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General News Pope Francis decries critics of church as 'friends of the devil'

Discussion in 'Current Events, World News, & LGBT News' started by brainwashed, Feb 25, 2019.

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  1. brainwashed

    brainwashed
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    Pope Francis stated:
    “One cannot live a whole life accusing, accusing, accusing, the church,” he said. People who did, he said, were “the friends, cousins and relatives of the devil”.

    Link:
    https://www.theguardian.com/world/2...ies-critics-of-church-as-friends-of-the-devil

    My reflection:
    The Catholic Church and other extreme Christian entities have for decades, probably centuries, demonized homosexuality. Catholics and others have created followers who accuse, accuse, accuse for their whole life. But now that it's coming back to "The Church" Pope Francis calls this "The Devil". Interesting.

    In my opinion, the leadership of the Catholic Church is clueless.
    -------------
    From the article:
    He [Pope Francis] referred to priests who prey on children “tools of Satan” and noted that sexual abuse of minors was a “widespread phenomenon in all cultures and societies.”

    Link:
    https://nypost.com/2019/02/24/pope-francis-sex-abuse-priests-are-tools-of-satan/

    My reflection:
    The leadership of the Catholic Church just don't get it. For various reasons said leadership is unable to understand what is is to be human.

    And yet the Catholic Church teaches their followers to hate homosexuality on all levels. They understand hate but not what it means to be human. Interesting. Kind of sounds like Catholic Church leadership is flawed.

    Catholic Church sex abuse travesty is the canary in the mine.
    ---------------------
    From the article:
    “It’s outrageous … He’s re-victimizing and re-traumatizing the very people he’s supposed to be meeting about,”

    Link:
    https://www.bostonherald.com/2019/02/20/abuse-survivor-popes-devil-comments-outrageous/
     
    #1 brainwashed, Feb 25, 2019
  2. Chiroptera

    Chiroptera
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    I think that blaming a supernatural entity (in this case, the devil) for the actions of someone doesn't accomplish anything but denying the opportunity of constructive discussion. Instead of saying something like "Oh, people are criticizing X and Y. I think they are wrong in X because of this and that, but Y is something we can work on because of this and that, so let's talk about it", one can simply ignore any constructive criticism or discussion by saying "you know what, we are correct, and if you aren't with us, then you are with our enemy".

    "Only a Sith deals in absolutes." -Obi-Wan Kenobi.

    I think the catholic church is still deeply rooted in prejudices and unconstructive tradition. They don't seem to be open for discussion in many important areas but, at the same time, they want to stick their noses in these areas.

    Please note that i'm posting like a normal user here, talking about my personal views (which doesn't reflect the views of the staff as a whole). Also, I'm not talking about catholics or beliefs - that would be a stupid and unfair generalization. I'm talking about the church as an organized institution, with leaders, dogmas and rules.
     
    #2 Chiroptera, Feb 25, 2019
  3. Dionysios

    Dionysios
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    I do not much listen to the leadership of a church which has protected and tolerated known pedophiles within its ranks. Alas, the Catholic Church has really erred in demonizing homosexuals and LGBT people in general, often lumping them in with pedophiles. When it comes to LGBT people, the Holy Father needs to heed the words "Judge not, that ye be not judged? " (Matt 7:1) I find comfort in the words of the Prophet Micah wrote "...what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness and to walk humbly with your God." (Micah 6:8)

    The Vatican and most of the Christian Churches need to emphasize the love and compassion that Christ had to ALL people. This Pharisaical doctrine of hatred of homosexuals and LGBT people shows neither God's love or compassion. It has driven many LGBT from the churches or tormented countless others with pangs of guilt, self-loathing and shame. Now that's a sin!!!
     
    #3 Dionysios, Feb 25, 2019
  4. Sebulba

    Sebulba
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    My solution is simple. I just don't feed into the negativity. I don't give hateful organizations my time, my money, or in some cases, i dont even acknowledge them. Granted, my reasoning deals with my beliefs being different, as much as it does with bigotry, but the point remains the same. you don't reward negative behavior. Trouble is, Billions of people feed into these kind of things all the time.
     
    #4 Sebulba, Feb 25, 2019
  5. brainwashed

    brainwashed
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    I saw no information in the news media that priests where known pedophiles. I believe theoretically there can be pedophiles within the ranks of Catholic priests. And statistically there are pedophiles within the ranks of the general public.

    Lumping LGBT people in with pedophiles is a tactic of creating FEAR. And why does one want to project fear? Control. And why control. Power and then comes greed. (visit the Vatican and see the opulent wealth greed has created.)

    I'm not Catholic but twice their hatred towards me has profoundly altered my life negatively. The current & historical hatred by Catholics towards LGBT people is not / has not been talked about.
     
    #5 brainwashed, Feb 26, 2019
    Last edited: Feb 26, 2019
  6. brainwashed

    brainwashed
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    Bingo! (dead on target)


    This is a tactic of creating fear.

    Correct.

    My opinion. The Catholic church is basically a cult with a lot of money. It is a cult that spreads / has spread hatred towards LGBT community.
     
    #6 brainwashed, Feb 26, 2019
  7. Dionysios

    Dionysios
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    My principle gripe is that it is filled with hypocrisy. The church preaches the love and mercy of Christ but yet demonizes the loving relationships LGBT people have toward one another. Where is the love of Christ in that?
     
    #7 Dionysios, Feb 26, 2019
  8. brainwashed

    brainwashed
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    Hate and fear is akin to smoking a cigarette near an open can of volatile gasoline. Bang! Once hate ignites it's impossible, near impossible to contain.

    Current, past hate generated by Christian churches against LGBT people is the crux of todays hatred against LGBT people.
     
    #8 brainwashed, Feb 27, 2019
    Last edited: Feb 27, 2019
  9. LaurenSkye

    LaurenSkye
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    As I stated in the thread about the Methodist church, "The Church" thinks they make the rules, and not God. I am a believer in a loving God, not a hateful God.
     
    #9 LaurenSkye, Mar 16, 2019
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