How to read Pope Francis' message of love for LGBTQ people

[BeckyDem]

Opinion by Allison Hope

Updated 5:24 PM ET, Wed October 21, 2020
Pope Francis endorses same-sex civil unions



(CNN)The highest Catholic in all the world has pushed the door towards LGBTQ inclusion open further by pronouncing that same-sex couples, historically excluded from traditional religious and civil institutions like marriage, ought to have legal protections that recognize their unions.

According to the Catholic News Agency, Pope Francis, in an interview for a documentary released in Rome on Wednesday, said that civil unions should be the law of the land for same-sex couples.

"What we have to create is a civil union law. That way they are legally covered," he said, elaborating that LGBTQ people are children of God.
"I stood up for that," he added.

In the past, Pope Francis has said he is not against civil unions, but this is the first time since becoming Pope that he has directly stated he favors them. (He advocated for same-sex civil unions when he was Archbishop of Buenos Aires.)
His recent comments stand in stark contrast with the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church Pope Francis leads, which has long taken the posture that same-sex acts are "intrinsically disordered."

The Pope's comments, while shared in the context of a documentary and not necessarily as a formal, written decree or a consensus among the Catholic leadership in Rome or elsewhere, will have a huge global ripple effect on communities, jurisdictions, families and individuals. The Pope's compassion is a welcome sign from a religion that has long alienated LGBTQ people. Whether part of an active ploy to lure back disaffected congregants or a genuine statement of inclusion, his words are a helpful evolution for the many LGBTQ people who have been ostracized simply because of who they are and who they love.

https://www.cnn.com/2020/10/21/opinions/pope-francis-civil-unions-lgbtq-families-hope/index.html

[TlalocW]

1. Religion

Always a couple steps behind true morality. I noticed that he mentions civil unions not marriages. It's a step in the right direction, and at least he's not be dragged kicking and screaming like others.

TlalocW

[BeckyDem]

2. Yes. It is helpful that he is moving the dial a bit but it is not what it should be.

Hopefully, it will give some haters pause, and maybe they'll stop hating so much too. He's already getting push back from the don't change"doctrine" preachers.