Francis: Christians must apologize to gay people for marginalizing them

Beaudreaux · Jun 26, 2016

Francis: Christians must apologize to gay people for marginalizing them | National Catholic Reporter

Joshua J. McElwee | Jun. 26, 2016

Aboard the papal flight to Rome -- The Catholic church and other Christian communities must apologize to gay people and to many groups they have let down or offended throughout history, Pope Francis has said.

In a press conference Sunday on the flight back to Rome after his weekend trip to Armenia, the pontiff said bluntly: "The church must say it's sorry for not having comported itself well many times, many times."

"I believe that the church not only must say it's sorry ... to this person that is gay that it has offended," said the pope. "But it must say it's sorry to the poor, also, to mistreated women, to children forced to work."

"When I say the church: Christians," Francis clarified. "The church is healthy. We are the sinners."

The pope was responding to a question about remarks German Cardinal Reinhard Marx made last week that the Catholic church should apologize to the gay community for marginalizing them.

"I will repeat the same thing I said on the first trip," Francis said today, referencing the press conference he held on a return flight from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in 2013. "I will also repeat what the Catechism of the Catholic Church says: that [gay people] should not be discriminated against, that they have to be respected, pastorally accompanied."

"The matter is a person that has that condition [and] that has good will because they search for God," said the pontiff.

"Who are we to judge them?" he asked, reframing his famous phrase from 2013 into the plural. "We must accompany well -- what the Catechism says. The Catechism is clear."

[...]

Being that I am not Catholic, I don't tend to pay that much attention to the Pope when he tried to tell me how I should act and what I should do, as this particular Pope tends to do, a lot. However, when he tells his own church members what to do and how to act, I do pay attention because they make up the largest Christian church in the world.

In this instance, he's talking about actions that all Christians should take, but he does so through his own church members. Nonetheless, when he says "Who are we to judge them?" I go back to my understanding of the New Testament and what Jesus taught us, and I have to agree with him completely. As for the Catholic Church apologizing to gays, women, children, and the poor, well, that's something I don't feel comfortable opining about since, again, I'm not Catholic.

As for me, as a Christian, I apologized a long time ago, when I realized that the opinions I grew up being taught, were hateful and just plain wrong. I've grown and learned - it appears that the Catholic Church via this Pope, is growing and learning as well (at least on the subject of gays).

mak2 · Jun 26, 2016

I don't think the Pope considers us Protestants Christian. I don't think it matters much if we apologize or whatever. What I do think matters is how we treat each other every day, I still don't think we have it right. But we are doing better.

joG · Jun 26, 2016

Beaudreaux said:
Francis: Christians must apologize to gay people for marginalizing them | National Catholic Reporter

Being that I am not Catholic, I don't tend to pay that much attention to the Pope when he tried to tell me how I should act and what I should do, as this particular Pope tends to do, a lot. However, when he tells his own church members what to do and how to act, I do pay attention because they make up the largest Christian church in the world.

In this instance, he's talking about actions that all Christians should take, but he does so through his own church members. Nonetheless, when he says "Who are we to judge them?" I go back to my understanding of the New Testament and what Jesus taught us, and I have to agree with him completely. As for the Catholic Church apologizing to gays, women, children, and the poor, well, that's something I don't feel comfortable opining about since, again, I'm not Catholic.

As for me, as a Christian, I apologized a long time ago, when I realized that the opinions I grew up being taught, were hateful and just plain wrong. I've grown and learned - it appears that the Catholic Church via this Pope, is growing and learning as well (at least on the subject of gays).

Actually, the apologies in my family might have been made in the 19th century. Since then the family seems to have felt comfortable with people doing as they liked in that respect.

Goshin · Jun 26, 2016

New liberal Pope says another liberal thing.

Yawn. :coffeepap:

mak2 · Jun 26, 2016

Funny, the Pope is too far left now days.

Beaudreaux · Jun 26, 2016

mak2 said:
I don't think the Pope considers us Protestants Christian. I don't think it matters much if we apologize or whatever. What I do think matters is how we treat each other every day, I still don't think we have it right. But we are doing better.

My apology I spoke of was for my own actions and was given in person to the specific people, one by one, that I know for a fact I had harmed (not physically, emotionally) by my actions and words. I would never feel arrogant enough to apologize for others or any group of people. Just sayin'...

rocket88 · Jun 26, 2016

Goshin said:
New liberal Pope says another liberal thing.

Yawn. :coffeepap:

If Jesus were here, you'd call him a liberal.

rocket88 · Jun 26, 2016

mak2 said:
Funny, the Pope is too far left now days.

They don't know how to react when Christianity conflicts with GOP orthodoxy.

mak2 · Jun 26, 2016

But they do know it is Christianity that wrong, not Republicanism.

rocket88 said:
They don't know how to react when Christianity conflicts with GOP orthodoxy.

rocket88 · Jun 26, 2016

mak2 said:
But they do know it is Christianity that wrong, not Republicanism.

I'm not sure I want any part of a world where treating people with love and respect is considered "liberal."

mak2 · Jun 26, 2016

Don't vote for the Donald.

rocket88 said:
I'm not sure I want any part of a world where treating people with love and respect is considered "liberal."

AGENT J · Jun 26, 2016

Good for the pop, im not catholic but I am christian and to be clear it most certainly is not all christians that owe apologies for how they have acted, only the ones that acted in the vile ways im sure he is referring too.

People can still continue to THINK and FEEL how they want but how we treat each other is important. ANd as americans trying or supporting infringing on the rights of other americans and treating them as lessers is about as hypocritical and vile as it gets.

