Bishop calls homosexuality ‘gift from God,’ seeks to end ‘prejudices that kill’

[SpeakInSilence]

ROME - A Brazilian bishop said July 30 that homosexuality is a “gift from God.” Seeing the reaction his homily generated, Bishop Antônio Carlos Cruz Santos of Caicó then released a statement saying that his only scope was to “save lives,” after learning about the high statistics of suicide among the LGBT community.
“If it is not a choice, if it is not a disease, in the perspective of faith it can only be a gift,” the bishop of Caicó in the Rio Grande do Norte state said during his homily at a Mass closing feast of Santana de Caicó, always marked on the Sunday following the feast of Sts. Joachim and Anne.

cruxnow.com/global-church/2017/08/09/bishop-calls-homosexuality-gift-god-seeks-end-prejudices-kill/

 

[DignumEtJustum]

Pure heresy. Those who engage in homosexual activity make a choice that will ultimately lead their souls to hell upon death should they not repent. That some would liken one’s sexual preference to being born with a certain color skin is absolute false equivalence and should be about the most offensive thing possible to any group that has had to fight for their inalienable rights.

 

[DignumEtJustum]

Pure heresy. Those who engage in homosexual activity make a choice that will ultimately lead their souls to hell upon death should they not repent, as is also the case for adulterers and fornicators. That some would liken one’s sexual preference to being born with a certain color skin is absolute false equivalence and should be about the most offensive thing possible to any group that has had to fight for their inalienable rights.

 

[ChurchSoldier]

Not only suicide, but living the lifestyle has devastating consequences for the person. The Center for Disease Control has alarming statistics if you search.

I will pray for the soul of this Bishop and those living that lifestyle.

 

[Peter_J]

Having a homosexual son or daughter is a gift from God. But with all due respect to the Bishop, I don’t know that I would call homosexuality a gift from God. I would describe it as a cross for the person to bear.

 

[Jestersage]

Even if we assume the bishop is not condoning homosexuality, he may as well call someone born blind having a “gift of god”.

While it is certain everyone is to be loved, I would not call any born-illness (sorry, I do subscribe that possibility regarding homosexiality) as a “gift”. We should love them, for it is a cross they carry.

 

[7_Sorrows]

Pure heresy. Those who engage in homosexual activity make a choice that will ultimately lead their souls to hell upon death should they not repent, as is also the case for adulterers and fornicators. That some would liken one’s sexual preference to being born with a certain color skin is absolute false equivalence and should be about the most offensive thing possible to any group that has had to fight for their inalienable rights.

Does the Bishop think transgenderism is also a gift from God?

Bestiality? Where does this bishop draw the line?

 

[misstherese]

I think this bishop is mistaken. Homosexuality is certainly a cross to bear, but not a gift from God. It is a perversion, and the source is from the devil. Attraction is only attraction. That’s it. It can be ignored through prayer. In my opinion, I do not think people are born with perversions. I think the devil unleashes perverted attractions upon them, influencing them. There is literally no evidence to support the idea that people are born with same sex attraction. Sexual attraction is actually fluid.

 

[BroIgnatius]

Actually, God calls homosexuality an abomination (Leviticus 18:22; 20:13). Not many sins are called an abomination.

God also says in Roman 1:26-27:

“Even their women exchanged natural sexual relations for unnatural ones; in the same way, men committed shameful acts with other men and received in themselves the due penalty for their error.”

1 Corinthians 6:9-10
“Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither the immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor robbers will inherit the kingdom of God.”

I do not see anywhere that the bible tells us that homosexuality is a gift from God.

 

[Otar_Mendes]

Not only suicide, but living the lifestyle has devastating consequences for the person. The Center for Disease Control has alarming statistics if you search.

I will pray for the soul of this Bishop and those living that lifestyle.

Ah good. Another misinterpretation of CDC research without actually reading what CDC professionals wrote and their recommendations.

Btw what about lesbians huh? Safest sex in the world./sarcasm

Actually, God calls homosexuality an abomination (Leviticus 18:22; 20:13). Not many sins are called an abomination.

Actually there are quite a few Judaism dogmas that call other things “abomination” including some innocent ones.

I find it amusing when Leviticus gets mentioned.What sane person would advocate for Leviticus standards? The book which dictates to kill innocent people for nothing including gay people. Mein Kampf for ancient Jewish tribes, no doubt about that.

The Old testament -one of the most hideous depictions of a god and his followers and what they do (god supporting ripping pregnant women’s bodies open coz their tribes didn’t want to worship him included) I’ve ever read.

