Catholic Church denies teenager confirmation until he publicly denounces gay equality

[TigerBoy]

One of the more blatant examples of religious brainwashing at work...

A teenage Catholic boy has been banned from confirmation after he posted a photograph on Facebook urging people to vote for equal marriage rights. He will only be allowed to take part in the rite if he denounces his support for equality.

Lennon Cihak defaced an anti-equality sign, crossing out the words ‘Vote Yes’ and replacing them with ‘Vote No’ to an attempt to pass a constitutional amendment to ban gay couples marrying. He posted a photograph of the sign on Facebook and it was spotted by his local priest, Rev Gary LaMoine.

The boy’s mother, Shana told, local newspaper, the Forum that she was shocked to hear of the decision after the priest called her into a private conversation. She told the local newspaper, “He said ‘I cannot, cannot confirm him. Father would not confirm him, and they won’t confirm him unless he changes his views.” She also claimed that the family have been denied Holy Communion in the parish.

Rev LaMoine says: “They’re my parishioners, and so when the press comes after me from different points of view and asks me all types of questions about their situation, I hesitate very much because I owe them, I owe that family confidentiality,” he said.

The Forum reports that the local bishop, Michael Hoeppner has told the family that if their son publicly denounces his support of equality, he will be confirmed.

Source (http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2012/11/16/us-catholic-church-denies-teenager-confirmation-until-he-publicly-denounces-gay-equality/)

[Noirtier]

Somehow, I'm not surprised. The Catholic church has been consistently opposed to gay rights throughout the world, even recently as acceptance of homosexuality has begun to grow in more developed countries. I didn't figure they'd start supporting them now.

[Ryhanna]

Hardly surprising, but still awful. You can't really expect much less from the Catholic church.

[Tribute]

I really hate it when people 'downgrade' a specific religion over the actions of a small minority. A lot of the crap some 'catholic people' pull don't represent the whole religion as a whole.

I went to a catholic primary/elementary and high school and EVERYONE including the church were very, very supportive of people of different race and orientation. Never was anyone ever made felt 'left out' or anything and it really annoys me when people call 'Catholics' out on homophobia.

I'm catholic myself and I 100% have no problems with gay people, nor do any 'Catholic' people I know.

[ackmedsgirl666]

i hate this.. its wrong... and stupid in my opinion
gay people are just like any other person... were all the same
and now this boy is being denied his rights because he chooses to support gays
this is wrong....

[Jupiter]

go to a different church. if it doesn't let them stay because of their views, then you shouldn't be there. religion is about acceptance. we got kicked out of our church in '05 for our beliefs, and i hate to admit it, but those people who do that are hypocrites

[Iron Man]

Doesn't surprise me one bit.

[West Coast Sheriff]

Poor boy. :( that's just turrible.

[Abyssal Echo]

Poor boy. :( that's just turrible.

I agree with Fbomb :D it sucks what they are doing to the boy.

[WickedWeekend]

Doesn't surprise me. However, I hate it when everyone stereotypes Christians and Catholics as "brainwashers." As Tribute said, (I'm paraphrasing of course) one church's decision doesn't represent everyone else's of that religion.

[FreeFall]

Is there something so super special amazing about that church that he can't just say "well fuck you" and sashay away like a bad ass?

So the anti groups/people are leeching out now and publicly going after the LGBT supporters again and not just the members? Wonderful.

That kid better stay strong and not denounce what he did or he's no better than them.

[TigerBoy]

I really hate it when people 'downgrade' a specific religion over the actions of a small minority. A lot of the crap some 'catholic people' pull don't represent the whole religion as a whole.
.

How many Catholics have to be hateful bigots and child abusers before it's suitably "representative" in your view?

If 'representing' is what matters to you, how is that their leadership continually spew hatred and division? Leaders such as Cardinal Keith O'Brien, voted "Bigot of the Year" by Stonewall for his hateful views and inflammatory rhetoric. Leaders who pay the legal fees to defend serial child abusers, and keep getting exposed for covering up the Church's knowledge of these people. And lets not forget prominent leaders like the famous Father Benedict Groeschel who blamed the abused kids (http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2012/08/30/catholic-newspaper-scrubs-interview-after-priest-says-children-are-seducers/) for being so attractive the priests were seduced to abuse them in the first place.

If Catholics are worried about how they are represented, they should change the leadership whose job it is to represent them, or leave the Catholic Church behind.

