The Pope: My Two Cents

So, I waited a bit while the world rejoiced, or complained, or shrugged, after Pope Francis made his ALLEGEDLY pro-LGBT statements; he wants The church to be less focused on one issue, like abortion, or The Gays, and be more focused on, well, everything else, I guess. I mean, some folks played it like he was the second coming of Liza or Bette, or for those younger gays, Britney and Gaga with his, um, I kinda like The Gays speech. But I waited, because, even though he is the Catholic Church and the leader of The Church, I didn’t think The Church would suddenly embrace his little remarks, and they didn’t fail me.

Let’s be clear: the Catholic Church, no matter what the Pope says, is still anti-LGBT; they are still anti-marriage equality; they are still anti-contraception; they are still anti-condom, even if the use of condoms can halt the spread of HIV. So, nothing’s changed. But then why are so many rejoicing? His little ‘Can’t we all get along’ speech was not earth shattering, because it was meaningless.  

The next day, right after telling his minions to be less one issue oriented, he reiterated the Church’s stance against abortion. It was like he meant, let’s be less focused on one issue … today; tomorrow we’ll go back to being backwards.

Here’s what he said about The Gays:

“A person once asked me, in a provocative manner, if I approved of homosexuality. I replied with another question: ‘Tell me: when God looks at a gay person, does he endorse the existence of this person with love, or reject and condemn this person?’ We must always consider the person.”

Which, loosely translated, means, love the sinner, hate the sin, also known as the same spiel they’ve been selling for years.

Now, is it nice that the Pope mentioned us without also using the words ‘damned to the fiery pits of hell’? Yeah, that was nice, but anyone who thinks that the Catholic Church has suddenly become a rainbow flag waving, feather boa wearing, Gay Pride marching ally to this community is sadly mistaken.

The Pope is just covering his bases; with membership in the Catholic Church, in all churches, dwindling faster than Congress’ approval ratings, he’s apt to say whatever he can to make the Church seem forgiving and accepting and open. They aren’t; not yet and not by a long shot. And if you need any more proof, how about this:

In Melbourne, Australia, dissident priest Greg Reynolds has been both defrocked and excommunicated because he has come out in support of female priests and The Gays. And this excommunication order did not come from the Melbourne Archdiocese, but rather it came directly from the Vatican.

The excommunication document — written in Latin and giving no reason for the excommunication — was dated May 31, meaning it comes under the authority of Pope Francis; the same Pope who wants the Church to be less ‘rule-obsessed’ about The Gays.

Father Reynolds, who had resigned his priesthood in 2011m and then founded the Inclusive Catholics, had expected to be defrocked, but not excommunicated, but says it makes no difference to his ministry:

“In times past excommunication was a huge thing, but today the hierarchy have lost such trust and respect. … I've come to this position because I've followed my conscience on women's ordination and gay marriage.''

So, let’s keep it real; Father Reynolds is, or was, what the Catholic Church could become if they ever decided to live with the rest of us in this century, but the Pope is still a mouthpiece, spewing nonsense about the church being less binding when it comes to its rules on such subjects like gays, same-sex marriage, and abortion and contraception. The same Pope who cut off a priest who stood up for women and The Gays.

Nothing’s changed. It’s all a smokescreen; a white smokescreen.