Story: California priest censored, receives venomous responses, death threats, for saying Chtistians should not celebrate pride month

[PetraG]

Still don’t understand why they would need to identify by that. I have known a few people with a family background that inclined them towards alcoholism. They did not run around identifying themselves as “Alcoholic Catholics”.

The middle ground is that people can admit what their trials are without feeling ashamed about it. License is from the devil, but shame is from the devil, too. Having said that, the world seems to think that the opposite of shame is pride. That is not true.

Seriously? WHAT is your fastidious fascination with having the rest of us CELEBRATE Pride Month. One of the definitions of celebrate is to promote. You are not connecting that to celebrate gives scandal.

Celebrate their chastity. But to lump it in with the rest of the sinfulness that is part of pride month is complete nonsense.

Do you think someone “celebrating” abstinence from genital expressions at a gay pride event would be any more welcome than a skunk at a picnic? As far as I am aware, that is not just another way of expressing gay pride but is rather considered an unwelcome and oppressive message.

Now, if there are gay pride events that welcome the Catholic view of same sex attraction, well, that would be a different matter. If those exist so that a Christian wouldn’t have to avoid actually mentioning the teaching of the Apostles that have uniformly condemned the the expression of same-sex attraction in actions, then that would be an entirely different matter. Telling people they should not accept being shamed is certainly a legitimate message for a Christian.

 

[StudentMI]

Do you think someone “celebrating” abstinence from genital expressions at a gay pride event would be any more welcome than a skunk at a picnic? As far as I am aware, that is not just another way of expressing gay pride but is rather considered an unwelcome and oppressive message.

This is what it comes down to.

 

[WingedHussar]

Save that for your confessor, close friends, and family. Nobody else needs to know, nor should they.

 

[StudentMI]

Save that for your confessor, close friends, and family. Nobody else needs to know, nor should they.

Courage has had several members come forth to share their stories to witness to God. Should they not have done so?

 

[PetraG]

Save that for your confessor, close friends, and family. Nobody else needs to know, nor should they.

I think you ought to be able to admit what crosses you carry if you need to. You don’t have to, but I’m don’t have any room to shame you if you do. The spiritual works of mercy include admonishing a sinner, but that is not the same as shaming a sinner. We are commanded to communicate mercy and repentance and the power of God to overcome obstacles, not condemnation.

 

[PetraG]

Courage has had several members come forth to share their stories to witness to God. Should they not have done so?

These stories help others carrying similar crosses to know they are not alone, they are not inherently bad people and that there is power to help them. These are messages of hope. They should not be forbidden. Don’t we all need to know that our sins are neither unique to us nor the evidence of an insurmountable aspect of ourselves?

 

[WingedHussar]

Isn’t their message, “This is wrong. By the grace of God I am fighting it and you can too.” or am I off base? Seems like a different emphasis from a pride parade.

 

[PetraG]

Isn’t their message, “This is wrong. By the grace of God I am fighting it and you can too.” or am I off base? Seems like a different emphasis from a pride parade.

That is what we are saying. An event where that message was even allowed is very different from an event that condemns people who tell the liberating truth.

 

[StudentMI]

Isn’t their message, “This is wrong. By the grace of God I am fighting it and you can too.” or am I off base? Seems like a different emphasis from a pride parade.

The message of Courage is not ‘this is wrong’. Same sex attraction by itself is not a sin nor a moral failing on the part of the individual.

Homosexuality - 14 | EWTN

 

[JoeFreedom]

Do you think someone “celebrating” abstinence from genital expressions at a gay pride event would be any more welcome than a skunk at a picnic? As far as I am aware, that is not just another way of expressing gay pride but is rather considered an unwelcome and oppressive message.

I’m not sure what your point is. If it means that there are celebrating abstinence at a gay pride parade or during Pride Month, you have reiterated my point that these events are primarily for promoting the sinful side of homosexuality. It would be better for anyone with SSA to start another group or another way to celebrate their struggle to overcome the sinful side of it and remove themselves from the “Pride” part of it.

 

[Sarcelle]

What do you say to a Catholic who has identifies as gay but leads a chaste lifestyle faithful to Church teaching?

Not all Catholics who identify are leading the gay lifestyle.

 

[StudentMI]

What do you say to a Catholic who has identifies as gay but leads a chaste lifestyle faithful to Church teaching?

Not all Catholics who identify are leading the gay lifestyle.

I say fine. I did the same for a while.

 

[Sarcelle]

Has anyone told you to be straight?

I am straight but I have been accused of being gay and leading the gay lifestyle simply because I am single.

I am chaste so I don’t know why I am accused of this without proof.

 

[StudentMI]

Not in so many words. I was told by a poster on here I was basically going to hell because I couldn’t ‘become’ straight.

 

[Sarcelle]

Sorry to hear that.

I was told I was going to Hell because I am not married.

 

[TheLittleLady]

Getting back to the original question/story, is there a news report about the investigation into the death threats? Have the authorities arrested anyone?

 

[PetraG]

I’m not sure what your point is. If it means that there are celebrating abstinence at a gay pride parade or during Pride Month, you have reiterated my point that these events are primarily for promoting the sinful side of homosexuality. It would be better for anyone with SSA to start another group or another way to celebrate their struggle to overcome the sinful side of it and remove themselves from the “Pride” part of it.

Yes, I’m agreeing with you. My point is that while it could be theoretically legitimate for persons who have SSA to hold an event of mutual encouragement, in reality contemporary events typically do not welcome full statements of true Church teaching concerning the matter and therefore aren’t appropriate for Christians to support or attend. It is OK for a Christian to come to a typical event and say “you are loved by God” (which is true) but the message “marriage is between a man and a woman by its nature and sex outside of marriage is gravely sinful, even for persons not attracted to any persons they could validly marry” (which is also true) is not welcome.

 

[JoeFreedom]

Thanks. Sometimes the Interwebs can make context more difficult.

 

[PetraG]

Not in so many words. I was told by a poster on here I was basically going to hell because I couldn’t ‘become’ straight.

Well, free advice is worth what we pay for it. Whatever it is to try to live by every edict coming from every direction that claims to have the mind of the Almighty, it ain’t Heaven.

 

[Genesis315]

But someone’s sexual orientation isn’t something that can be overcome. It’s a part of you.

By overcome I don’t mean eliminate or change, but to choose virtue (with the help of God’s grace) despite those inclinations to the contrary that are out of our control. When the Catechism passage I quoted speaks of “patient resignation” it means acknowledging that we can’t change these feelings or inclinations (not even baptism eliminates them).

I’m not saying some don’t have it harder than others, or that it is easy. It usually involves sacrifices–some very large. We need to help bear each other’s burdens (those who need to remain single, need the support of good friends). But as Jesus tells us, the way of the Cross is the way of salvation. Bearing the trials and sufferings that virtue usually entails because of this fallen world and our concupiscence is what we must do.

Jesus Himself tells us this, when He commands us to take up our cross and follow in His footsteps. The way of salvation is the way of the Cross.

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