Did the Pope Just Say Our 'Lifestyles' Are 'Irresponsible?'

[stephaniec]

Did the Pope Just Say Our 'Lifestyles' Are 'Irresponsible?'

http://www.advocate.com/religion/2015/9/25/did-pope-just-say-our-lifestyles-are-irresponsible

The Advocate/By Sunnivie Brydum September 25 2015 1:54 PM EDT

"One day after a historic address to the U.S. Congress where he spoke of his "concern for the family," presumably a veiled reference to marriage equality, Pope Francis once again alluded to LGBT people, this time in his speech at the United Nations Headquarters in New York.

Speaking to the global governing body this morning, Pope Francis once again discussed the family, calling it the "primary cell of any social development" and stressing the "primary right of the family to educate its children," including a focus on "religious freedom." "

[sparrow]

...and 'promoting social progress and better standards of life in larger freedom' (ibid.), risks becoming an unattainable illusion, or, even worse, idle chatter which serves as a cover for all kinds of abuse and corruption, or for carrying out an ideological colonization by the imposition of anomalous models and lifestyles which are alien to people's identity and, in the end, irresponsible.

I'd rather interpret this as a statement in opposition to hiding behind "freedom of religion" to support discrimination against LGBT individuals.  After all, the straight lifestyle that's being promoted by these "family values" folk couldn't be more alien to my identity.  And it is downright irresponsible to let government employees decide arbitrarily who does or doesn't deserve government services on a bigoted basis.

Thanks, Pope Francis!  He's still my favorite pope of all time, whatever he meant by all that.  Previously, he's stated "who am I to judge" in reference to homosexuality.  Time will tell which of these stances is genuinely supported by his morality.

[Deborah]

Yes he did call us that.  Perhaps he's improving since a few months ago he said we were like nuclear weapons out to destroy creation.  In my opinion it takes a great leap of creative reading and interpretation no to see he is absolutely against everything about us.


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[sparrow]

For sure, my interpretation was deliberately creative.   Mostly, I was amused that his statement was so abstract that a literal reading can support either side. Honestly, I look at it this way -- the leader of one of the world's oldest and most populous religions is timidly making ambiguous statements against us.  Slow progress... but that's progress.

"Best pope of all time" is not expected to be socially liberal when compared to your average person.  He's socially liberal when compared to your average pope.

[marsh monster]

The papal position is about as much political as it is religious in this day and age. He's going to use double speak as a diplomatic tool, just as any self respecting politician will.