Posted on 11/11/2012 12:30:05 PM PST by NYer
VATICAN CITY, Nov 10 (Reuters) - The Vatican, reacting to strong gains for gay marriage in the United States and Europe, on Saturday pledged never to stop fighting attempts to "erase" the privileged role of heterosexual marriage, which it called it "an achievement of civilisation".
For the second consecutive day, Vatican media weighed in with forceful editorials restating the Roman Catholic Church's unequivocal opposition.
"It is clear that in Western countries there is a widespread tendency to modify the classic vision of marriage between a man and woman, or rather to try to give it up, erasing its specific and privileged legal recognition compared to other forms of union," Father Federico Lombardi, said in a tough editorial on Vatican Radio.
Voters in the U.S. states of Maryland, Maine and Washington state approved same-sex marriage on Tuesday, marking the first time marriage rights have been extended to same-sex couples by popular vote.
Same-sex unions have been legalized in six states and the District of Columbia by lawmakers or courts.
Lombardi's editorial on Vatican Radio, which is broadcast around the world in some 30 languages, called the votes myopic, saying "the logic of it cannot have a far-sighted outlook for the common good".
Lombardi, who is also the Vatican's chief spokesman as well as director of Vatican Radio and Vatican Television, said there was "public acknowledgement" that "monogamous marriage between a man and woman is an achievement of civilisation".
"If not, why not contemplate also freely chosen polygamy and, not to discriminate, polyandry?" he said.
Polyandry is when a woman has more than one husband.
The Catholic Church teaches that homosexuality is not a sin but homosexual acts are. It says the rights of homosexuals should be guaranteed but that their unions should not be recognised as equal to heterosexuals and they should not be allowed to adopt children.
(Excerpt) Read more at reuters.com ...
Catholic Ping!
So, how’s that civil registration thing working out for you?
I hope that the Vatican sees that its vigorous promotion of socialism as the solution to the plight of the poor is not disconnected from the decline of sexual morality in the West.
Johnny come late.
Interesting to note that there was a time, not so long ago - where Catholic marriages were not recognized by the civil authorities in Italy. I foresee this will return, where the state will not accept marriages performed by the Catholic church.
Little bit late there.
Indeed. Social Justice parties also support a wide range of policies that are contrary to Church teaching. Stop smooching the butts of Socialists and try supporting parties that share your cultural values.
The next stage of normal European transformation is the move from the large nation-state to the small principality with idiosyncratic rules.
That's usually set off by some sort of calamity of horrendous proportions.
Just a matter of time.
They will let the clergy get polluted by allowing gays and pedofhiles within the churches rank but by God they will not allow them to get married. The church must draw the line somewhere. Having anul sex with children is okay and should not be any reason to question who you are as a church but we will fight for preserving marriage.
The catholics will vote in droves for Obama and all that he stands for (too numerous to itemize here and now) but gay marriage is out of the question. The church must draw a line somewhere.
What hypocracy.
If the catholic church could find a way to make money on the deal, the pope would conduct the ceremony. Maybe they could do it on bingo night.
It would be a reversal of the Peace of Westphalia. History classes don’t spend enough time on it.
Another “forceful” article by the Vatican.
If they actually start feeding Christians to the lions again, maybe they will even run a TV commercial strongly issuing concern.
“They will let the clergy get polluted by allowing gays and pedofhiles within the churches rank but by God they will not allow them to get married.”
Just like we’re the only ones to hold the line on contraception? Never happen.
Not to pick, but it's my nature. Polygamy is inclusive of polyandry, not in competition with it. The gender specific forms are polygyny (multiple wives) and polyandry (multiple husbands). Polygamy is inclusive of both.
Truly dramatic natural calamities that return Europe and other places to a pre-medieval state are rather outside the Treaties of Westphalia.
The church is heroic on divorce and male-female marriage issues, and pro-life. But it has a huge blind spot on socialism.
Fortunately, real Catholics do vote Republican —
“Frequency of attendance at religious services revealed a significant gap in support for the candidates, with those attending “weekly” at 39 percent Obama, 59 percent Romney, “occasionally” at 55 percent Obama and 43 percent Romney and “never” at 62 percent Obama and 34 percent Romney.”
Well, they're definitely doing that now. Look at Catalonia, Scotland, etc.
Unfortunately, much of this is motivated by leftist/anarchist bloc, and I think the Church is going to suffer greatly in some of these areas. Time to review the Spanish Civil War...
What's not to like.
It will still take a big breakthrough like Berlin asking for a return to Brandenburg, or maybe Venice seeking total autonomy
Sheesh! Any thread about something good the Church is doing brings out the Catholic haters in droves. Why don’t you all take a deep breath and go back to Westboro Baptist Church (which, btw, is not truly Baptist but uses the name only because anybody can call themselves Baptist)?
“Gay marriage” is going to be the thing that will be used to silence and illegalize the Church in both Europe and the US. The Obamacare oppression doesn’t really need to get going. Now that all these countries have legalized gay marriage, becuase most people (Catholic, Protestant or agnostic) think that if something is legal under Caesar, it’s moral and legitimate, when Caesar comes after the Church on this issue, there will be no support.
And I think many people on FR, I hate to say it, would be cheering on the destruction of the Church. But we’re your only hope, so don’t be too hasty.
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