THE TELEGRAPH: The Pope said that 'saving' humanity from homosexual or transsexual behaviour is just as important as saving the rainforests.
In comments at the Vatican that are likely to provoke a furious reaction from homosexual groups, Benedict also warned that blurring the distinction between male and female could lead to the "self-destruction" of the human race.
In his address to the Curia, the Vatican's central administration, he described behaviour beyond traditional heterosexual relations as "a destruction of God's work" and said that the Roman Catholic Church had a duty to "protect man from the destruction of himself".
It is not "outmoded metaphysics" to urge respect for the "nature of the human being as man and woman," he added. >>> By The Telegraph’s Foreign Staff | Monday, December 22, 2008
THE TELEGRAPH: Update: Pope Says Humanity Needs 'Saving' from Homosexuality
The Pope has said that "saving" humanity from homosexual or transsexual behaviour is just as important as saving the rainforests.
Pope Benedict XVI sparked a furious reaction from other Christian groups as he also suggested that a blurring of the distinction between male and female could lead to the "self-destruction" of the human race.
The pontiff was delivering his end-of-year address to senior Vatican staff and his words were later released to the media.
The Roman Catholic Church teaches that, while homosexuality is not sinful, homosexual acts are.
It opposes gay marriage and, in October, one leading Vatican official described homosexuality as "a deviation, an irregularity, a wound".
In his address to the Curia, the Vatican's central administration, the Pope himself described behaviour beyond traditional heterosexual relations as "a destruction of God's work".
He said the Roman Catholic Church had a duty to "protect man from the destruction of himself" and urged respect for the "nature of the human being as man and woman."
The pontiff added: "The tropical forests do deserve our protection. But man, as a creature, does not deserve any less."
His remarks were immediately denounced as "totally irresponsible and unacceptable in any shape or form" by the Lesbian and Gay Christian Movement. >>> By Nick Allen | Tuesday, December 23, 2008
THE TIMES: Pope Accused of Stoking Homophobia after He Equates Homosexuality to Climate Change
Pope Benedict was accused of stoking homophobia today after a speech in which he declared that saving humanity from homosexuality was just as important as saving the rainforest from destruction.
The Pontiff made the remarks yesterday in an end-of-year address to the Curia, the Vatican's central administration. He said that humanity needed to listen to the “language of creation” to understand the intended roles of man and woman and behaviour beyond traditional heterosexual relations was a “destruction of God’s work”.
“The tropical forests do deserve our protection. But man, as a creature, does not deserve any less," Benedict told scores of prelates gathered in the Vatican's Clementine Hall.
"What’s needed is something like a ‘human ecology,’ understood in the right sense. It’s not simply an outdated metaphysics if the Church speaks of the nature of the human person as man and woman, and asks that this order of creation be respected.”
It is not the first time that Benedict has used the Curia speech to throw out a controversial idea – two years ago he complained that Islam had yet to learn the lessons of the Enlightenment – but the comments were quickly denounced by gay and lesbian groups, both inside and outside the Church. >>> Philippe Naughton | Tuesday, December 23, 2008
WELT ONLINE: Papst nennt Homosexualität Gefahr für Menschheit
Papst Benedikt XVI. hat gleichgeschlechtliche Beziehungen mit der Zerstörung der Umwelt verglichen. In seinem traditionellen Jahresrückblick vor der Kurie forderte das Oberhaupt der katholischen Kirche eine "Ökologie des Menschen" und bezeichnete Homosexualität als "Zerstörung von Gottes Werk".
In seinem Jahresrückblick vor der Kurie, dem Verwaltungsapparat des Vatikans, hat Papst Benedikt XVI. Beziehungen jenseits der traditionellen heterosexuellen Ehe scharf verurteilt. "Die Kirche soll die Menschen auch vor der Selbstzerstörung schützen", habe der Papst gesagt und eine "Ökologie des Menschen" gefordert.
Der Angriff auf gleichgeschlechtliche Partnerschaften schloss sich an eine Passage an, in der Benedikt XVI. die Notwendigkeit des Umweltschutzes hervorgehoben hatte. Die Kirche habe eine Verantwortung für die Schöpfung und müsse diese auch öffentlich wahrnehmen.
"Die Regenwälder haben ein Recht auf unseren Schutz", zitiert die Nachrichtenagentur Reuters das Oberhaupt der katholischen Kirche weiter, " Aber der Mensch als Kreatur hat nicht weniger verdient.“ >>> reuters/ks | Dienstag, 23. Dezember 2008
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