Abbazorkzog · Jun 26, 2016

mak2 said:
Don't vote for the Donald.

And Donald Trump was a long-time Democrat before running for President.

DaveFagan · Jun 26, 2016

AGENT J said:
Good for the pop, im not catholic but I am christian and to be clear it most certainly is not all christians that owe apologies for how they have acted, only the ones that acted in the vile ways im sure he is referring too.

People can still continue to THINK and FEEL how they want but how we treat each other is important. ANd as americans trying or supporting infringing on the rights of other americans and treating them as lessers is about as hypocritical and vile as it gets.

"People can still continue to THINK and FEEL how they want but how we treat each other is important. ANd as americans trying or supporting infringing on the rights of other americans and treating them as lessers is about as hypocritical and vile as it gets.[/"
That trying or supporting infringing on the rights of other people and treating them as lessers is bout as hypocritical and vile as it gets, sorta exactly like USA, we'uns, the exceptional ones, mistreating Iraq, Syria, Libya, Afghanistan, eh? Among others and a list too long to print. Probably OK because we are mostly killing them, except for the ones we torture. I didn't vote for that. Hot damn, but I might vote for the Pope.

mak2 · Jun 26, 2016

That means? I would not vote for him no matter what party he ran for. I am not a mindless partisan hack.

Abbazorkzog said:
And Donald Trump was a long-time Democrat before running for President.

countryboy · Jun 26, 2016

Beaudreaux said:
Francis: Christians must apologize to gay people for marginalizing them | National Catholic Reporter

Being that I am not Catholic, I don't tend to pay that much attention to the Pope when he tried to tell me how I should act and what I should do, as this particular Pope tends to do, a lot. However, when he tells his own church members what to do and how to act, I do pay attention because they make up the largest Christian church in the world.

In this instance, he's talking about actions that all Christians should take, but he does so through his own church members. Nonetheless, when he says "Who are we to judge them?" I go back to my understanding of the New Testament and what Jesus taught us, and I have to agree with him completely. As for the Catholic Church apologizing to gays, women, children, and the poor, well, that's something I don't feel comfortable opining about since, again, I'm not Catholic.

As for me, as a Christian, I apologized a long time ago, when I realized that the opinions I grew up being taught, were hateful and just plain wrong. I've grown and learned - it appears that the Catholic Church via this Pope, is growing and learning as well (at least on the subject of gays).

Sorry 'bout that.

There, I'm glad we could clear that up.

rocket88 · Jun 26, 2016

mak2 said:
Don't vote for the Donald.

Had no plans to do so!

Abbazorkzog · Jun 26, 2016

mak2 said:
That means? I would not vote for him no matter what party he ran for. I am not a mindless partisan hack.

I do think it is interesting to light upon for his ardent supporters (most of whom hate Democrats. It's truly hilarious.)

AGENT J · Jun 26, 2016

DaveFagan said:
That trying or supporting infringing on the rights of other people and treating them as lessers is bout as hypocritical and vile as it gets, sorta exactly like USA, we'uns, the exceptional ones, mistreating Iraq, Syria, Libya, Afghanistan, eh? Among others and a list too long to print. Probably OK because we are mostly killing them, except for the ones we torture. I didn't vote for that. Hot damn, but I might vote for the Pope.

Well if you are asking me if america has done things to others to treat them as lessers? the answer is yes but that wasn't the topic here :shrug:

KevinKohler · Jun 26, 2016

mak2 said:
I don't think the Pope considers us Protestants Christian. I don't think it matters much if we apologize or whatever. What I do think matters is how we treat each other every day, I still don't think we have it right. But we are doing better.

It absolutely matters to yourself.

If you have done something about which you feel badly, apologizing for that is key to being happy in your life.

I'm not the slightest bit religious, however, this isn't about religion, this is simple mental health. Guilt is a terrible burden.

chromium · Jun 26, 2016

Goshin said:
New liberal Pope says another liberal thing.

Yawn. :coffeepap:

yeah cause showing people respect = liberal

after 1700 years of popes saying completely the opposite, it is far from yawn worthy, however badly you want to downplay any progress

chromium · Jun 26, 2016

rocket88 said:
They don't know how to react when Christianity conflicts with GOP orthodoxy.

it's seemed to me the GOP has been far more fundamentalist than the catholic church for a while now

chromium · Jun 26, 2016

Abbazorkzog said:
And Donald Trump was a long-time Democrat before running for President.

really, what office did he hold?

and almost all democrats are far from liberal

chromium · Jun 26, 2016

KevinKohler said:
It absolutely matters to yourself.

If you have done something about which you feel badly, apologizing for that is key to being happy in your life.

I'm not the slightest bit religious, however, this isn't about religion, this is simple mental health. Guilt is a terrible burden.

sounds like a story behind this...

i could be wrong, but apologizing isn't sincere if done for selfish reasons

CLAX1911 · Jun 27, 2016

Goshin said:
New liberal Pope says another liberal thing.

Yawn. :coffeepap:

I have a question, do you think Christianity should treat gay people like ****?

I gotta say, I once felt rejected by Christ but that was before I sought him. I do still feel like an alien in many churches and the members do that on purpose.

I will give you the benefit of the doubt, you may not mean that by your post, I may be overly sensitive, I feel I have the right to be, and I may just be feeling left over animosity visited upon me by churches in the past.

Is that what you ment? Gay people don't belong? Jesus made a promise to all people but gay folks?

Francis: Christians must apologize to gay people for marginalizing them

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Francis: Christians must apologize to gay people for marginalizing them

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