Anyways, the priest is wrong. If he considers himself Catholic then he shouldn’t distort the Catholic Church teachings which is based on a “modernized” (cant kill gays anymore , enforce your Christian dogmas, persecute other believers, nonbelievers etc yeah) version of the Bible.

 

[Tis_Bearself]

Whatever the bishop said, he is trying to save lives, probably knowing many will criticize him. He is brave.

 

[Seamus_L]

Whether you’re a hardcore Traditional Catholic or an ultra-liberal progressive Catholic, I think we can all agree on one thing. We have reached the point where we now have Bishops who totally disagree with each other on what the Church teaches on certain issues.

 

[Justin_Swanton]

My own take is that a relatively small minority of the hierarchy feel free to dispense with any respect for the foundations of Catholic morality, and they are pushing ahead too far and too fast. A reaction is coming.

 

[DignumEtJustum]

Does the Bishop think transgenderism is also a gift from God?

Bestiality? Where does this bishop draw the line?

My comments above are in response to what I gathered from the English translation that was provided by someone of whatever the Bishop said. I don’t speak Portuguese and would prefer to give the Bishop the benefit of the doubt. Perhaps something was lost in translation.

 

[Peter_J]

Whatever the bishop said, he is trying to save lives, probably knowing many will criticize him. He is brave.

Agreed. But I don’t think he’s going about it in a good way. Calling homosexual inclinations a gift from God, rather than a cross, doesn’t seem to me to be very supportive of homosexual persons (particularly the ones who are chaste) – indeed I would bet that some felt slightly insulted by that.

Edit: I would add, however, that *almost *everything in that article is excellent IMO.

 

[BroIgnatius]

I find it amusing when Leviticus gets mentioned.What sane person would advocate for Leviticus standards? The book which dictates to kill innocent people for nothing including gay people. Mein Kampf for ancient Jewish tribes, no doubt about that.

The Old testament -one of the most hideous depictions of a god and his followers and what they do (god supporting ripping pregnant women’s bodies open coz their tribes didn’t want to worship him included) I’ve ever read.

LOL, you obviously do not understand the Bible or Catholic approach to the Bible. The New Testament cannot be understood except through the Old Testament, and the Old Testament cannot be understood except through the light of the New.

Abomination of homosexuality is confirmed, by the way in the New Testament as I have already posted.

 

[ComplineSanFran]

Actually, God calls homosexuality an abomination (Leviticus 18:22; 20:13). Not many sins are called an abomination.

Actually there are quite a number of sins in the class of ‘abomination’ which has three Hebrew words which are used: ‘Piggul’, ‘Shikutz’ and ‘To’ev’a’.

We are not to eat:
Seafood that lacks scales (shrimp, lobster, etc)
Insects
Eagles and other types of birds
Pork
Other unclean animals

Actions that are an abomination:

Idolatry
adultery
prostitution
incest
male homosexuality
cross dressing (women wearing pants included)
stealing
killing an innocent person
divination
witchcraft
usuary (interest on loans)
working on the Sabbath /Friday night to Saturday
lying
sowing discord amongst the community
etc, etc

Perhaps we can put homosexuality in perspective here.

 

[reggieM]

If a person will think that he should act on his homosexuality because it is a gift from God, then the bishop will create more harm.

There are better ways to try to reduce the suicide rate.

 

[Tis_Bearself]

Agreed. But I don’t think he’s going about it in a good way. Calling homosexual inclinations a gift from God, rather than a cross, doesn’t seem to me to be very supportive of homosexual persons (particularly the ones who are chaste) – indeed I would bet that some felt slightly insulted by that.

Edit: I would add, however, that *almost *everything in that article is excellent IMO.

It wouldn’t be the first time I’ve seen something that many or most people see as a negative aspect (being blind or paralyzed, for example) called a “gift from God” because it inspires people to learn a lesson or see God in a different way.

However, what if the bishop were right? What if orientation, whichever way you were made, was a gift from God, and we in our blindness were failing to appreciate the full dimensions of His gift? We are humans, and fallible, and get it wrong sometimes. It could be the case. Just a thought.

 

[reggieM]

Every moment and aspect of life is a gift from God.

God allows evil for a good reason.

Even someone in hell would admit that his eternal punishment is a gift from God since it reflects His perfect justice.

Even the worst sins are a gift from God - because God allowed Satan to tempt, allowed the sinner to follow his own passions, allowed those who suffer because of the sinner to suffer for a good reason.

So, when someone says that the Holocaust was a gift from God - what are they really saying? Is it true? Yes, sure. Does it help anyone? Maybe - why not?