Pope Benedict XVI, who has unresponsively overseen the Roman Catholic Church amidst its largest international pedophilia abuse scandal in history, while in Rome this week declared laws which legalize same-sex marriage “contribute to the weakening of the principles of natural law†and to “confusion about society’s values.â€
On Friday an investigation in Belgium was released that found “300 cases of abuse of boys aged up to 14 and of girls that continued into adulthood. At least 13 victims committed suicide.”
The Pope has made no mention of that report.
OnTop Magazine notes, “Benedict’s remarks so close to his visit are certain to be heard by gay activists who are planning a number of events during his visit.”
“The Lesbian and Gay Christian Movement (LGCM) is holding a September 17 prayer vigil that, according to the group, will allow the pope to see the faces of those he has spoken against. And the Protest the Pope coalition is organizing a variety of noisy demonstrations against the pope.
Protest the Pope activists in the U.K. reportedly said, “The Protest the Pope campaign deplores Benedict XVI’s refusal to hand over the Vatican’s sex-abuse files to police forces worldwide and his decision to welcome back into the church the holocaust-denying Bishop, Richard Williamson.”
“In 2001, when he was a cardinal, the Pope wrote to every Catholic bishop in the world, ordering them to report all child sex-abuse cases to him in Rome. They did. He cannot claim that he was unaware of sex abuse. His letter demanded ‘Papal secrecy.’ It did not advise the bishops to report abusers to the police.”
“Even today, the Pope refuses to open the Vatican’s sex-abuse files and hand them to the relevant police forces worldwide. Many people see his inaction as collusion with sex crimes against children. Such a person should not be fêted by our government.”
Michael A. Jones in Change.org today makes two excellent points:
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.
You’ll remember earlier this year, The Vatican blamed homosexuals for its priests’ pedophiliac rape problem, and said, “the Jews are God killers.”
Most importantly, it is essential to remember that Pope Benedict XVI knew of pedophile priest sex abuse scandal, yet did not act.