Pope Francis Says Church Obsessed with Gays

[ToddWeston]

Church sometimes caught up in 'small-minded' rules, Pope says in wide-ranging interview

http://www.cbc.ca/m/touch/news/story/1.1860560

[isanbirder]

No change in doctrine, but a change in approach. The remark covered contraception and abortion as well.

It will cause shockwaves in the more conservative parts of the Church.... the US in particular, I gather.

[jellydog]

What they're obsessed with is S-E-X. Whether it be sexual identity issues, contraception, abortion, chastity, pre and post pubescent boys and girls, and on and on and on.

[Jingthing]

No change in doctrine, but a change in approach. The remark covered contraception and abortion as well.

It will cause shockwaves in the more conservative parts of the Church.... the US in particular, I gather.

Not exactly, dude:

“The big finding here is that American Catholics are at least 5 points more supportive than the general population across a range of gay and lesbian issues,” said Robert Jones, chief executive of the Public Religion Research Institute, which conducted telephone surveys of 3,000 Americans.

The survey’s conclusions go against the popular conception that Roman Catholics – the largest U.S. religious denomination at some one in four Americans – are conservative on social issues, said Stephen Schneck of The Catholic University of America, who was asked to comment on the survey by the researchers.

http://blogs.reuters.com/faithworld/2011/03/22/survey-catholics/

Is Papa Frankie a LIBERAL?!?

The pope’s meaning is clear: The church, like other institutions, makes mistakes. Four centuries ago, it was wrong about the cosmos. A century and a half ago, it was wrong about slavery. As science develops—about sexual orientation, for instance—will the church “grow in its understanding” and “mature in its judgment”? I can tell you how Francis would answer that question: God knows.

http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/frame_game/2013/09/pope_francis_interview_forget_homosexuality_and_birth_control_he_s_a_flaming.html

Edited September 20, 2013 by Jingthing

[onthemoon]

Very interesting. I am looking forward to learning about the reaction of the Catholic communities in African countries.