General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: The Pope's comments on family and marriage seem very much open to interpretation-WRONG [View all]Bluenorthwest
(45,319 posts)As pope's U.S. visit nears, friction mounts over LGBT issues
"The only speakers specifically addressing LGBT issues at the Sept. 22-27 conference are a celibate gay man and his mother. Gays and lesbians can attend the meeting as individuals, but groups supporting gay marriage were denied exhibit space and other official options for presenting their views.
"We don't want to provide a platform at the meeting for people to lobby for positions contrary to the life of our church," said Philadelphia Archbishop Charles Chaput, the meeting's host."
http://www.cbsnews.com/news/pope-francis-united-states-visit-friction-mounts-over-lgbt-issues/
During U.S. Visit, Pope To Attend Conference With People Who Think Homosexuality Can Be Cured
http://thinkprogress.org/lgbt/2015/08/22/3694128/pope-francis-ex-gay-groups/
LGBT groups criticize decision to eject them from church near World Meeting event
" RNS) The Catholic gay rights group New Ways Ministry is criticizing a decision by the Philadelphia Archdiocese not to let a local parish host a workshop on gender identity that would have coincided with Pope Francis visit to the World Meeting of Families.
How are LGBT people supposed to feel welcome in the Catholic Church when church officials will not allow them to speak? asked Francis DeBernardo, executive director at New Ways Ministry, one of the organizers of the workshop.
No speakers at the World Meeting will address the topic of gender identity, yet this is an issue that is being faced by more and more Catholic families and communities in the U.S. DeBernardo said in a statement."
http://www.religionnews.com/2015/08/19/lgbt-groups-criticize-decision-eject-church-near-world-meeting-event/
This is context to those comments provided by Francis himself. He mentioned the conference as context to his comments. I would offer that to consider his remarks outside the context he gives them is disrespectful to Francis and to the issue that bothers him so very, very much.
I'm also going to add a link for a Time Magazine article about the conference this past November at the Vatican with invited guests Tony Perkins and FRC, NOM, Heritage Foundation and other luminaries in attendance. It is also context, not pleasant for the Pope fans, but it is stone cold truth:
Vatican Strengthens Ties with Evangelicals and Mormons Against Gay Marriage
http://time.com/3597245/vatican-evangelicals-mormons-gay-marriage/
Not much nuance in evidence actually.