Forget cardinals. Now it's Supreme Pontiff himself.

[WeirdnessMagnet]

Gay marriage a threat to humanity's future: Pope | Reuters

He [The Pope] told diplomats from nearly 180 countries that the education of children needed proper "settings" and that "pride of place goes to the family, based on the marriage of a man and a woman."

Well, no one would expect anything else from him, but another part of the article that their positions on these things really give Catholics some converts, especially in the UK is... disturbing.

[person54]

I just can't take the pope seriously. I just hope that with the progress being made in lgbt equality these days translates into more close minded people meeting lgbt people that are out and hopefully come to change their minds.

[Emberstone]

should we really taking advice about family rearing from someone who has taken a vow of celibacy?

Thats like getting sex advice from a broken blender.

[Ridiculous]

He really is a unfortunate specimen, this pope. The real threat to humanity's future is people with misplaced authority voicing their incorrect opinions to an impressionable audience.

[FleetFish]

It kills me a little on the inside, to know my father sends money to the Catholic church every week.

UGH!

[Alexandria]

Remember what I said in the cardinal topic?

Ditto it here. -_-;

[ANightDude]

It's not like this is a surprise. How would the world react if he came out with support of SSM? It wouldn't be very positive. The Catholic Church has huge stakes in many anti-gay places. To announce support of SSM wouldn't fly well with them. At all.

Also remember that the Pope (and John Paul II) have both denounced hate crimes and discrimination against gays. Like it or not, that's the best they can give right now.

[Alexandria]

Originally Posted by ANightDude

It's not like this is a surprise. How would the world react if he came out with support of SSM? It wouldn't be very positive. The Catholic Church has huge stakes in many anti-gay places. To announce support of SSM wouldn't fly well with them. At all.

Is it bad that the first I saw when I read that was S&M? XDD

Also remember that the Pope (and John Paul II) have both denounced hate crimes and discrimination against gays. Like it or not, that's the best they can give right now.

No. Its not 'the best they can give' its 'the most they WANT to give, and that is begrudgingly. They don't want to let all be equal - because happy people are far less needing of faith and religion.

[AngelicDemonic]

-_- This is why I don't take organized religion seriously.

[Emberstone]

(Matthew 23:8-10) . . .But YOU, do not YOU be called Rabbi, for one is YOUR teacher, whereas all YOU are brothers. 9 Moreover, do not call anyone YOUR father on earth, for one is YOUR Father, the heavenly One. 10 Neither be called ‘leaders,’ for YOUR Leader is one, the Christ.

oh snap... catholics hierarchy rejected by christ himself.

The Pope is a aftermarket power structure created by men who wanted to dominate and control. the holy father is a 'sin'.

[British Lad]

Well what do they know, no priest or Pope can tell anybody about god as there taking the word of a book that has been corrupted over time to poor translations.

[tennbad70]

Originally Posted by FleetFish

It kills me a little on the inside, to know my father sends money to the Catholic church every week.

UGH!

My parents donate money to the 700 club and Pat Robertson. I feel so rejected.

[Porphyrogenitus]

Originally Posted by Emberstone

(Matthew 23:8-10) . . .But YOU, do not YOU be called Rabbi, for one is YOUR teacher, whereas all YOU are brothers. 9 Moreover, do not call anyone YOUR father on earth, for one is YOUR Father, the heavenly One. 10 Neither be called ‘leaders,’ for YOUR Leader is one, the Christ.

oh snap... catholics hierarchy rejected by christ himself.

The Pope is a aftermarket power structure created by men who wanted to dominate and control. the holy father is a 'sin'.

It's not a sin. Catholics aren't fundamentalists.

[Emberstone]

Originally Posted by Porphyrogenitus

It's not a sin. Catholics aren't fundamentalists.

well jesus actually speaks out against it in the bible, so fundementalisem is not in any way relevant here.

but technically, catholicisem is fundementalist. They choose to believe in and do alot of things the bible repeatedly rejects, including christ himself.

its the not so secret dirty little secret you learn when you academicly study religions.

[Porphyrogenitus]

Originally Posted by Emberstone

well jesus actually speaks out against it in the bible, so fundementalisem is not in any way relevant here.

but technically, catholicisem is fundementalist. They choose to believe in and do alot of things the bible repeatedly rejects, including christ himself.

its the not so secret dirty little secret you learn when you academicly study religions.

You seem to have the opposite definition of fundamentalism as me. Christian fundamentalism is characterised by belief in the literal and absolute truth of the Bible, and in having the Bible as the highest, ultimate authority on all things religious. The Catholic Church doesn't do that - it has its own body of doctrine, evolved over the millenia, which forms the body of its beliefs, and which trumps a plain text reading of what the Bible says. It's more a matter of interpretation than downright rejection (as in, they might point to the Jesus talking about Peter being a rock and building a church bit as justification for Papal Supremacy), but that's essentially how things operate.

You'll notice that they mostly get into trouble when they try to bring science or social matters into what they're saying (as here). On doctrinal matters, assuming you accept their basic premises (which, of course, many don't), and assuming that they actually know what they're talking about, they're on very firm ground.