In the meantime, if Catholics don't want 'bad press' its quite easy: they just need to stop saying and doing bad things.

Compare this religion's attitude and actions. (http://www.virtualteen.org/forums/showthread.php?t=158688)

[Mortal Coil]

This is awful, it devastates me to know that people still exist who think this way.

[Gaybaby94]

And people ask why I hate religion so much. I'm sorry but to me, one bad apple makes the whole bunch rotten.

[Jupiter]

And people ask why I hate religion so much. I'm sorry but to me, one bad apple makes the whole bunch rotten.

http://www.virtualteen.org/forums/showthread.php?t=158688

if you hate religion you are JUST AS BAD as the people who hate gays.

[Danny_boi 16]

I guess I'm stupid or something cos this surprises me. My confirmation is coming up real soon, and I totally support equal marriage. When stuff like this happens I always think "why?"

[Jess]

Why do people like these still exist? :/

[PinkFloyd]

The way I feel about The Catholick religion is the same way European people feel About the United States. I only see the fucked up things and ignore the fact that amongst the bad are good people scattered around..... I hope that made sense.....

[nfs4394]

As a born and raised Catholic, a story like this really pisses me off. Nowhere in our religion are we taught to hate gay people, gay marriage being an entirely separate issue (and something I fully support by the way). Some of the better friends that I have made in college are gay and I hold nothing against them because of my religion. The idea that people in this religion still can't accept them as equal goes completely against our values. While this is an unfortunate situation, this kid should not give up on his religion, but rather fight back.

[Jupiter]

As a born and raised Catholic, a story like this really pisses me off. Nowhere in our religion are we taught to hate gay people, gay marriage being an entirely separate issue (and something I fully support by the way). Some of the better friends that I have made in college are gay and I hold nothing against them because of my religion. The idea that people in this religion still can't accept them as equal goes completely against our values. While this is an unfortunate situation, this kid should not give up on his religion, but rather fight back.

now THIS is what i like to hear.

[TigerBoy]

First off, as a gay kid myself, thank you for your support and for thinking for yourself.

Nowhere in our religion are we taught to hate gay people,
Sadly that isn't true. The net result of Catholic teaching encourages a hurtful opinion towards gays. This comes from the top, where the pope has described us as "defective" and a threat to the future of humanity. Catholicism expects you to hate the sin, but while what you see as 'sin' is a part of our nature, the net result is that the Church leadership encourages hatred towards gays, and anything else is simply making excuses. Attempts from within the Church itself to speak to these points have met with closed-minded censure (http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2012/06/04/vatican-criticises-a-pro-gay-book-by-us-nun/).. It recently came out that this has led to some deciding that Catholicism requires them to castrate gay boys (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-17453849)to cure them of their sin - all out of love, obviously.

gay marriage being an entirely separate issue (and something I fully support by the way).
Again, this does go against explicit Catholic doctrine. The Pope even had an anti-gay marriage letter read out in every church to that effect, and got into trouble in the UK where this was also - illegally - done in Catholic schools, and furthermore tried to encourage children as young as 11 to sign an anti-equal marriage petition. It backfired when the kids themselves objected to this blatant attempt at coercion and brainwashing.

The idea that people in this religion still can't accept them as equal goes completely against our values.
This is how I feel the religion should work too - and thankfully polls have shown a solid number of UK catholics feel similarly to you. The leadership of the Catholic church is a different matter entirely.

[Cicero]

And people ask why I hate religion so much. I'm sorry but to me, one bad apple makes the whole bunch rotten.

Yep, as Eric said. Your just as bad as the gay hating religious people. But hey, I'm wasting my time responding to you cause you never respond to people who oppose your views. But hey, it does show your maturity level. It shows that you cannot handle viewpoints that differ your own, and show's you cannot debate properly, or even at all.


First off, as a gay kid myself, thank you for your support and for thinking for yourself.


Sadly that isn't true. The net result of Catholic teaching encourages a hurtful opinion towards gays. This comes from the top, where the pope has described us as "defective" and a threat to the future of humanity. Catholicism expects you to hate the sin, but while what you see as 'sin' is a part of our nature, the net result is that the Church leadership encourages hatred towards gays, and anything else is simply making excuses. Attempts from within the Church itself to speak to these points have met with closed-minded censure (http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2012/06/04/vatican-criticises-a-pro-gay-book-by-us-nun/).. It recently came out that this has led to some deciding that Catholicism requires them to castrate gay boys (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-17453849)to cure them of their sin - all out of love, obviously.


