Posted on 02/02/2010 11:28:51 AM PST by Maelstorm
Gay-rights campaigners and secularists called on Tuesday for protests during a visit to Britain by Pope Benedict XVI this year, after he condemned equality legislation seen as friendly to gays.
The 82-year-old pontiff, who made his comments in a letter to the bishops of England and Wales on Monday, is reportedly set to visit Britain in September, the first such trip in 28 years.
Human rights campaigner and gay activist Peter Tatchell said he saw the pope's letter as an attack on the legal rights granted to gay people and women.
"His ill-informed claim that our equality laws undermine religious freedom suggests that he supports the right of churches to discriminate in accordance with their religious ethos.
"He seems to be defending discrimination by religious institutions and demanding that they should be above the law."
In his comments on Monday the pope said that Britain "is well known for its firm commitment to equality of opportunity."
But he added "the effect of some of the legislation designed to achieve this goal has been to impose unjust limitations on the freedom of religious communities to act in accordance with their beliefs," he wrote.
"In some respects it actually violates the natural law upon which the equality of all human beings is grounded and by which it is guaranteed."
Observers said the pontiff was referring to legislation that took effect on January 1, 2009, preventing adoption agencies -- including Catholic ones -- from discriminating against gay couples.
The National Secular Society (NSS) reacted furiously to the pope's remarks.
Terry Sanderson, president of the National Secular Society, said: "The taxpayer in this country is going to be faced with a bill of some 20 million pounds for the visit of the pope.
"A visit in which he has already indicated he will attack equal rights and promote discrimination."
He said he would appeal to gay groups, feminist groups, family planning organisations, pro-choice groups, victim support groups and "anyone who feels under siege from the Vatican?s current militancy" to take part in the protests.
“What’s Christian about Catholicism, have I missed something?”
Yes, dear, you’ve missed a great deal.
Pretty much everything you think you know about Catholics appears to be wrong. And, by the way, did you know the latest information points to the fact that Shakespeare was also probably a secret Catholic?
Some folks might even say that the crumbling of your once great empire, and England’s social fabric, is due to the fact that your country turned its back on Catholicism. You walked away from Truth and it’s been downhill ever since.
So keep spewing nonsense about Catholics; I imagine it keeps you all from paying attention to what’s really ailing you.
I think you’re confusing Catholics and Hindus. There’s a difference.
“What’s Christian about Catholicism, have I missed something?....”
Yup. You have apparently missed out on about 2000 years of Christian history.
***...............”I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.
Thou shalt have no other gods before me. ***
Absolutely right. We Catholics do NOT worship anyone but God. When we pray to Mary it is to ask her to plead with her Son for us. Is asking Mary to plead with God putting her ahead of God? Hardly! Or else we would just ask HER to take care of our problems. There are SO many misunderstandings about the Catholic church by people who don’t take the time to learn what it teaches.
Catholics also believe in God and Jesus the Son and the Holy Spirit. They embrace the core doctrines of normal Christianity, as formalized in the four ecumenical creeds.
Some of them are also, in the uncouth but apt phrase, "gettin' a little on the side," and cultivate a parallel devotion to the suffering mother goddess. I'll let God sort that conundrum out. After all, more than 80% of American Christians also participate in the cult of Caesar worship, offering in his temples the hearts, minds, and souls of their children. At least the Catholic Christians saw through that racket 150+ years ago, and built a magnificent parallel Christian school system.
Buahahaha, that's too funny. No Catholics don't believe in reincarnation. My kids are even afraid to even do yoga for Pete's sake. I don't know what the teachers are saying, but I never knew Yoga was bad. They don't like it for even being associated with reincarnation.
While every Catholic has a different relationship and perspective towards The Blessed Mother, in general, we understand her significance in God's plan for salvation. She is a gift, one of many gifts from God. God gave the amazing example of a "perfect woman" in Jesus' mother. As a woman who grew up in an age where the "perfect woman" was presented as a pot smoking sexpot "10", I now know how important that good role model is. The world decieves us, but God reminds us that the perfect woman is not Bo Derek, Britney Spears, or Paris Hilton. She is the woman who is humble and obedient to God, and although she sufferred like no other woman could have sufferred, she remained faithfull. The role of a good woman in society is essential. It can make or break families and generations. I promise you that any woman who has the spiritual formation that honors Mary, will be a dedicated and loving wife and mother, no matter what hardships some. I see it every day.
