Pope Benedict XVI (left) recently met with Catholic officials from Uganda at the Vatican to address issues facing the African country. One would assume that this might be the opportunity to discuss the bill before the Ugandan legislature that would put gays in jail for life or put them to death. Surely stopping the murder of a group of people would be a Christian value.Not for this pope.
As the website lezbereal.com notes, "Pope Benedict XVI has not historically been one to keep quiet on issues facing sovereign nations. Most recently he has criticised the UK for trying to enact comprehensive equality legislation, yet still expects the country to foot the bill for his lavish visit. Spanish and Canadian legislators have been taunted and threatened with denial of communion or even excommunication for supporting equality for gays and lesbians, or access to abortion. He has called the parenting of children by lesbians and gays, child abuse."
The Pope's silence on the issue --especially when he has the Ugandan clergy as an audience -- is inexcusable. Here's a quote from the website Jewish Virtual Library about the Catholic Church's stance during the Holocaust:
While the scope of the possible "kill the gay bill" in Uganda and the Holocaust can't possibly be compared, we can certainly acknowledge the similarity of innocent people punished or being put to death because of who they are. And, unfortunately, we are seeing another similarity: the Pope's silence in the face of these atrocities.Pope Pius XII's (1876-1958) actions during the Holocaust remain controversial. For much of the war, he maintained a public front of indifference and remained silent while German atrocities were committed. He refused pleas for help on the grounds of neutrality, while making statements condemning injustices in general. Privately, he sheltered a small number of Jews and spoke to a few select officials, encouraging them to help the Jews.
It seems that the Catholic Church has learned nothing from history.
As a child excommunication held great eternal fear for me. As I grew and learned of the true evil at play in the vatican I figured this action would only fit in with my parent's feelings aboutt my not going to church. What's going to happen, the vatican museums are going to refuse to take my money? If Jesus would had the forethought to devise excommunication I'm sure quite few poops would have been candidates.
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