Despite Poverty, Genocide and War, Pope Benedict XVI Still Condemns Gay Marriage

by Michael Jones · 2010-09-13 07:20:00 UTC
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Pope Benedict XVI is getting ready to mark his first ever visit to the United Kingdom -- and the first by a Pope since before William Shakespeare was alive. How does a Pope get ready for such a monumental trip?

By attacking same-sex marriage, and suggesting that it threatens the fabric of society.

The Pope, speaking to reporters, reiterated talking points he has been using since being named head of the Catholic Church in 2005. Calling same-sex marriage a threat to natural law, Benedict lambasted gay couples who decide to get married, saying that they are leading to "confusion about society's values."

Punchy words that are likely to only exacerbate tensions in the United Kingdom over Pope Benedict XVI's visit. Activists have been planning protests for months over the visit, suggesting that the Pope's hardcore opposition to gay rights runs completely counter to the values of the majority of those living in the United Kingdom.

Despite the fact that the majority of Catholics disagree with the Pope on issues related to gay rights, Benedict XVI has not backed down from criticizing same-sex marriage, or denouncing same-sex couples. That's creating a Grand Canyon-size division between the hierarchical church and the people in the pews, the likes of which hasn't been seen since perhaps the issue of birth control.

In the past year alone, uber-Catholic countries like Argentina and Portugal have legalized same-sex marriage, as well as the jurisdiction of Mexico City. Catholics in the United States increasingly support same-sex marriage, with widespread majorities of Catholics favoring marriage equality in places like Rhode Island and New Jersey, states where gay marriage is almost a guarantee within the next decade. (In Rhode Island's case, hopefully within the next six months.)

There's also something to be said about the Pope's phrase "confusion about society's values." Is same-sex marriage really that much of a threat to the values of society? Perhaps it's time to call Benedict's bluff, and ask him for the evidence. Because the sky hasn't fallen in any of the U.S. states or world countries that recognize same-sex marriage.

And I can't help but think that each time the Pope takes the opportunity to demonize gay couples, he's missing an opportunity to focus on tragedies that are really claiming lives and destroying cultures in the world. I'm thinking terrorism. Poverty. Genocide. War. Public health disasters. Rampant consumerism and corporatism.

There's a list of issues longer than the Bible that are messing up the world. Gay marriage isn't one of them. Yet each time Benedict XVI insists that it is, he further cements his legacy. He is, perhaps, the most homophobic Pope that has ever led the Catholic Church. And as a result, he's dividing the Catholic Church into thousands of pieces. There couldn't be more of a divide between Catholics in the pews and church hierarchy.

And the Pope only has himself to blame.

Photo credit: Catholic Westminster

Michael Jones is a Change.org Editor. He has worked in the field of human rights communications for a decade, most recently for Harvard Law School.
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