My point is a direct rebuttal of another poster who seems to believe that there is an all out WAR ON GAYS full of vehement persecution to such a degree as to require a special group of Vatican Spin Doctors to mitigate the damage done by Bergoglio. That is a bullshit statement, as it your contention that gays are somehow "more" targeted than others in the RCC.
The RCC has plenty of disdain for all sorts of people and gays are just a subsect of that group. The RCC treats divorcees with UTTER contempt, even extending to the children of second marriages. Fuck, the Catechism condems divorcees and those who marry them as adulterers doomed to hell. They are, worse than murders, and no salvation is offered.
Women are persecuted within the RCC going as far as to excommunicate an 11 year old girl, her mother, and her doctor because she had an abortion. The poor child was impregnated by her father with twins at tender age of 10. The RCC still saw fit to excommunicate her.
In fact, if you want to get down in the weeds, about the only act that results in AUTOMATIC EXCOMMUNICATION is an abortion, and NOT gay sexual relations. Even in the event of a life threatening situation for the mother, rape, or incest, they are not permitted. What does that tacitly imply?
So, spare me the self-flagellation. The RCC treats many groups with as much or MORE contempt than gays. There is plenty of it to go around. There is no Anti-Gay Rota at the Vatican holding covert meetings and saying special incantations to cause gays harm. I hate to burst your bubble but you are not treated any differently than a host of other people by the RCC.
Anyway, Francis has stated a few things 1) Women need a stronger role in the Church 2) Divorcees need to be welcomed back into the Church and 3) He should not judge gay people who are in good standing with the Lord. Considering 2.2 billion people answer to the Pope, I will embrace these messages as a powerful voice for more tolerance, even if they are not perfect.
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