Pope calls on Christians to apologise to gay people
Pope Francis
(CNS): As the issue of rights for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community (LGBT) continues to stir up intolerance among local politicians and some religious quarters of Cayman, Pope Francis has called on the Christian community to apologise to gay people. At a recent press conference, the head of the Catholic Church said that they should not be “discriminated against, that they must be respected and accompanied pastorally”.
In the wake of the shocking mass murder at a gay club in Orlando, he asked whether Christians bear some blame for hatred toward the LGBT community. “The Church must ask forgiveness for not behaving many times — when I say the Church, I mean Christians. The Church is holy, we are sinners,” he said.
The issue of LGBT rights has caused considerable controversy in Cayman over the last six months since veteran backbench MLA Anthony Eden left government after the premier announced plans to review the immigration law to allow someone’s same-sex legal spouse to be recognized as a dependent on a work permit.
During the latest meeting of the Legislative Assembly, opposition MLAs pressed government to fight the anticipated legal challenge of two expatriate lawyers in Cayman who are in a same-sex legal marriage and have appealed a decision of the Business Staffing Plan Board to turn down a dependency application on a work permit on the grounds of the couple’s gender.
Although the premier has made it clear he is reviewing the law, he has stated that his government has no intention of introducing same-sex marriage or even legal unions. However, he has called on his colleagues to be more tolerant and condemned any form of discrimination.
Category: Europe, World News
The Pope stated that, “The Church must ask forgiveness for not behaving many times — when I say the Church, I mean Christians. The Church is holy, we are sinners,” he said.” I am wondering what the Pope meant by this statement that “The Church is holy, we are sinners?” My understanding is that members/people comprise the Church. A church cannot exist without members. Members are people. The prerequisite for the Church is found in the Bible in 1 Peter 2:9. It says, “But ye [are] a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light.” The Church is God’s people that have been called to serve him and they accept the call to become followers of his. He also says, do not forsake the assembling of ourselves together. He goes on to say that where two, three or more of his believing children gather in his name he will be in their mids. The Church is not a building / physical structure. It is the body of believers.
Title should read,
Pope calls on Christians to apologize for spreading lies.
What does Pope Francis have to do with Cayman ?
I don’t think he actually mentioned Cayman dear.
Let me tell you a secret. There are Catholics living amongst the population. Shhh. Don’t tell anyone.
Nobody expects the Cayman Inquisition!!
I didn’t expect a kind of Cayman Inquisition.
He heads the Church that most people on this island believe in. Of course, I know he’s an unworthy foreigner who knows nothing about anything. Apparently Cayman folk are all knowing and wise about everything.
He heads the Church that most people on this island believe in? Really? Which island are you living on? Sicily?
Another thing … how come the leaders of the gays don’t come out and apologize to Christians for their hate speeches too ???? :/
Leaders of the gays?
You know, like Bruce Jenner, Barbies ‘boy’friend Ken, those guys from the jackass movies and Obama
Yeah, Elton John.
The notion that Islam = ISIS is the same as saying Christianity = the KKK.
The greatest of all these is love. Love enables tolerance and forgiveness, Jesus Christ by the reported example of his life was filled with love. We would do well to emulate him.
Here, Pope Francis is not supporting the gay lifestyle.
All he is saying is that profess Christians worldwide ought NOT TO HATE GAY PEOPLE. Why??? Because TO HATE AND HARM another person is a sin. Gays like all other sinners should be accepted, embraced, and loved by all members in the Church.
POPE FRANCIS SEE THE CHURCH LIKE A HOSPITAL FOR ALL MANNER OF SIN. AND JESUS THE HEAD DOCTOR
So Unison, what’s your point?
So it’s obvious he is also saying it’s ok for priest etc to molest young catholic boys. Ludicrous!
Wow! Left field much?
This is confusing to say the least. Is the Pope acknowledging that the Bible is wrong, that it’s perhaps even outdated and immoral? He’s talking about loving gays but the bible says we must execute them. And remember Jesus said we have to keep the old laws. He said he didn’t come to change one letter of a single law, so no weasel room there. This is a tough one. What gives? One imagines Catholic heads imploding all over the world. Their Pope is infallible and the Bible is perfect, yet they contradict. Does not compute . . . Error . . . Error . . . Error . . . Error . . . Error . . . Error . . .
