]

Well since they are one of the few that is speaking out on the subject I would think they should be one of the last to be criticized.

[Unam Sanctam]

So Soulforce is set once again to demonstrate against the Catholic Church at the US Catholic bishops' conference and Catholic chanceries across the nation this November, intimidating Catholic believers, threatening the free exercise of religion and demonizing Catholic beliefs on the sinfulness of homosexual activity and opposition to same sex "marriage" falsely as "spiritual violence" against those with same sex attraction. This is not true. Christianity tells us to love the sinner and hate the sin.

[Tweaker]

"Well since they are one of the few that is speaking out on the subject I would think they should be one of the last to be criticized."

The same thing could be said about john kerry on many matters.
The RCC has done nothing but pay lip service to the issue. They rattle their sabers, harrumph about the halls and go back to sitting on their hands. It is the same "actions they take on abortion, and pedophiles in their ranks.

They are as irrelevant as the U.N. and will remain so until they do what is obviously right and just according to God's written word, and yes, I include most other denominations that lay claim to the Christian faith.

I can sympathize with with the feelings of catholics when someone attacks their organization, but tell me this. Why is the RCC more important than being a Christian. The buildings, treasures, history and organization in general will all pass away. Is the RCC so important that the word of God will cease with to exist with them?

Christians of all denominations find homosexuality offensive, indeed it is an abomination. It's a shame that the so called "religious leaders" doesn't share the view.
But when you think about it, religion being mans attempt to be righteous apart from God, what else can be expected from religious leaders.

[Stubborn]

This is not true. Christianity tells us to love the sinner and hate the sin.

Outside of the liberal teachings of our day, where does it say that? Its a slogan that I was never taught pre Vatican 2 and with good reason I think. These days, such thinking leads to either hating both or loving both. And since any hating of the sin automatically will get the hater accused of "judging", that leaves only room for the socially acceptable loving both the sinner and the sin.

The other thing is, in the process of loving the sinner, somehow the messaage got all screwed up that we hate the sin and find it detestable. The modernist folks and obstinate sinners love to tout that slogan and push it as though it were words to live by, but it seems to me that because of that slogan, we do not hate the sin for if we did hate the sin, we would not support the sinner in it - at the absolute very least, we would discourage the sinner from publicly declaring it - no?

Another reason that slogan is so popular is because today, the overwhelming emphasis is on all that "love thy neighbor" crap thats taken completely out of context - in the mean time, no one is teaching that the love of God is our primary endevor, and with that love will come our love of neighbor.

Jesus says: "Thou shall love the Lord thy God with thy whole heart, and with thy whole soul, and with thy whole mind." (Matt. 22:37.) Before He passes to the second commandment, Jesus tells us about the first:

"This is the greatest and the first commandment."

Do not touch one single phrase of the next commandment until you have fully comprehended and understood this first one!

Our Lord then goes on: "And the second is like to this: Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself." (Matt. 22:39.)

In their haste to fulfill the second commandment, which, btw, includes the proper reprimanding of the obstinate sinner as necessary, too many people, including our clergy, neglect the first - and greatest commandment. Reprimanding is not hating, regardless of what the sinner has to say about it.

[Unam Sanctam]

Its a slogan that I was never taught pre Vatican 2 and with good reason I think.

I strongly disagree. Both the duty of loving one's neighbor and the sinfulness of homosexual activity (or indeed any sex outside of marriage) are part and parcel of the deposit of faith, taught in both Scripture and Tradition from the apostolic times. This "slogan" encapsulates nicely both prongs of the teaching, and is a good mnemonic that helps us not forget either of these fundamental teachings.

[gbcdoj]

Why is the RCC more important than being a Christian.

The true Christian religion does not exist outside of the Roman communion.

religion being mans attempt to be righteous apart from God

"religion consists in offering service and ceremonial rites to a superior nature that men call divine" (Cicero, Rhetoric 2:53).

[Stubborn]

In theory, I agree that it encapsulates nicely both prongs of the teaching, but the reality of it is not so - or at least, has yet to be demonstrated without first accepting the sin as something we are supposed to be sympathetic towards.

What has been demonstrated is exactly what I posted, namely, we inevitably end up loving both the sin and the sinner. This is because the two are so closely related, that any hatred of the sin automatically implies hatred of the sinner.

If however, we really do love the sinner, we will display the kindest type of charity possible. This charity includes proper reprimanding, scolding and whatever other proper means are at our disposal that we can use to discourage the sin. We are, after all, our brother's keeper and are expected to correct them when they need it.

When known homosexuals choose to remain publicly obstinate in their sin, we are to "shake the dust from our feet" and separate ourselves from them when they refuse to hear us. Often times, that is the most difficult charity - but also the best thing to do because thats what God said to do.

"Hate the sin but love the sinner", in practice has become "accept the sin and love the sinner.

[Tweaker]

"Both the duty of loving one's neighbor and the sinfulness of homosexual activity (or indeed any sex outside of marriage) are part and parcel of the deposit of faith, taught in both Scripture and Tradition from the apostolic times."

I have never seen such a scripture.

And what does one do with this scripture?

2 Corinthians 6:14
Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?

[Tweaker]

"The true Christian religion does not exist outside of the Roman communion."

I didn't see roman communion mentioned anywhere, I do see this theme repeted many times.

"Romans 10
8 But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach;
9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation."


""religion consists in offering service and ceremonial rites to a superior nature that men call divine" (Cicero, Rhetoric 2:53)."

Rhetoric from Cicero.. even James, in his strawy little epistle, made a better argument concerning the nature of true religion.

"James 1
26 If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain.
27 Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world."

[kittymyrib]

Psalm 5:5: (David, speaking to God) "The arrogant cannot stand in Your presence. You hate all who do wrong." Proverbs 12:22: "The Lord detests those who lie, but delights in men who are truthful."
The slogan "God hates the sin but loves the sinner" is not in the Bible. God only loves the REPENTANT sinner. The unrepentent sinner is an abomination to a holy God.