Again, this does go against explicit Catholic doctrine. The Pope even had an anti-gay marriage letter read out in every church to that effect, and got into trouble in the UK where this was also - illegally - done in Catholic schools, and furthermore tried to encourage children as young as 11 to sign an anti-equal marriage petition. It backfired when the kids themselves objected to this blatant attempt at coercion and brainwashing.


This is how I feel the religion should work too - and thankfully polls have shown a solid number of UK catholics feel similarly to you. The leadership of the Catholic church is a different matter entirely.
Your completely off base. For catholics, being a homosexual is the same as being an alcoholic. How, you may ask? Well, if Catholics see being a homosexual a sin, and they are taught to hate the sin and not the person. Then that means that Catholics are taught to hate the alcoholics obsession with alcohol, but love that person. It applies to everything else too. Catholics see homosexuality the same as any other sin, whether its being a alcoholic, a murder, or just a compulsive liar. So for a accepting person, a normal, non religious person would be taught to hate the lying, but love that person. Thats the same, for Catholics, for homosexuality. You call them closed minded, but perhaps your not so 'open minded' as you thought, if your slandering another, differing, viewpoint, such as a roman Catholics viewpoint. All the catholics are doing, is teaching that homosexuality is a sin. What they are doing, is saying that you should love the person, but hate the sin. They say the same about compulsive liars, sinners, and homosexuals. Now when you mention that they are brainwashing, thats not what they're doing. They're instilling they're own values, into the child. If you say its brainwashing, then what makes it different for a parent to teach they're child to be open minded about sexuality? In sorts, isn't that brainwashing too? Its basically saying that whatever your parents teach you is brainwashing. When in fact it is NOT brainwashing. So if your parents teach you to be open minded about sexuality, thats not brainwashing, what thats doing is instilling your parents viewpoints into your own. If your parents teach you that homosexuality is wrong, then thats NOT brainwashing, thats instilling your parents viewpoints into your own. You call it brainwashing, because it strongly differs from your own viewpoints. If you send your child to a Catholic school, you can only expect that they look down on homosexuality and they will teach your child that its wrong. As a parent, you can always saying that they are wrong and that homosexuality is right. But of course, you will be going against the Catholic church, which is strongly not suggested in the Catholic church and community. So basically, its a double standard. Your basically saying that you shouldn't teach your child to be against the homosexual act, but you should teach them to be For the homosexual act. i'm rather offended your bashing the Catholic religion, for most of my family is Catholic. while i am undecided.
My opinion:
Do I think its right the Catholics discriminate against LGBT? No, I think its completely wrong. So many people at my school say they want "Homosexuals to be accepted by society" yet if they know a homosexual at the school, they treat them horribly. I get made fun of or looked down upon daily,for being thought of as gay. Although I tell them I'm straight. they decide not to believe me. Although im sexually confused, i know for sure that i like girls.

[TigerBoy]

Your completely off base.

*You're
Nonsense. The above links I quoted are fact. The net negative impact of the church on gays is a matter of record (and not just limited to their erstwhile practice of burning of 'sodomites' at the stake), as is their hypocritical systematic sexual abuse of boys and shameful cover ups.

The age old apology of "we don't hate you, its for your own good, guys" doesn't change the results of those actions, whatever their motivation.


For catholics, being a homosexual is the same as being an alcoholic.

That view is only possible because they choose to believe bronze aged fables, medieval bullshit and ignore science. Also your statement is incorrect: a great many Catholics in the UK do not believe that, in fact 89% of UK Catholics disagree with your statement. (http://www.brin.ac.uk/news/2010/at-odds-with-the-church-roman-catholic-opinion-ii/)
Alternatively you might want to try reading this piece (http://www.pennlive.com/editorials/index.ssf/2011/07/wheres_the_love.html)written by a Catholic grandmother


Then that means that Catholics are taught to hate the alcoholics obsession with alcohol, but love that person.
Yes, the old 'I have nothing against gays, BUT' approach. We hear that a lot. It's deceitful crap.


You call them closed minded, but perhaps your not so 'open minded' as you thought, if your slandering another, differing, viewpoint, such as a roman Catholics viewpoint.
Slander is spoken, you appear to mean libel.
Disagreeing and providing a factual basis for that disagreement isn't libel, it is simply thinking rationally for oneself. Something the Catholic church has a long history of attempting to suppress.