That same Bible calls for you to kill everyone who works 7 days a week. No one can truly follow the Bible without turning into ISIS. So let’s just try to live in harmony. Don’t have to like gay people just need to not hate them.
we Catholics are good, and we understand our leader, no worries, you keep doing what you are doing, BTW, how is that going for you?? happy??? lol
Anthony. Oh Anthony Eden. The pope would like to have a word with you….
May have escaped your attention, but Mr Eden is not a Catholic, and his church does not recognise the Authority of the Pope let alone his infallibility. In fact they think the Catholic Church is flat wrong on a whole range of issues. You may as well cite Donald Trump.
Why you are so right sir. That did escape my attention. So say I want to try out Christianity. Which sect do I pick? There are so gol’darn many. I want to pick the right one because, well, I like to be right and frankly, that Hell thing scares me. Please advise.
Jotnar, well pointed out. The whole thing is that churches (any of them) are controlled by men or women who want to control all the population, hence they disagree with other churches in efforts to attract more people to their stated aim. Sometimes parts of their doctrine has little to do with the word of God. Therefore the masses can choose which kind of interpretation suits them best and go for that. As you say, it is much the same as Trump and the gun nut lobby who justify their “Christian” ways and values with pure BS. The more they talk about it the more you know it is BS..I don’t believe in Churches…I am strong enough to have my own mind and understand the difference between good and evil. And peace and love is the way…Churches are the enemy of that, as are feeble minded people who need the churches as a prop for their insecurities.
Pope Francis seems to be a loose cannon. The catholic faith can’t figure out what to do with him!!
He has not said anything that I’m interested in hearing! I have more serious issues to deal with.
Like what bro?
Stoning gays!
Popie boy you and others must apologize to people of African ancestry first for the evil wicked slave trade in which the two biggest Christian denominations at the time ( the Roman Catholic Church & The Church Of England) sanctioned and supported.
Google Vatican Slavery apologies from 1500s-early 1900’s, and specific modern context apologies in 1965, and Pope John Paul II’s on Aug 14, 1985.
When are the Africans that sold their own people into slavery going to apologize?
Does the same thing go for all his kiddie fiddling priests?
The Pope heads a religion that regards sex outside marriage and contraception as sins. It also prevents priests from enjoying a normal lifestyle but pardons terrorists for acts of murder at confession. My second ex is Catholic and I swear some of them are as bad as the Muslims.
And your third ex, what does she think?
I believe the gays are judging themselves more than any one else is judging them, and they probably do not even realise it. I have noticed that most of them are always making derogatory statements against God, the bible and most anything religious and spiritual. I believe the reason is because they know they cannot live the way they do and be in good standing with God so they will try to pretend that God does not exist. They are judging themselves according to what the bible has to say.. Even if do not read the bible they all have been privy to what it has to say concerning committing sins. Murderers, ,thieves, liars, fornicators , in fact all sinners if they so choose can ask for forgiveness and if they are sincere can through grace change their lives and many do, but it is impossible for anyone to change from a life of sin to a Christian life if they do not believe that God sent his son Jesus to die for our sins and acknowledge him as Savior. Their campaign of promoting homosexuality goes hand in hand with atheism. I suppose they think if they do not acknowledge God and Jesus then they won’t be held responsible for their actions but please understand that the existence of God/Jesus does not depend on whether or not we believe. They and their supporters are always screaming that Christians need to be tolerant and accepting but as Christians we would be going against the word of God if we condone sin of any kind. We as Christians live this life by faith and grace. We mess up a lot of times but we repent and get back in right standing with God. God is waiting to forgive everyone but we have to acknowledge his presence. We will be judged in the last day so how we live today really matters. The Pope perhaps should apologise because a lot of his people are responsible for causing much pain for people especially young boys.. He has no power to forgive sins .
How do you have access to what “most of them” are saying?
I hear them on tv, I read their writings. They are always screaming out about something or other. Yes I have heard them!!
Well I guess it would be hard not to hear them if they are “always screaming out”.
Perhaps it just appears that way, as a person just quietly going about their business makes for a rather dull TV show.
You may as well say all Americans are always being ER Doctors all the time. Constantly running next to gurneys and consoling the freshest of widows.
Sir, that is the sound of your wives.
