“Pope Francis and Homosexual Marriage”

[Editor’s Note: Much of the terminology in this article comes from the Roman Catholic religion and is not found in the Scriptures. The information below comes from an on-line article by the Associated Press (“Pope Suggests Blessings for Same-Sex Unions may be Possible,” posted on October 3, 2023).]

Five conservative cardinals wrote to Pope Francis to see if he would uphold the teaching of the Roman Catholic Church on homosexual marriage. On Monday, October 2, 2023, the Vatican published a letter that Francis wrote previously on Thursday, July 11th. This is not a difficult question to answer from the Scriptures. Not only can homosexuals not be married; they cannot even be Christians unless they repent of the sin, which means giving up the practice.

The article states: “The Vatican holds that marriage is an indissoluble union between man and woman.” True. God designed marriage to be a relationship between one man and one woman (Gen. 2:18-24); Jesus pointed out that the arrangement was still as valid in His day as it was at the creation (Matt. 19:3-6). In an explanatory note in 2021, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith said flat-out that the church couldn't bless gay unions because “God cannot bless sin.” So, how difficult can it be to answer the question? The Bible hasn’t changed, and the Roman Catholic Church agreed with the Scriptures just two years ago. But the fact is that

Francis has voiced support for civil laws extending legal benefits to same-sex spouses, and Catholic priests in parts of Europe have been blessing same-sex unions without Vatican censure.

What? If the pope is the head of the Catholic Church, and various priests are violating the position it has espoused, then why has nothing been done? This would be somewhat analogous to the father of the family teaching the children that there are certain vulgar words that are never appropriate to use. His wife and grandparents, fully aware of the prohibition, hear the children violate that family law, but they say nothing about it to the kids. In fact, they join in those same speech patterns. Now, when the father discovers they all have been violating his command, what will he do; keep affirming the law but not enforce it? Or will he penalize the guilty?

The pope, therefore knows that the priests serving under him are violating the church’s official position, but he says nothing? Would not most people conclude that he does not care a great deal about the church’s official position? Previously, he had made it clear that God cannot bless sins—but now he says, uh, well, read it for yourself and see if it makes any sense to you. The AP article stated it this way:

Francis reiterated that matrimony is a union between a man and a woman. But responding to the cardinals' question about homosexual unions and blessings, he said “pastoral charity” requires patience and understanding and that regardless, priests cannot become judges “who only deny, reject and exclude.”

Whoa, whoa, whoa! If the Scriptures define something as a sin, it is not a human judgment to call it a sin. If the Bible calls homosexuality a sin (and it does in 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 and Romans 1:21-28), then human judgment has nothing to do with it when human beings merely repeat what God said. This would be like a person, viewing the heavens and commenting, “It looks like we have storm clouds above us today,” being told, “Are you judging the sky?”

But there is something else fundamentally wrong with the above statement. Catholic priests are supposed to assign penance (not a Biblical concept), are they not? If a person enters the confessional and admits, “I committed adultery,” isn’t the priest supposed to rebuke that behavior and assign penance? Why wouldn’t that be “judging” someone? In fact, what do these priests say when someone confesses, “I practice homosexuality?” It looks like the rebellious European ones would probably respond, “So what?” Francis also said:

“For this reason, pastoral prudence must adequately discern whether there are forms of benediction, requested by one or more persons, that do not transmit a mistaken conception of marriage,” he wrote. “Because when a benediction is requested, it is expressing a request for help from God, a plea to be able to live better, a trust in a father who can help us to live better.”

Does anyone comprehend this gobbledygook? In a word, it sounds like COMPROMISE. Although he admitted that some situations are not objectively, morally acceptable (one wonders what), he added that “pastoral charity” requires treating people as “sinners who might not be fully at fault for their situations.” How many sinners does anyone know who admit their guilt? Most people say, “It was not my fault.” Has the pope never heard of Lady Gaga and her song, “Born This Way” (2011)? It’s one of the anthems of LGBTQ.

Francis, therefore, suggests that this issue could be handled on a case-by-case basis. One wonders how that will work out. When God gave Israel the Ten Commandments, did He say, “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy,” and then add, “but Moses will treat violations on a case by case basis”? Likewise, the New Testament contains several lists of sins, but none of them indicates a better or worse punishment for one person than for another. Would such treatment not indicate that God is a respecter of persons?

As time goes on Francis seems to be digging a deeper and deeper hole for himself. The next pope may have a whole lot of clarifyin’ to do—unless he is of the same liberal mindset, in which case the Catholic Church of the future may not be taking a stand on any moral issue—but just take everything on a case by case basis.

Responses

New Ways Ministry, which advocates for LGBTQ+ Catholics, said the letter “significantly advances” efforts to make LGBTQ+ Catholics welcomed in the church and “one big straw towards breaking the camel's back” in their marginalization.

Are they wrong in their interpretation of the information in the pope’s letter? What he said certainly sounds encouraging, does it not? Francis DeBernardo is the executive director of New Ways Ministry. His comments are enough to make anyone familiar with the Scriptures want to throw up. He said:

The allowance for pastoral ministers to bless same-gender couples implies that the church does indeed recognize that holy love can exist between same-gender couples, and the love of these couples mirrors the love of God.

To suggest that same-sex love (which involves sexual intimacy) is holy blasphemes God and the Holy Scriptures. It is also open rebellion against God’s plan, which He made known at the very beginning. God defines holiness for Israel in Leviticus 18:6-19 and 20:11-21. These verses condemn, along with other sexual sins, same sex relationships. “You shall not lie with a male as with a woman. It is an abomination” (Lev. 18:22). “If a man lies with a male as he lies with a woman, both of them have committed abomination. They shall surely be put to death. Their blood shall be upon them” (Lev. 20:13). Both of these verses are infinitely clearer than statements on the subject by Francis.

God wanted His people to be holy under the Law of Moses. He told them in Leviticus 11:45: “You shall therefore be holy, for I am holy.” Peter repeats this command in the New Testament (1 Peter 1:15-16). The Bible is consistent: Holiness means, among other things, the complete avoidance of same-sex relationships.

Furthermore, the corrupt homosexual expressions of “love” do not “mirror” anything about the love of God, who wants all people to be saved (2 Peter 3:9). The God Who created the heavens and the earth is Spirit (John 4:23-24). He does not have a physical body. His love is not for man’s physical body but for his soul. The physical body deteriorates over time and dies; the spirit does not. Which of the two do homosexuals care for?

The most difficult concept for man to understand (perhaps because he does not want to) is that he needs to give up sin in order to please God. No remedy exists for continually practicing what is wrong.