We believe Mary to be "the woman clothed with the sun," the one who God said would crush the head of the serpent in Gen. 3:15. Because she is such a danger to satan, satan tried to kill her even after the Savior was born (Rev. 12:13). The angel Gabriel called Mary, "full of Grace", and we do the same.
She is the spiritual mother of all Christians who continues to glorify God in our spiritual battles.
Catholics know that to God, the most important aspect of our Christianity is love. Our love for God, and his gifts to us, should not be confused with "veneration". I hope your fear of veneration, doesn't interfere with your love for others.
Catholics clearly know it is highly offensive to God to worship for example "Pachamama" (mother earth) etc. That is different to holding those dedicated to God, and those who gave testimony for God, in high esteem. That doesn't mean we worship them. Our souls are eternal, and we believe that those who died for God continue the spiritual battle fighting for God's kingdom. We ask them to pray for us, just like you would a loved one who passed away, unless you believe souls are dead in the dirt?
Our spiritual Mother is good, and "the Lord is with her". She should not be treated like some kind of Buddha statue. I hope it's not against your beliefs if I pray for you. May the Holy Spirit to enlighten us and give us discernment.
Not funny. In fact downright offensive. And untrue.
I humbly suggest you might be a little naive in your statement about "none of their opinions to legistlate" against you. These are opposing positions on what constitutes right and wrong that are very strongly and passionately held. Both sides will seek to see their concept codified into law.
NOT something to rejoice in, friend.
Please ping me when you reprove protestants for their rhetorical excesses and/or slanders.
In fact, you had (and missed) an opportunity for that on this very thread.
On Catholic:
Do you know the meaning?
Ignatius, disciple of John, used catholic in 107 AD, so did Polycarp the martyr and the Council of Nicea.
On our latter statement:
Good try. A verse comes to mind... I will put emnity between you and the woman.
You dishonor his mother; All generations will call her blessed.
You disparage who God chose to make the Word flesh... the tabernacle of Our Lord? God does everything, allows everything, for a reason. You disrespect his mother. God didn’t do a Melchizedek (as in a reference that he seems to come from nowhere... it’s all in the name), re: Christ for a reason.
Look up gebirah, as in David’s mother; Read Isaiah, Micah, Ruth, Jeremiah. After that re-read the Wedding Feast at Cana and Revelation 12.
As far as your reincarnated meme, Do you also claim the epic of Gilgamesh for Moses?
God bless you.
“I believe in God and Jesus as His Son...”
So do Catholics; therefore, they must be Christians, too.
That your beliefs vis a vis the Blessed Virgin Mary are not congruent with those of Catholics makes you a non-Catholic Christian.
However, to deny, in a snit about the dogma surrounding the BVM, the Christianity of Catholics puts your own christianity in serious doubt.
I will pray to Mary (but not worship her) to intercede with her Divine Son that your heart and mind may be opened.
The original and offensive post referred to the satanic Marian apparitions, wherein the Evil One, the enemy of our souls, assumes a semblance far more innocuous than an "angel of light." Time after time, Satan appears, usually to peasant folks in ugly places, as the Virgin of This, that, or the Other.
Satan lusts for worship -- and is glad to get it while disguised from those who would not render it to him in his proper person.
Obviously. Christianity IS Catholicism; if you are not Catholic then you are following a church of men, most of which developed in the last 500 years according to greed and personal ambition.
I believe in God and Jesus as His Son
A subordinationalist? Are you LDS or are you JW?
not in Mary the Queen of the Universe, reincarnated, many times.
And that, at least is a good and Scriptural thing. Neither do we Christians.
"I love ya all dearly, but I ain't going to hell for ya."
Ah, so you are now saying that British law should have no standards? The devolution of the Commonwealth and England in particular should alert you to the eventual conclusion of that way.
Good luck to you and to the pagan Britain that is developing. Let us know when you need another rescuing, not from the Nazis, but from Gordon Brown.
Monty Python's Meaning of Life Mr. Death skit tells much about the state of English convictions and even more about the size, shape, and utility of their gonads.
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