Pope Francis And Gay Marriage

“When I meet a gay person, I have to distinguish between their being gay and being part of a lobby. If they accept the Lord and have goodwill, who am I to judge them? They shouldn’t be marginalized. The tendency [to homosexuality] is not the problem … they’re our brothers.

These are the lines that were spoken by Pope Francis about a week ago that have generated many news headlines and talk around the world since. I first heard about this at a barbecue I was at the same day they were spoken by him. My friend asked me “Did you hear what the Pope said about gay marriage?” Of course I thought at first she was going to tell me a joke as it had the rhyme of one so I promptly replied with a “no” and a smile. But when she responded with a statement that it was all over the news and told me “the Pope is supposedly approving of it now”, I began to think she wasn’t trying to just get a laugh out of me. So I called my partner to ask the validity of such a statement and he too said something similar.

What’s ironic in all of this buzz that stemmed from the Pope’s words is that I don’t believe anything has changed at all with the Catholic Church’s stance on homosexuality. What I see instead was a very smart political statement and move made by the Pope that removed some of the strict judgments that have often come from previous Pope’s and the Catholic Church itself. If I was to make a venture on what Pope Francis was really saying, it is very different than what the rest of the world, like my friend and my partner were telling me. Looking at his words more closely, it appears to me that he is following in the footsteps that many political leaders of the world have already taken. I believe what everyone, including the Pope, is starting to say is to let gay people be gay people, allow them to have their gay marriages and sexual relations with each other, but if they choose to walk on the path that Christ walked in serving God, than that’s where things might have to change in those people’s lives.

To put it even more bluntly, I believe the Pope and many other leaders who have followed a stance like this really feel that being gay is still a sin, against God’s wishes, amoral, and completely wrong in God’s eyes. Across the world there have already been cardinals and bishops and leaders of the Catholic Church that have clarified their own viewpoints since the Pope’s comments emerged. Each have said adamantly that same sexual relations is still a sin. So while much of the world is moving away from chastising those that are openly gay and are working on equal rights on every platform for them, many still have hearts that are remaining resistant to the idea that God created people just like me, a homosexual.

In a nutshell, while I’m glad that Pope Francis is at least taking a less dagger throwing stance towards gay people than his predecessors did, I feel in my heart that if I was to have a private conversation with him about my homosexuality and the fact that I’m on a path to seek a deeper relationship with God, that he would tell me that I need to become celibate. Many people I have met over the past few years who have said they accept my sexuality, have told me in conversation that it’s not their place to judge me. But when I have pursued it further with them, they’ve admitted their belief that it’s still a choice and a sin. Those conversations usually end with each of them saying they will do their best to love me anyway.

I have come to accept all of those people in this world just as they are, even though most of them still feel deep down that being gay is a choice, a sin, and an abomination. I really am sad on some level because what I am really hoping will change one day is their hearts and souls surrounding this issue. When everyone can finally move away from staring at those few lines in the Bible that have been used against gay people and try to believe that maybe, just maybe God’s message is a little different, than our world might be able to finally move forward with a lot more light and love.

Don’t get me wrong, the Bible is amazing and does have a lot of wonderful lessons and teachings for the greater good within it. But in regards to those few lines about gay people that were written thousands of years ago in a period none of us were alive in, each have been interpreted and reinterpreted time and time again by man and by man only. It really is possible that man is continuing to misinterpret this one. And while the Pope may be lessening the polarity between his church and gay people, isn’t it really actions that speak way louder than words? When the day comes that the Pope and the Catholic Church begin to express God is ok with homosexuality and actions arise out of those words, then and only then will I think our world has shifted to a much greater place of unified love and light towards gay people.

Peace, love, light, and joy,

Andrew Arthur Dawson

Author: Andrew Arthur Dawson

A teacher of meditation, a motivational speaker, a reader of numerology, and a writer by trade, Andrew Arthur Dawson is a spiritual man devoted to serving his Higher Power and bringing a lot more light and love into this world. This blog, www.thetwelfthstep.com is just one of those ways...

One thought on “Pope Francis And Gay Marriage”

  1. While I understand your thinking I think the leader of the world’s Roman Catholic congregation is reaching out and with profound and good reasoning. The newest pontiff is looking at the people as Jesus Christ did. He is reaching out to the poor, the persecuted, and those that have been left behind by society. I feel he is following his heart. Coming from a former Catholic I do believe he is being sincere and truthful and is not harboring some hidden agenda. He has renewed my faith in the church that I was baptized in and worshiped at. Perhaps this will guide me back to my spiritual path. I miss my church.

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