Only God alone can forgive sins. The pope is just a man. He and his cardinals/priest CAN NOT forgive sins.
Well said Anonymous – 11:06
Lol be quiet please.
Good on you Pope Francis…about time someone had sense. However, some of you bible thumping people here in Cayman just will not understand!
Somehow I do not think that God answers to Pope Francis.
When people let religion become bigger than God, they are on a slippery slope.
Obviously you never read the article as he said the church is holy (meaning religion) and we (meaning him and us) are sinners!
So a bit like the High Sparrow then?
The Bible is the favored tool of the ignorant to preach their unjustified hatred. Nothing wrong with wanting to be spiritual and closer to God. A lot wrong when you point your finger at others because they think differently than you do. Let those without sin cast the first stone? There is no man, woman or child that haven’t sinned in the Bible. So just let people be happy with how they want to live their lives? Is that too much to ask?
Personally I do not have a problem with gays or anyone else for what they believe and how they live but when they bring their agendas , their in your face parades, their agendas to change the couture and marriages laws to accommodate their agendas, then I have a problem. You do not see heterosexuals having parades because they are heterosexual so why does the other group think they have to do that. They just love to draw attention to themselves and sometimes they draw the wrong attention.
4:25 it is an age old practice to march to draw attention to those who are discriminated against so the fact that they are doing that shouldn’t be a surprise but of course there are those who are flamboyant too and again that is a form of protest.
Yep, the gays changing the couture is what we need to worry about.
Not too many years ago most free people did not oppose slavery, did not understand why people marched for civil rights as long as their’s was intact, or opposed apartheid as long as they were segregated into where they thought was their rightful place….
Be thankful that you don’t need to hold a parade and fight for your right to be heterosexual.
Marching in protest is a valid form of unity against a particular problem. I assume you believe Martin Luther King was wrong to march for his cause ? When you have been taken to hospital being treated for broken bones and internal injuries for being who you are, then talk to me
Sorry!
“…opposition MLAs pressed government to fight the anticipated legal challenge of two expatriate lawyers in Cayman…”.
They basically want to throw away some tax payer money, so they can grandstand during the next election, about how they did everything to keep the Gay away.
Why must christians apologize on behalf of fellow christians who obey the word of god?
Leviticus 20:13 – “‘If a man has sexual relations with a man as one does with a woman, both of them have done what is detestable. They are to be put to death; their blood will be on their own heads.
The discrimination stems from the christian ideology itself. Apologizing for the word of god seems counter intuitive if you want to make it to heaven.
Same rule was for fornicators and adulterers but you are ok with them.
We don’t apologoze for murderers or rapists. Why do christians need to apologize fellow theist? They’re obeying the word of their god.
Wrong. If you obeyed the word of God you would not judge – only God can do that – and that IS in the bible.
Because of the discrimination towards an entire group of people. No one should apologize for rapists and murderers. I think its quite obvious even if you are not religious that we shouldn’t be hurting or killing each other. Apologizing for poor treatment of gay people doesn’t mean you have to like them. Just want some tolerance is all.
The conversation is about gays.
But it was not the word of God…the old testament was the word of “man”!!!!
Even though I come from a Christian back ground, I do not support the comments about putting gays to death. Yes, the Bible does say it, but in the old testament, before Jesus was crucified and died for our sins. The Bible also says let he without sin cast the first stone. In other words, Gods intention was not for us to live like savages and because we are all sinners, we are in no position as human beings to really judge what someone else does. It might be against our beliefs but everyone was given the freedom of choice. While I respect the decisions of those people within the LGBT community, I do not agree with people trying to change our way of life and forcing the new “normal” down our throats. If you want your same sex partner acknowledged as a spouse, please move to a country that acknowledges it.
I am not religious. If I were, however, I imagine that I would accept the Pope as a better barometer for the ‘word of God’ than a very old and many times translated text. It is well accepted that the original Bible verses were written by man, even if you consider that they were divinely inspired. Thus, the whole text is subject to interpretation at the very least and should be approached as such. Dogmatic adherence to particular words and phrases speaks more to the reader than to the truth of the text.
Perfect…..
What about bacon-wrapped shrimp? And polyester? And eyeglasses? And blood transfusions? You see where I’m going? Ordering cake then expecting to eat it?!
I hope that cake is not made of different types of cereals mixed together or you are going to get stoned for that too.
