Pope Francis and The Three Wise Monkeys
Franklin O'Connor, Nanaimo
Volume 27 Issue 7, 8 & 9 | Posted: September 1, 2013
In the Vatican’s eyes it is evil, but following the institutional hypocrisy and Law of Omerta (seal of the sacrament of confession or silence), so useful during the clergy sex-abuse scandal (pedophilia, etc.), Pope Francis chooses to “see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil” about the suspected not-so-rare practice of homosexuality (gay/lesbian lifestyle), not just homosexual orientation, among Roman Catholic clergy.
Much more honest to remove the stigma from that so-called “intrinsically disordered act” and accept the gay/lesbian lifestyle as another expression of normal activity.
In the Vatican’s eyes it is evil, but following the institutional hypocrisy and Law of Omerta (seal of the sacrament of confession or silence), so useful during the clergy sex-abuse scandal (pedophilia, etc.), Pope Francis chooses to “see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil” about the suspected not-so-rare practice of homosexuality (gay/lesbian lifestyle), not just homosexual orientation, among Roman Catholic clergy.
Much more honest to remove the stigma from that so-called “intrinsically disordered act” and accept the gay/lesbian lifestyle as another expression of normal activity.
Also much healthier to allow a married clergy. And to remove the misogynism of the Vatican, allow women priests. Misogynism is only too frequently associated with religions, even the Genesis account saying that evil came into human life (indeed, the whole planet) through a woman (Eve), not a man (Adam).
It took a Roman Catholic law professor to point out to Canadians that what is sinful to the Vatican is not necessarily illegal in general society (gay/lesbian lifestyle, abortion). The opposite also holds: What is illegal in general society may sometimes not be sinful to the Vatican (discrimination against women and gays/lesbians). One might also mention the hot-button topic of artificial contraception… even Benedict XVI became the “nice guy” in saying there could be an exception to the use of condoms when it comes to the transmission of AIDS (on another trip, that one to Africa).
The religions like to cover up their discriminatory tactics under the claim of Freedom of Religion. I’ve written enough elsewhere that in order to include all belief systems, we should be speaking of Freedom of Belief. Atheism is a belief system.
Anyhow, very nice to be speaking of consideration for the poor in South America, but we must not forget that there are so many in poverty there because of the Vatican’s support for Latin American dictators in the past. Those dictators returned the favour by supporting the Vatican’s repressive policies in the matters of sex, etc. (It is known that some of those countries had in their constitutions that only a Roman Catholic could hold high political office.)
Franklin O'Connor, Nanaimo