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There are a wide range of views on homosexuality among modern religions, spanning the spectrum of acceptance and permission of same-sex unions to those that forbid homosexuality as a sin punishable by death. The Vatican released an 8-page document today that outlines the Catholic Church’s current belief that homosexuals, or those with “deep-seated homosexual tendencies” should be barred from the priesthood. In response to the news, a great deal of debate over homosexuality and religion has emerged in the blogosphere. This is a weblog search feed to follow the conversation. [FEED]

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Recent Comments in the Blogosphere

Andrew Sullivan on The Daily Dish

Well, it’s great that Will sees the radicalism of Benedict’s new rule with respect to homosexuality. In the past, the gay individual who remained chaste could attain Christian perfection, his orientation was not in itself sinful, gay men and women were worthy of respect and made in the image of God. Under Benedict, homosexuality itself is morally disordered; even chaste homosexuals are a threat to “priestly life”; homosexuals, whatever they do, are threats to society and the Church; the great gay priests of the past, including Mychal Judge or Henri Nouwen, have “no social value.” This is not about hating sin and loving the sinner any more; it’s about hating a segment of humankind, segregating them out for moral censure, and banishing them from moral discourse. It’s about taking the fundamental message of the Gospels and inverting it.

DL Foster on Perspectives in Motion

I too applaud the Pope for securing and defining the position of the church on homosexuality. When it comes to people who are fraudulently representing the church and by extension Christ, they should be given clear directives on how to correct that. The Vatican has taken this a redemptive step forward by recommending that homosexual identified priests overcome their homosexuality before entering the priesthood.
According to the AP report, “The Instruction said men “who practice homosexuality, present deep-seated homosexual tendencies or support the so-called `gay culture’” cannot be admitted to seminaries. The only exception would be for those with a “transitory problem” that had been overcome for at least three years.”

Homosexual clergy, hidden or otherwise, in any denomination which eschews homosexuality, are a threat to that church’s spiritual well being. Those who “come out” in protest are doing the church a favor. I pray that they come out and resign.

Reverend Robert Buchanan on Gay Christian Comments

Theologians and critics appear to be in an uproar about the Vatican’s recent ban on gay priests. The concerns range from the difficulty of defining some of the conclave’s verbiage, to calling it a “witch hunt” blaming gays for the pedophilia problem in the Roman Catholic Church.

I don’t find it surprising that the Vatican is prejudiced against gays. Neither do I find it surprising that they refuse to admit that homosexuality and pedophilia are two different issues. The position of this Pope is no different from those of the recent past. The Roman Church has been anti-gay since Saint Thomas Aquinas first defined homosexuality as sin.

I am not offended by the Vatican’s document or their desire to “cleanse” the church of gay priests. It is their right to believe what they want and to support that belief, as ignorant as it is, within their own church. That is why there are multiple religions and many branches of Christianity. There is enough room in Christ for a great diversity of views. There always has been and, whether others like it or not, there always will be.

I find something else far more disturbing and offensive than the Roman Church’s position. I am repulsed and offended that anyone would support such an ignorant and archaic organization as to want to be a priest when one is gay. The Roman Catholic Church persecutes and spreads hatred of sexual minorities. How can someone who is a part of the minority group support those who persecute their own minority group? It is absurd.

Other Resources

Religion and sexual orientation - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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