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Monday, September 23, 2013

Why the press distorts Pope Francis' statements

This writer, Jim Yardley, is incorrect in his statement:
"The interview is the first time Francis has explained the reasoning behind both his actions and omissions. He also expanded on the comments he made about homosexuality in July, on an airplane returning to Rome from Rio de Janeiro, where he had celebrated World Youth Day. In a remark then that produced headlines worldwide, the new pope said, “Who am I to judge?” At the time, some questioned whether he was referring only to gays in the priesthood, but in this interview he made clear that he had been speaking of gay men and lesbians in general."
In his article about Pope Francis' interview.  Jim Yardley tries to say that Pope Francis' statement during his return flight from Brazil about not judging gays, was about gay men and lesbian women in general.  The truth is that Jim is blending two different concepts.  One, Pope Francis was addressing priests who experienced some level of same-sex sexual attraction when he was referring to not judging.  Two, Pope Francis is saying our first focus should not be on a person's sexual orientation or even their sexual behavior. 

The press so desperately wants to distort Pope Francis statements (as well as Timothy Dolan's statements about gay marriage - where Cardinal Dolan supported gay marriage in the society in general, not that he supported gay marriage within the Catholic church). 

In the following quote of Pope Francis in this article, where he says:
“A person once asked me, in a provocative manner, if I approved of homosexuality,” he told Father Spadaro. “I replied with another question: ‘Tell me: when God looks at a gay person, does he endorse the existence of this person with love, or reject and condemn this person?’ We must always consider the person.”
In this statement, Pope Francis is not saying that he approves of intimate same-sex sexual behavior.  He is saying that a person can hold the identity of a gay person (or even be sexually active homosexually), and that God still has love toward them.  That their existence is more than their sexual attractions or their sexual behavior.  This goes for all people and all behavior that they may do that is sinful.  Saying that we must always consider the person is not saying that intimate same-sex sexual behavior is no longer a sin in his mind. 

Comments were already closed for this article, only 5 days after it was written, so I couldn't post this comment there. 


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