…anybody who doesn’t show love towards gay and lesbian people is insulting God. They are not just homophobic if they do that – they are actually Godophobic because God loves every one of those people
– Archbishop of Dublin Diarmuid Martin
This is hardly revolutionary stuff – it’s embedded in the Catechism, and in all formal Church documents on the subject of homosexuality: we deserve to be treated with “respect, compassion and sensitivity”, and any violence or malice, in words or actions, is to be deeply deplored.
Sadly, for too many Catholic bishops and some orthotoxic conservative Catholics, it’s a principle which is simply ignored, which is why it’s welcome whenever a leading cleric states what should be routine. What’s even more widely ignored, is that other principle clearly stated in the documents, that unjust discrimination must be avoided. When Catholic leaders routinely apply that principle, and avoid all unjust discrimination in employment and elsewhere within the Church’s own institutions – that really will be something to celebrate!
HOMOPHOBIA is “insulting to God”, Archbishop of Dublin Diarmuid Martin has warned.
In the wake of the so-called ‘Pantigate’ controversy over homophobia comments made on RTE and a defamation settlement, Dr Martin said: “God never created anybody that he doesn’t love.”
Speaking to the Irish Independent, the senior cleric said this meant that “anybody who doesn’t show love towards gay and lesbian people is insulting God. They are not just homophobic if they do that – they are actually Godophobic because God loves every one of those people”.
MOCKED
Referring to the revelations made last week by TD Jerry Buttimer, that he was beaten, spat at, mocked and harassed because he was gay, Dr Martin expressed concern saying: “Certainly the sort of actions that we heard of this week of people being spat at because they were gay or ridiculed . . . that is not a Christian attitude. We have to have the courage to stand up and say that.”
He added: “We all belong to one another and there is no way we can build up a society in which people are excluded or insulted.
“We have to learn a new way in Ireland to live with our differences and for all of us to live with respect for one another.”
via – Independent.ie.
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- The Disordered Language of Catholic LGBT Teaching
- Church teaching can be used ‘in homophobic way’ – Catholic Archbishop (newsletter.co.uk)
- Archbishop Urges More ‘Respectful’ Tone on Gay Marriage (news.queerchurch.com)
- Orthotoxic Catholicism: An Example (queeringthechurch.com)
- Catholic Bishop: “Homophobia is an illness” (queeringthechurch.com)
- South African Bishops – Applying Catholic Teaching on Anti-Gay Laws, Violence (news.queerchurch.com)
- “God Is Not a Homophobe” – Archbishop Desmond Tutu. (queeringthechurch.com)