I should probably begin by saying that while I think a church can define marriage any way it likes, I don't think the state has any business doing so, and I do support gay marriage.
I haven't been able to read the address in English, because it's not yet up at the Vatican website. I'm kind of leery of BBC reporting on anything Catholic. I suspect it would overemphasize parts of the speech that would make the headline sexier/more controversial.
And Benedict is a better communicator than I think he often gets credit for. I think a lot of people didn't give him a chance when he was elected, but really, while he says things differently than John Paul did, remember what his job was before - he was the head of the Vatican office in charge of defending/clarifying Church teaching. His job as pope is quite different. He communicates differently than JPII did, but in essence their beliefs were the same. John Paul was his best friend and the man who gave him his former job.
He has also been less of a hardline pope than some people expected. But on homosexual marriage, like it or not, the Church is pretty much going to say what it's been saying for a long time. Theologically, while male or female is not *all* the Church believes we are, being male or being female is important - you couldn't expect less from any church that believes "male and female he created them." There's a tradition within the Church of what a Catholic sacramental marriage is, based on scripture and theological interpretation of it, and right or wrong/good or bad it is what it has been for 2,000 years and it's not changing any time soon.
I'm not trying to be insensitive or say that shouldn't offend you or anyone else, I'm just trying to explain that things are the way they've been and certain beliefs can't be changed because the Church does not believe it (or any man or woman) has the authority to change it.
There are things I disagree with the Church on, of course. When I do dissent, I do a lot of reading and a lot of soul-searching to figure out why. I know that no church on earth is perfect. It doesn't keep from considering myself Catholic. But it may for you, and that is perfectly okay. You can only embrace what you are comfortable enough with. Just remember, "Catholic" isn't a label the way a lot of other things are. It's supposed to mean "universal," and there's room for people who toe the line, and there's room for people who disagree, and there's room for people who don't understand. There's room for pretty much anybody. We won't really know who was "right" until we meet God. I've determined that I need the sacraments, not to mention the Catholic sacramental view of the physical world, and I believe in Christ and the incarnation and resurrection but absolutely cannot bring myself to accept a Protestant view of the world. I need and want to meet God as a Catholic, so until I do I just take what I can on faith and trust I'll understand everything else when it's time.
But I'm sorry you're disappointed, and I hope you find whatever it is you are searching for. ♥ Merry Christmas.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
branchandroot
no subject
Date: 2008-12-24 07:49 pm (UTC)I haven't been able to read the address in English, because it's not yet up at the Vatican website. I'm kind of leery of BBC reporting on anything Catholic. I suspect it would overemphasize parts of the speech that would make the headline sexier/more controversial.
And Benedict is a better communicator than I think he often gets credit for. I think a lot of people didn't give him a chance when he was elected, but really, while he says things differently than John Paul did, remember what his job was before - he was the head of the Vatican office in charge of defending/clarifying Church teaching. His job as pope is quite different. He communicates differently than JPII did, but in essence their beliefs were the same. John Paul was his best friend and the man who gave him his former job.
He has also been less of a hardline pope than some people expected. But on homosexual marriage, like it or not, the Church is pretty much going to say what it's been saying for a long time. Theologically, while male or female is not *all* the Church believes we are, being male or being female is important - you couldn't expect less from any church that believes "male and female he created them." There's a tradition within the Church of what a Catholic sacramental marriage is, based on scripture and theological interpretation of it, and right or wrong/good or bad it is what it has been for 2,000 years and it's not changing any time soon.
I'm not trying to be insensitive or say that shouldn't offend you or anyone else, I'm just trying to explain that things are the way they've been and certain beliefs can't be changed because the Church does not believe it (or any man or woman) has the authority to change it.
There are things I disagree with the Church on, of course. When I do dissent, I do a lot of reading and a lot of soul-searching to figure out why. I know that no church on earth is perfect. It doesn't keep from considering myself Catholic. But it may for you, and that is perfectly okay. You can only embrace what you are comfortable enough with. Just remember, "Catholic" isn't a label the way a lot of other things are. It's supposed to mean "universal," and there's room for people who toe the line, and there's room for people who disagree, and there's room for people who don't understand. There's room for pretty much anybody. We won't really know who was "right" until we meet God. I've determined that I need the sacraments, not to mention the Catholic sacramental view of the physical world, and I believe in Christ and the incarnation and resurrection but absolutely cannot bring myself to accept a Protestant view of the world. I need and want to meet God as a Catholic, so until I do I just take what I can on faith and trust I'll understand everything else when it's time.
But I'm sorry you're disappointed, and I hope you find whatever it is you are searching for. ♥ Merry Christmas.