Dented, or Unbending?

When discussing anything at all to do with religion, I suppose I must, although these days being agnostic, confess that I was brought up in the belief structure of the Catholic Church. Although these days long departed from any religion, I still hold a deep admiration for some, only some, of the Church’s philosophies and strictures. One philosophy which I admire is that the Church has always spoken out against ‘same-sex marriage’. While the Church accepts that civil unions have been legalised, it has always remained firm in the statement that marriage is, and always will be, a union between a man and a woman. 

The Nativity School of Worcester had commenced flying both the ‘Black Lives Matter’ banner and the multi-coloured Gay Pride flag on the same pole as the American flag. According to reports and statements from R.C. Bishop Robert J. McManus of the Diocese of Worcester, the Nativity School of Worcester is “prohibited” from identifying as “Catholic” and may no longer use the word to describe itself. In addition, “Mass, sacraments and sacramentals are no longer permitted to be celebrated on Nativity School premises or be sponsored by Nativity School in any church building or chapel within the Diocese of Worcester.”

The bishop stated “it is my contention that the ‘Gay Pride’ flag represents support of gay marriage and actively living a LGBTQ+ lifestyle.” He also differentiated between the statement “black lives matter” — which he styled in lower case letters — and the Black Lives Matter movement. “The Catholic Church teaches that all life is sacred and the Church certainly stands unequivocally behind the phrase ‘black lives matter’ and strongly affirms that all lives matter,” he wrote. “However, the ‘Black Lives Matter’ movement has co-opted the phrase and promotes a platform that directly contradicts Catholic social teaching on the importance and role of the nuclear family and seeks to disrupt the family structure in clear opposition to the teachings of the Catholic Church.”

I admire and applaud the bishop for both his statements, and for the courage in stating, categorically, that although his Church approves of the civil status of same sex couples, it is, and always will be, against homosexual marriage. I also categorically oppose such acclaim about what I consider to be an abomination. As for the BLM movement, I note that the movement coalesced against the death of a career criminal by the police, and that same movement resulted in the worst riots, burning, uproar and, naturally, looting on an industrial scale in cities controlled by the Democratic Party; all crimes being carried out by mostly the oppressed black people who were supposed to be targeted by the police.

As with the ‘same sex’ and ‘blm’ brigades, so with many other ‘modern’ developments and attitudes. The Advocacy bunches, inclusive of Peter Tatchell’s Stonewall, are forever speaking and preaching of the former ‘injustices’, all of which need remedial action. I reckon that a straightforward acceptance that many, if not most; have long adopted stances in direct opposition to that of Stonewall’s and its contemporaries: and just fervently wish that the opposition should just pipe down and get on with their lives.