Because Christians claim to follow the word of God but really they just pick and choose what rules to follow and what ones are ok for them. They then use cherry-picked verses from the bible to then justify their hatred. Christians and all religious sects should really apologize for their ridiculousness…
The bible says a whole lot of stupid crap. If you believe it all, shows how brainwashed you are.
May God have mercy on you!
You had better be careful with your statements. The bible says that All scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, and for correction in righteousness. Those who blaspheme the name of God will also pay a price. So be careful. I had a close friend who did not believe in God. He spoke just like you. He is in his grave today. He was barely 49 years of age I believe. Was very health conscious.
As for me, I do not hate gays. All I have to say about it is that it is sin and those who practice it will have to give account to God. I am straight and would love to have many women as a married man. I have to restrain myself and not engage in that. The reason is that it is sin and if I do, I will also have to give account to God.
Good man Leviticus!! If you wrote that asinine garbage today, it wouldn’t even be printed in the Compass and you my dear Levitcus, would be put into long-term psychiatric care. Word of God?No. Rantings of Leveticus? Yes.
It would fall into most Westerns Countries’ laws against inciting hatred and violence and good old Leviticus would probably be locked up and having to be very careful picking up soap in the prison showers!
Can anyone provide a link or transcript to this fabled LA condemnation of the backbench motion to have the AG establish a legal fund to fight IAT decisions in favor of LGBT lawful rights. It seems there was no condemnation by anyone, quite the opposite in fact, the motion was given considerable traction by all in attendance during that session, including Premier, Speaker, AG and Dep Gov. Any “so-called” condemnation has been tepid to non-existent to date, or offered with reluctant apology to the disproportionately influencing Fundamentalist voter lobby.
It was not a Christian that killed the gays in Orlando, it was a Muslim. Was it really terrorism as we know it or was the killer a bisexual himself, who judged and hated gays ? After all, he did visit the Pulse nightclub on many occasions and had a gay dating App on his phone.
The Pope should emphasize more at mass that those in authority, should immediately stop molesting children and persons in their congregation.
The Cardinals and others, should stop sexing the nuns (sisters) in the back rooms and getting secret abortions when they get knocked up.
The Muslims should be taught to stop believing that by blowing up themselves and killing innocent bystanders, they will be greeted by thirty four virgins at the gates to heaven.
The Christians should stop being hypocrites as being Godly one day a week and then getting out of the church and asking, “wha number played today” or “you hear whose husband or wife is fooling around now” ?
Plenty of that going on right here in the Cayman Islands !!
Aren’t christians being discriminative by not accepting homosexuality as a part of nature while proselytizing their belief? And yes I understand christians aren’t muslims. It doesn’t take mass murder to be labled discriminative.. or at least i’d hope not.
…and aren’t LGBTs being discriminating of straight Christians?
No.
Would you please share the difference between Islam and Christianity 10:55am.
I can’t seem to distinguish the condoning of murder,rape,slavery and bigotry between the two.
Was it really terrorism? He pledged his allegiance to isis before the attack. What do you think?
One is means of social control which requires acceptance of a fictional yet omnipotent power and adherence to dogma purportedly derived from that magical power, and the other is, well you’ve probably worked it out.
Is there really much difference between the Muslim faith and the Christian one? The Qu’ran also states and accepts that Jesus is a prophet so why condemn them for believing in the same thing? All religions have commands in them but we do not have to follow them. It’s the people who follow their religions to the letter who cause all the problems in the world. Whether they be Christian or Muslim there is little difference.
God Bless Pope Franky! And CNS too.
Let the online outrage continue………
It is said that JFK put a man on the moon and Obama has managed to put boys in girls’ bathrooms.
I have nothing to apologise to gays about. I have done them no harm.
I do not remember Jesus berating gays. He called all of us to repentance.
Let us be clear on one matter only.
When this life is over, we will stand before Almighty God, not as gays, heteros, trannies, etc, but as a steward of the life that He has given each of us.
On that day, any pontification will cease and truth will reign. Let each one of us carefully prepare for that day. Let us help one another, stop lying, stealing, cheating, sleeping around, hating and just be kind.
There are no laws against kindness…..yet.
Man I’m F%$#&D
As long as we have breath, we have hope.
By whom?
Well said!