Now when you mention that they are brainwashing, thats not what they're doing.
Many people firmly believe it is, actually. The Papal Inquisitions are even used by academics as an illustration of early documented brainwashing techniques, evidenced by all the ridiculous things people ended up confessing to. Independent thought is discouraged on key matters of doctrine using a variety of aversion techniques such as guilt, threat of excommunication and shunning, acts of contrition etc. You only have to look at what happened to the likes of Galileo where he was accused of heresy, and forced to recant all his discoveries. This attempt to control minds goes beyond individuals to attempts to edit reality to suit the church such as condemning scientific works as heretical and a continued rejection of mainstream science today. Your view is not a statement of universally accepted truth, quite the opposite.


They're instilling they're own values, into the child. If you say its brainwashing, then what makes it different for a parent to teach they're child to be open minded about sexuality?
*their
You don't understand the difference between 'brainwashing' and 'education'. Given facts a child can form their own conclusions via independent rationalisation. If you subvert that child's ability to recognise and process facts with mythology and threats of punishment in hell or other guilt trips, you've introduced what is known as 'cognitive bias'.


i'm rather offended your bashing the Catholic religion, for most of my family is Catholic. while i am undecided.

Bashing? Again, disagreeing on the basis of fact and rational thought is hardly bashing.
For the record, I'm incredibly offended about Catholicism bashing science and gays, which manifests often in very literal bashings, again a matter of historical fact.
I'm also appalled by your attempts to deny that the Catholic Church has caused real and lasting physical and psychological harm to many individuals, such as castrating gay boys as I cited above.
While I'm not attempting to withhold civil liberties from Catholics, they continue to try to deny me mine. We're past the days when the Vatican could suppress critics by another round of witch hunting and condemning heretics. If rational argument offends, then I'm not surprised.

[survivor]

I am Catholic, however I am all for gay marriage and my confirmation is in the spring. I know why the church denounces gay marriage, but I don't believe in it. I can't believe a Church would do something like this.

[Sir Suomi]

Well, I guess that's not suprising from the Catholics. Personally, I have no problem with homosexuals. I mean, I can't fully support them, just simply because of how I was raised, but there human beings, and they should be treated all right. This is just stupid though, and I hope it goes good for the kid.

[CharlieFinley]

Is there something so super special amazing about that church that he can't just say "well fuck you" and sashay away like a bad ass?

So the anti groups/people are leeching out now and publicly going after the LGBT supporters again and not just the members? Wonderful.

That kid better stay strong and not denounce what he did or he's no better than them.

I'm in agreement with FreeFall, here. This seems a great situation for what Bernard Cornwell would call the efficacious word.

[chrisawesome]

This is one reason the Catholic church kind of angers me. Your taught to love everybody, but when you try and support or put your hand on the shoulder of a homosexual, you are seen as a sinner or in a majorly Catholic filled school an outcast! There are priests sexually abusing young children and they are shaken the "thats a no no" finger at.

Being an alcoholic is an addiction that you cant handle. While we take the blood of Christ ( wine ) in church!

I am a Catholic and I really hope the confirmation bishop doesnt ask me something like this or does research about me! Our great country has freedom of speech! I mean do you realy think I am not fit to be a Catholic for that reason! I cant stand when something like that happens. This is something I have to ask God after I die

[AuthorX303720]

Okay lemme start out with this. I am a Catholic and I am proud of it. Second being gay is okay but gay marriage is wrong because it is turning a Holy Sacrament into nothing because :f God had intended the human race to be fulfilled through both heterosexual and homosexual marriage, He would have designed our bodies to allow reproduction through both means and made both means of sexual intercourse healthy and natural. Homosexual anal intercourse carries a high risk of disease, this is recognized in Scripture where gay men are said to receive in their bodies the due penalty for their error (Romans 1:27). Sorry.

