ChuckD
The Gay Lord of Freestyle
Pope condemns same-sex unions as 'anarchy'
In his first pronouncement since his election as pope, Benedict XVI condemned on Monday same-sex unions as fake and threatening to the future of the family.
"Today's various forms of dissolution of marriage -- free unions and trial marriages as well as the pseudomatrimonies between people of the same sex -- are instead expressions of anarchic freedom which falsely tries to pass itself off as the true liberation of man," Benedict XVI said in a 14-page speech that also condemned divorce, artificial birth control and abortion.
"The greatest expression of freedom is not the search for pleasure," he added, claiming that society is intent on tearing down the moral goalposts he believes is necessary for the future.
"Today, a particularly insidious obstacle to [moral] education is the overwhelming presence in our society and culture of a type of relativism that recognizes nothing as definitive," he said.
The 78-year-old pope has long been an opponent of LGBT rights. Before his election in April, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger spearheaded a Vatican campaign against same-sex unions in 2003. When he was prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine, Ratzinger issued guidelines for Catholic politicians on how to oppose laws granting legal rights to same-sex couples.
During Monday's address to a conference of the Diocese of Rome on the role of the family held at St. John Lateran basilica, Benedict repeatedly referred to marriage as a union between man and woman.
Matrimony, he opined, was not a "casual sociological construction" that changed in certain times in history. Benedict XVI insisted it was an institution that had its roots "in the most profound essence of the human being."
The pope's comments come as the traditionally Catholic country of Spain is poised to recognize same-sex marriages. In April, the Spanish parliament gave initial approval to legalize same-sex marriage. It is widely expected to be approved by the senate and to become law. Several other European countries recognize same-sex marriage, as do some provinces in Canada and the U.S. state of Massachusetts.
Aurelio Mancuso, president of Arcigay, Italy's largest gay rights group, fired back. "Ratzinger pretends not to understand that gay unions are no threat to heterosexual marriages," he said in a statement published by Reuters.
In his first pronouncement since his election as pope, Benedict XVI condemned on Monday same-sex unions as fake and threatening to the future of the family.
"Today's various forms of dissolution of marriage -- free unions and trial marriages as well as the pseudomatrimonies between people of the same sex -- are instead expressions of anarchic freedom which falsely tries to pass itself off as the true liberation of man," Benedict XVI said in a 14-page speech that also condemned divorce, artificial birth control and abortion.
"The greatest expression of freedom is not the search for pleasure," he added, claiming that society is intent on tearing down the moral goalposts he believes is necessary for the future.
"Today, a particularly insidious obstacle to [moral] education is the overwhelming presence in our society and culture of a type of relativism that recognizes nothing as definitive," he said.
The 78-year-old pope has long been an opponent of LGBT rights. Before his election in April, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger spearheaded a Vatican campaign against same-sex unions in 2003. When he was prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine, Ratzinger issued guidelines for Catholic politicians on how to oppose laws granting legal rights to same-sex couples.
During Monday's address to a conference of the Diocese of Rome on the role of the family held at St. John Lateran basilica, Benedict repeatedly referred to marriage as a union between man and woman.
Matrimony, he opined, was not a "casual sociological construction" that changed in certain times in history. Benedict XVI insisted it was an institution that had its roots "in the most profound essence of the human being."
The pope's comments come as the traditionally Catholic country of Spain is poised to recognize same-sex marriages. In April, the Spanish parliament gave initial approval to legalize same-sex marriage. It is widely expected to be approved by the senate and to become law. Several other European countries recognize same-sex marriage, as do some provinces in Canada and the U.S. state of Massachusetts.
Aurelio Mancuso, president of Arcigay, Italy's largest gay rights group, fired back. "Ratzinger pretends not to understand that gay unions are no threat to heterosexual marriages," he said in a statement published by Reuters.
