But hey, Frank said nice things to a gay person in private once, so we should celebrate the baby steps. As the RCC is “evolving” on this issue, it should only be another thousand or three before they stop saying homosexuality is the devil’s work.

Oh wait, they didn't. It was the Italian unification forces that liberated Rome from the Vatican that did that.

he has traveled around the globe promoting similar laws in several countries. Not to the death penalty point, but his actions embolden their actions.

We can claim they draw the lines elsewhere, argue that they should draw the lines elsewhere, but it remains a stubborn fact that at any given time they draw the lines based on where they draw the lines.

My prediction: Abusing and beating up, punishing such behavior is to be condemned; such behavior is to be condemned; the underlying predisposition may be wrong, but it is to be tolerated. All told, "Stop punishing these people."


On the other hand, here we have a group openly calling for having the RCC, a western cultural creation, interfering openly in the political system of a former colonial territory. Church/state? As long as it suits us, combine them. Imperialism? As long as it suits us, it's hunky-dory. WEIRD, no?

Then again, at the same time it's a tacit, "If you don't rebuke them and decry their practices, then it's obvious that you think just like them." More "with us or against us" framing that at one point we hated, until it suited us.

I don't give a rat's ass as to what the Vatican does.

But the RCC does politically interfere already, and it's to support such laws.

In the country in question there is no separation of church and state, which is at the core of the whole problem here. And there's nothing wrong to ask the pope to condemn such practices. That he doesn't already speaks more really. He already interferes in countries politics to support anti-LGBT laws, while claiming to be an ally.

What do you call someone who smiles and claims to be there to help you while stabbing you in the back?

starts with "H" hypo-something... hypocrite! that's it!

well, not good good, but a good descriptor.

as it directly affects a great many people who I care about... some of whom I even care for.

Where they draw those lines can make life better or worse for millions of people. There was another (former) DUer who expressed such a flippant attitude, suggesting that women denied birth control coverage by their employers (for religious reasons) could just go buy "rubbers" at the drugstore. There is such a woeful lack of thinking and empathy to offer a response like that.

The poster appears to have misread the article. The group referred to therein are asking for a general denunciation of such laws anywhere. Expressing an opinion is not "interference".

anything about a group requesting the RCC to interfere in any country's political system, openly or otherwise. Did you read that somewhere else?

Because it kind of loses its zing when you have to be fucking PROMPTED to denounce a "kill the gays" law.