[TigerBoy]

Okay lemme start out with this. I am a Catholic and I am proud of it.
Really? How do you feel about the history of social control and oppression, repression of science, witch burnings, fag burnings, torture and killings under the Inquisition, collusion with dictators, spreading lies about AIDs prevention, child sex abuse, cover ups of child sex abuse going all the way to the pope, church officials blaming the abused kids for being too sexy, preventing women having life saving abortions, abducting babies from mothers for adoption, castrating gay boys in care, etc etc ? That makes you proud?


gay marriage is wrong because it is turning a Holy Sacrament into nothing

Marriage predates Christianity and the Catholic Church. Lots of non-Catholics get married. It therefore isn't up to the Catholic church to dictate to anyone other than Catholics (who are leaving the church in droves out of disgust at this and other stupid policies). If same sex Catholics don't want to get married where it is legal, then don't, its quite simple.

because :f God had intended the human race to be fulfilled through both heterosexual and homosexual marriage, He would have designed our bodies to allow reproduction through both means and made both means of sexual intercourse healthy and natural.
On the contrary, science has shown that gay members of societies in nature help the race by providing additional contributors to child rearing and other aspects of pack welfare, and other research (http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/20665161)has shown that same sex activity makes individuals more attractive to females in nature by demonstrating their sexual prowess. Still other research (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/06/12/why-are-there-gay-men_n_1590501.html)shows that the same genetics makes females more attractive to males, again helping the race procreate.

Homosexual anal intercourse carries a high risk of disease,
Marriage is not required for anyone to have sex, so equal marriage has nothing to do with what sort of sex you are having. Your argument is a non sequitur.

Since you brought it up, the risks are a the same for "heterosexual" anal intercourse, and if you look at some facts (they're the things that aren't made-up crap) you might be surprised by the relative risk compared to vaginal sex (eg this (http://www.sfcityclinic.org/stdbasics/stdchart.asp)table lists fewer risks factors for anal sex, and so does this (http://www.tinynibbles.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/SaferSexChart.pdf)one.) To single out one over the other is to entirely miss the point about 'safe sex'.


this is recognized in Scripture where gay men are said to receive in their bodies the due penalty for their error (Romans 1:27). Sorry.
You really need to read your bible more closely. That passage is Paul condemning idolaters from turning away from God to pagan worship of idols. Any penalty they are receiving is because they have turned away from God. I shouldn't be surprised, Catholics do seem to have a hard time understanding the whole 'idolatry' business.

Do you have any valid reasons why equal marriage is 'wrong' for society?

[AuthorX303720]

"THE WORD OF GOD IS LIVING AND EFFECTIVE IS SHARPER THAN ANY TWO EDGE SWORD!" Sir I am proud of being a catholic because we are leading the way for humantarian aide while some atheists just say that I will get a free pass into heaven. While I have something to do with my life on Sundays rather than watching football. And someone is out there who I can leak my heart out to in a time of need and in suffering. Second the holy sacrment of marriage is in between a man and a woman in order to bear a child. Not between two of the same gender for adult love. Thus the holy sacrament of matoramny is being "tainted" soon marriage won't mean shit in the eyes of anyone and everyone will start marrying anyone. And second of all alot of people have done bad things in the catholic chuch for a number of years, but we are trying to patch that up. For instance the Child Sex Abuse, and we have not killed anyone because of there sexual orientation. We have been saying that if the baby is alive in the whom then we shall take it out and perform the life saving treatment for the mom. But in order to find the next "messiah" we must not abort or else we are damned to eternity here on earth

[TigerBoy]

"THE WORD OF GOD IS LIVING AND EFFECTIVE IS SHARPER THAN ANY TWO EDGE SWORD!"

Which belligerent attitude is why it is responsible for more wars, death and suffering than a little.


Sir I am proud of being a catholic because we are leading the way for humantarian aide
By contributing (http://www.daylightatheism.org/2009/03/catholicism-kills.html)to the spread of disease in the third world. By diverting nuns from social works in order to gay bash (http://bigthink.com/daylight-atheism/the-catholic-crackdown-on-feminism-continued)more. By closing adoption (http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2012/11/02/uk-catholic-adoption-charity-loses-anti-gay-legal-appeal/)agencies because of butthurt (http://www.daylightatheism.org/2010/08/ending-discrimination-in-adoption.html)over equality law in the UK. By interfering in democracy by blackmailing (https://www.au.org/blogs/wall-of-separation/more-bishops-deny-communion-to-pro-choice-politicians)politicians. Etc. etc.


While I have something to do with my life on Sundays rather than watching football.
You are Catholic because it saves you from being bored? Ever thought of spending the time going out and doing some good in society instead?


