BLAIR DISAGREES WITH POPE ON GAYS
Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair has criticised the Vatican for its policy on homosexuality. Blair said in an interview with gay magazine Attitude that the Vatican has “entrenched attitudes” towards homosexuality.
“There are many good and great things the Catholic Church does, and there are many fantastic things this Pope stands for, but I think what is interesting is that if you went into any Catholic Church, particularly a well attended one, on any Sunday here and did a poll of the congregation, you’d be surprised at how liberal-minded people were.”
Blair, who converted to Catholicism after leaving office in 2007, said that he wanted to urge religious figures everywhere to reinterpret their religious texts to see them as metaphorical, not literal, and suggested that in time this would make all religious groups accept gay people as equals.
“When people quote the passages in Leviticus condemning homosexuality, I say to them — if you read the whole of the Old Testament and took everything that was there in a literal way, as being what God and religion is about, you’d have some pretty tough policies across the whole of the piece,” said Blair.
However, the Pope remains firmly opposed to any change in the Church’s traditional stance on homosexuality, contraception or any other area of human sexuality.
He has described homosexuality as a “tendency” towards an “intrinsic moral evil”, comparing the “threat” of homosexuality to the destruction of the rainforests.
Catholicism and gay rights. Having chosen to convert to Catholicism by the exercise of his own free will, doesn’t Blair know what everybody knows about Catholicism, viz. that the Pope is the boss, and his word is law? Also, that the Pope’s word represents what God wants? How ignorant can a person be?
….. First of all, I don’t think the pope’s word is “law.” Mostly it’s just mindless drivel. Secondly, if the pope represents what God wants then God must have one sick sense of humour to choose that clown. I mean, he tries to persuade people in Africa – where HIV/AIDS is ravaging generations – not to use condoms when it’s the only thing that can prevent the spread of such an awful disease. Does the pope (and God) like to see people suffering? Do they both like to see young woman being raped by older men in the hope they would be cured? Do they like seeing babies being dumped because they are unwanted? Do they enjoy watching gay & lesbian (and anyone else who dares to be different) people being murdered, bullied, beaten up, and committing suicide because some religious nutter interprets archaic messages from the bible as being the truth?
If the pope truly represents God on earth then God could’ve done a whole better than ol’ Benedict.
And personally, I think Blair has the right to question anyone who he likes. It’s the same right I have, you have, and everyone else does.
I think Michael’s point is that Blair should have considered the stance of the Catholic church and on these issues and way most Catholic blindly follow the Pope; BEFORE he decided to convert. Pope Benedicit’s views have been well known for a long time.
….. Whether or not he knew the pope’s view (and he most likely did) it still gives him the right to question the pope’s authority and / or views on certain topics. My comment was actually centered around the michael’s comment about the pope’s word being law and him being representative of what god wants, which in IMO is insane considering the state of the world as it is.
Dear Anonymous,
Thank you for trying to get us back to the point I actually raised. It’s so simple, I don’t know how anybody can miss it.
To repeat: If Blair doesn’t agree with Catholic policies, why join the Catholic organisation in the first place? That remains my question.
To guote some comments on the Internet:-
Blair’s comments were strongly condemned by leading Catholic MP Ann Widdecombe.
“When Tony Blair was received into the Church, he had to make an extremely clear statement, which was that he believed all the Church’s teachings to be revealed truth,” she said. “Why has he changed his mind in the few months that have elapsed?”
The former Home Office minister, and Tory MP for Maidstone and the Weald, added: “The Catholic Church is not going to change to please Tony Blair. The sooner he realises that, the better.”
I couldn’t agree more that people should have the right to criticise, to have freedom of expression and freedom of enquiry. But you can have all that better if you don’t freely go and join an authoritarian organisation with which you don’t agree, anyway.
Why didn’t Blair rather go and join any of the many freethinking organisations one can find on the Internet? Overwhelmingly, they agree with him on the gay rights question.
Blair has got to be some weird kind of frootkyk – or, maybe, he wants to eat his cake and have it.
….. Who cares if he joined the mindless christains or the singing satanists! It’s his choice to join (and question) any organisation he sees fit to become a member of.
God, why is this even a story to begin with? You’d swear there are people out there (I won’t mention any names) who salivate over this sort of inane news.
Nameless. You are so ashamed of yourself, you obviously can’t mention your name, hey?
also known as Anonymous. Am I ashamed? I should be for wasting my time on such trivial subjects such as this and to replying to your oh so humourous response. Let me guess, your sense of humour comes from your either your pretty but very slow mother who is one nugget short of a Happy Meal or it comes from your father who suffers from delusions of adequacy hence you probably looking like something that will eat its own young!
….. Oh, you’re so welcome!! Just make your point a little clearer next time and then there won’t be any need for me to clean up your mess! Another successful job done by the Drama Llama …. up, up, and awaaaayyyyyyy!!
Michael,
It seems that no one here besides the two of us believe that if someone knowingly joins an organisation with controversial views, they shouldn’t turn around and say “Oh I don’t adhere to that.” Cheers to you for expecting more from people, now let’s sit back and watch the oh-so-mature youtubesque mudslinging match ensue.
….. So you and presumably Michael are what are commonly called “lemmings.” It sounds like you are quite willing to follow a leader over a cliff for fear of questioning the reasons why. To question is part of human nature. If you joined an organisation (religious or not) that performed a vital function in human society and yet it’s leader had questionable ideals, morals, or actions, would you just shut up and play along? I doubt it. Do you mindlessly stumble along in your company or social group when someone goes against what you believe in or expresses an unfavourable opinion? No. You question it. Do you roll over and play dead because you don’t want to rock the boat? No. You ask questions. That’s how you overcome ignorance. Maybe TB joined because he thought he could perhaps change the hate-filled views that (some) christians have towards gay & lesbian people? We all question our leaders because we all think we can do the job better. It’s called freedom, and if you’re too scared to ask questions then you deserve to be walked all over.
And let’s face it, “youtubesque” (did you Google to find that word), is a word about as useful as glass eye looking through a keyhole.
Q4ALL take a friggen breathe. Friggen hell Q4ALL!
This is the second time you’ve replied to one of my comments without reading them properly! Michael and I both think that Blair SHOULDN’T, that’s SHOULDN’T have joined the catholic church if he was opposed to its views!
…. He joined, so what? Now you’re gonna burst a blood vessel just because he dares to question the pope’s views on homosexuality. He is quite free to join AND question any group he wishes. Good on him for doing just that. If only more people did the same thing then maybe christians wouldn’t be so opposed to it.
And funny, when I read your post, I had this sickening vision of you stamping your feet & pulling on your pigtails like a school girl *wink*
And its also OK for him to join the British Nationalist Party even though he disagrees with it’s policies of making Britain white again because it’s filled with “liberal minded people.”
Please, of course he has a right to join whatever organisation he wants, but he should have the balls to support it’s most prominent and controvertial issues. Issues like the use of condoms to prevent HIV transmission and gay rights, which differentiate it from other churches.
Pope. Any man, Blair included, can join an institution and criticize its policies. Thank God for Blair speaking his mind.