Francis George is a Cardinal of the Catholic Church, in Chicago, Illinois. That state’s legislature is expected to take up marriage equality in it’s next term any day now. Prospects are good for passage, and for it to be signed by the governor, Pat Quinn. The Cardinal has released a letter attacking marriage equality as a “legal fiction”, and tells gays they must live a celibate life.
Rambling on about “natural marriage” and the inability for gays to “consummate” their marriage (apparently only penis-into-vagina qualifies), the local leader of the Church experiencing so much turmoil over it’s issues with child molestation, the Cardinal still expects people to accept him and his organization as the final arbiters of human relationships.
A man who claims he doesn’t have sex, wears a dress to work, and believes in ghosts, demons, and prays to a multitude of politically appointed dead people (called saints) wants to tell others how to live? I don’t think so!
People live out their sexual identity in different ways, but the Church offers the means to live chastely in all circumstances, as the love of God both obliges and makes possible.
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Those who continue to distinguish between genuine marital union and same sex arrangements will be regarded in law as discriminatory, the equivalent of bigots. This proposed legislation will have long term consequences because laws teach; they tell us what is socially acceptable and what is not, and most people conform to the dictates of their respective society, at least in the short run.
So, “no fucking“. And “we’re afraid to be called out as bigots” (because, you know, the truth hurts). The Church has also conveniently forgot that it used to perform marriages between two men, a long time ago. Times change, apparently.
Regardless, the Roman Catholic Church is again attempting to control the most basic aspects of peoples lives, their sexual activity. After all, if you will give up control of your sex life to this guy, what won’t you turn over to him? That must be a heady power trip!
All indications are that Illinois will pass marriage equality in the near future, and the governor will sign the bill to make it law. The tide is against people like the Cardinal, and it’s a tide that is not reversing, but only growing stronger. DADT is history, DOMA is near dead, Prop 8 will soon be before the Supreme Court, and each day seemingly produces another famous personality stepping out of the closet. Marriage equality has sprung forth here in the US and around the world, and there’s no stopping it, prudish men in dresses who rant against love not withstanding.
Great post Jim… his Eminence has continually proved himself to be a joke in the Chicagoland area, and in many cases across the state.