Second the holy sacrment of marriage is in between a man and a woman in order to bear a child. Not between two of the same gender for adult love. Thus the holy sacrament of matoramny is being "tainted" soon marriage won't mean shit in the eyes of anyone and everyone will start marrying anyone.
*sacrament *matrimony
I don't think you read or understood my response to this previously. Non-Catholics do not care what Catholics think about marriage. You guys can do whatever you want to do, and butt out of everyone else's business.


And second of all alot of people have done bad things in the catholic chuch for a number of years, but we are trying to patch that up.
*Church *a lot
What, like glue their testicles back on or resurrect them? Super.

For instance the Child Sex Abuse,
You can un-rape kids now? A miracle!


and we have not killed anyone because of there sexual orientation.
*their
Lies. You have, lots of them. Aside from the historical records of the deaths (and torture) themselves, there are records of people like St Pius V and St Thomas Aquinas calling for gays to be killed.

We have been saying that if the baby is alive in the whom then we shall take it out and perform the life saving treatment for the mom.
Not in Ireland (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-20768743)you haven't, in spite of it hitting the headlines recently.


But in order to find the next "messiah" we must not abort or else we are damned to eternity here on earth
If the next messiah is sent by an omnipotent and omniscient God, he'd hardly send it to someone who was going to abort the child.

[Sir Suomi]

"THE WORD OF GOD IS LIVING AND EFFECTIVE IS SHARPER THAN ANY TWO EDGE SWORD!" Sir I am proud of being a catholic because we are leading the way for humantarian aide while some atheists just say that I will get a free pass into heaven. While I have something to do with my life on Sundays rather than watching football. And someone is out there who I can leak my heart out to in a time of need and in suffering. Second the holy sacrment of marriage is in between a man and a woman in order to bear a child. Not between two of the same gender for adult love. Thus the holy sacrament of matoramny is being "tainted" soon marriage won't mean shit in the eyes of anyone and everyone will start marrying anyone. And second of all alot of people have done bad things in the catholic chuch for a number of years, but we are trying to patch that up. For instance the Child Sex Abuse, and we have not killed anyone because of there sexual orientation. We have been saying that if the baby is alive in the whom then we shall take it out and perform the life saving treatment for the mom. But in order to find the next "messiah" we must not abort or else we are damned to eternity here on earth


...... Dude.... Just please, shut up. You're not helping improve Christianity's reputation.... Even for majority of what he's said, I agree with Tiger. And that is a VERY rare occurance.

[AuthorX303720]

Listen I am sorry. and I am sorry if I offened you but I am sticking up for my religon. Won't u do the same if you were taught like this?

[TigerBoy]

Listen I am sorry. and I am sorry if I offened you but I am sticking up for my religon. Won't u do the same if you were taught like this?

I know you aren't a bad guy, I've seen you make some kind posts around the site, so I hope you'll see where I'm coming from too here.

Offence can only be caused if someone goes around telling people hurtful stuff or otherwise interfering in their lives.

If your religion stays between you and God, it can't possibly be an issue for anyone else.

You posted comments passing judgement on something that affects others, and your arguments included the views of your particular religion and the moral authority of your faith. What I did was to (try to) show you that those arguments don't count for much with those not of your religion.

To put it simply, if a religion feels entitled to take offence and judge others, it should be prepared to cause offence and receive judgement back.

[AuthorX303720]

In my religon you will not go to hell if you do not practice or obey the religon. It just depends on charcter. So I am sorry for what ever offended you. But I am damned for eternity to preach the word of the faith to any listening ears. I will try to be more careful
(FYI IF you think that Catholics are hard core look at the people from Focus on the Family are diehards, I use to support executions and the death sentence and I lived right next to one. They shunned me until I moved and there still damning me.

[chrisawesome]

i am a catholic too, but banning the whole area from marrying homosexually is just plain inconsiderate. You have to realize that the whole world isnt catholic. There are a few religions who could care less about gay marrage. I have friends that are gay, and im not going to let their marrage be saceficed just because of my 1 religious openion. The worst part about the catholic church not allowing this is the fact that my school is predominantly catholic. And people are being bullies over their bias toward the bible, it is horrible and it needs to stop. We can have our own beliefs,but dont be bullies about it. I am and will always be a LGBT supporter. I see this refusal of confirming as a freedom of speech thing. Why is the person confirming this teen looking at their facebook page. . I dont think they should see their private social media conversations. Many peoples Twitter or Facebook pages have little religous purpose to be searched through like that ! !

[Tribute]

How many Catholics have to be hateful bigots and child abusers before it's suitably "representative" in your view?

If 'representing' is what matters to you, how is that their leadership continually spew hatred and division? Leaders such as Cardinal Keith O'Brien, voted "Bigot of the Year" by Stonewall for his hateful views and inflammatory rhetoric. Leaders who pay the legal fees to defend serial child abusers, and keep getting exposed for covering up the Church's knowledge of these people. And lets not forget prominent leaders like the famous Father Benedict Groeschel who blamed the abused kids (http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2012/08/30/catholic-newspaper-scrubs-interview-after-priest-says-children-are-seducers/) for being so attractive the priests were seduced to abuse them in the first place.

If Catholics are worried about how they are represented, they should change the leadership whose job it is to represent them, or leave the Catholic Church behind.

In the meantime, if Catholics don't want 'bad press' its quite easy: they just need to stop saying and doing bad things.

Compare this religion's attitude and actions. (http://www.virtualteen.org/forums/showthread.php?t=158688)

Okay so, if a few homosexual people make some rude racist remarks, I'm suppose to believe that ALL homosexual people are like this? No. Downgrading a specific group of people based off on what SOME people say or do isn't right.

[IAMWILL]

To quote the Catechism of the Catholic Church, the official teachings:

2357 Homosexuality refers to relations between men or between women who experience an exclusive or predominant sexual attraction toward persons of the same sex. It has taken a great variety of forms through the centuries and in different cultures. Its psychological genesis remains largely unexplained. Basing itself on Sacred Scripture, which presents homosexual acts as acts of grave depravity, tradition has always declared that "homosexual acts are intrinsically disordered." They are contrary to the natural law. They close the sexual act to the gift of life. They do not proceed from a genuine affective and sexual complementarity. Under no circumstances can they be approved.
2358 The number of men and women who have deep-seated homosexual tendencies is not negligible. This inclination, which is objectively disordered, constitutes for most of them a trial. They must be accepted with respect, compassion, and sensitivity. Every sign of unjust discrimination in their regard should be avoided. These persons are called to fulfill God's will in their lives and, if they are Christians, to unite to the sacrifice of the Lord's Cross the difficulties they may encounter from their condition.
I do not see anywhere in that, "homosexuality is a sin and we should hate gays." In fact, it pretty much says the complete opposite. Also, allow me to clarify the text.

"Homosexuality refers to relations between men or between women who experience an exclusive or predominant sexual attraction toward persons of the same sex....”
The Church is speaking here about homosexual acts.

“Its psychological genesis remains largely unexplained.”
This is the exact position of the APA.

"homosexual acts are intrinsically disordered.”
The Church is using philosophical language here, not pejorative. She is also referring to homosexual acts, not persons. “Disordered” here means not “ordered toward” the fulfillment of the act; not “ordered” toward the telos or purpose of the sexual faculty, hence “dis-ordered” and thus...

“They are contrary to the natural law."
The Church even teaches that Her teaching on this is not dependent on religious belief or Sacred Scripture, but on Natural Law, knowable through reason alone.

“They [homosexual acts] close the sexual act to the gift of life.”
For this reason they are a mis-use of the sexual faculties in the same way that contraception and masturbation are, and for similar reasons.

“Under no circumstances can they [homosexual acts] be approved.”
Because this is a principle of the Natural Law, the Church cannot “change” her teaching on this.

“The number of men and women who have deep-seated homosexual tendencies is not negligible."
Regardless of its origin, same-sex attraction is more often than not, “deep-seated”, or deeply rooted and not superficial.

"This inclination, which is objectively disordered, constitutes for most of them a trial."
Again, the inclination is not ordered toward its telos or fulfillment. This is NOT referring to persons, nor is it suggesting that the inclination is itself sinful.

“They must be accepted with respect, compassion, and sensitivity. Every sign of unjust discrimination in their regard should be avoided.”
More people need to read this section...

“These persons are called to fulfill God's will in their lives and, if they are Christians, to unite to the sacrifice of the Lord's Cross the difficulties they may encounter from their condition.”
Their calling is no different than anyone else’s...nothing less than communion with God.

This is what is taught in Catholic school. I think your "brainwashing" claims are pretty baseless.

[TheMatrix]

Okay so, if a few homosexual people make some rude racist remarks, I'm suppose to believe that ALL homosexual people are like this? No. Downgrading a specific group of people based off on what SOME people say or do isn't right.

Please don't bump old threads; this one is just over 2 months old.
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