What Should a Gay Catholic Do?

Interesting post by Fr. James Martin. The utter failure of Church leaders in showing even a modicum of true commitment to the Gospel when it comes to gay Christians, as well as their outright hostility cloaked in false piety, made me answer Fr. Martin's question by leaving.

Priests’ sexual orientation found no predictor of abuse

For those whom have spent the past 5-7 years claiming otherwise, this news must be disappointing.

Good.

Israel displays coins from ancient Jewish revolt

Interesting discovery.

First Shots of a Civil War Among Democrats?

For all the talk from the MSM about a "civil war" in the GOP, it would appear that there are quite a number of "angry" liberals in the Democrat Party too. The liberal America Blog is calling for a boycott, or "pause" as they prefer to call it, of the DNC, Organizing for America and the Obama campaign due to broken promises on gay rights:

We are asking voters to pledge to withhold contributions to the Democratic National Committee, Organizing for America, and the Obama campaign until the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) is passed, Don’t Ask Don’t Tell (DADT) is repealed, and the so-called Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) is repealed -– all of which President Obama repeatedly promised to do if elected.

America Blog's "pause" is being echoed by other prominent liberal blogs and bloggers, including: Daily Kos, Dan Savage, David Mixner, FireDogLake, Michelangelo Signorile, Pam's House Blend & Towleroad.

It's not just a failure on gay rights by Obama/Pelosi/Reid that has liberal Democrats upset, the Stupak amendment to the recently-passed House version of ObamaCare has angered the prominent Open Left blog enough to likewise call for a boycott of the DCCC:

It is time for progressives to pass a Stupak amendment of our own. We need to stop giving money to organizations that spend money on John Boccieri, Bobby Bright, Travis Childers, Parker Griffith, and Harry Teague. We are better off without spending a single dime on most, if not all, of these 23 Democrats.

Their call to boycott the DCCC is being echoed by DailyKos.

With all the angst out there on both sides of the political spectrum it appears that we do indeed live in "interesting times". How's that hopeychangeyness coming along, Mr. President?

(this is also posted over at Gay Patriot)

World War I in Color

Interesting color photos from World War I found at Spiegel.

20th Anniversary of the Fall of the Berlin Wall

It's hard to believe that 20 years have passed since the Berlin Wall fell. I was serving in the US Navy at the time and remember being stunned at the news. I honestly thought that the Cold War, even with perestroika having an impact on communist Europe, would drag on till I was an old man. I was very pleased to be proven wrong.

Giant Crack in Africa Will Create a New Ocean

Sometimes science can be so cool to read about...

Gay Tourists Verboten From the Vatican?

“The church teachings are from the Bible. If we change this teaching, we will not be the Catholic Church. Don’t expect the Catholic church to change these issues, because it is our identity.” When asked if the Vatican is open to dialogue about welcoming such homosexual groups of tourists in the future, Bishop Kaleta responded that “such demonstrations are just not ethical.”

Publisher Steinmetz clarified that what was meant by gay travel was traveling for the purpose of a visit, not as a demonstration. To this the Bishop replied, “I consider if someone is homosexual, it is a provocation and an abuse of this place. Try to go to a mosque if you are not Muslim. It is abuse of our buildings and our religion because the church interprets our religion that it is not ethical. We expect respect of our church as we expect to respect that a person does not have to belong to the Catholic Church. If you have different ideas, go to a different location.” - Bishop Janusz Kaleta quoted in eTurbo News

Perhaps His Grace needs to re-read the Catholic Catechism and various statements from the Holy See on homosexuality. I can certainly understand an annoyance with demonstrations, I dislike those as well when they occur at religious institutions, but expressing a distaste for even tourists who are gay just visiting the Vatican seems to go against even what the Church teaches. So not even gay tourists, eh? Kind of ironic considering how many gays were involved with decorating the place. Perhaps this explains the Holy See's silence concerning the goings on in Uganda because apparently gay tourists are a bigger problem.

'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' Comes Out of the Closet - To the Point on KCRW

Very interesting debate from a couple of weeks ago regarding DADT and the recent Joint Forces Quarterly article on this subject:

"Don't Ask, Don't Tell" Comes Out of the Closet - To the Point on KCRW

Cement’s basic molecular structure finally decoded

Considering how important cement is in my field, as well as to building in all modern nations, this is an interesting find.

"Her R71 ballot was the last document that she attached her signature to."

Nice story.

Rise in numbers of undocumented Irish being deported from U.S.

The numbers of undocumented Irish people being deported from America have risen again over the past 12 months.

A total of 117 people were deported in the year to September 2009, up from 94 the previous year.

In addition, some 456 people were denied entry to the U.S. in the same 12-month period. (Irish Central)

Something to keep in mind when discussing immigration and the charges of "racism" are bandied around. It's not all about Latinos. There are quite a number of illegals from Canada, the EU, Russia and non-EU Eastern European countries as well.

Where's that "love the sinner" we hear about?

Leaders from the Church of Uganda, Orthodox, Pentecostal, Seventh Day Adventist, and the Uganda Muslim Supreme Council, unanimously supported the Bill, but called for a change in the penalties.

“Can death as a form of punishment help one to reform? Some people are convicted of murder but after they have been killed, it’s proved they were innocent. What would be done in such circumstances? We should emphasise life imprisonment,” said Aron Mwesigye, the secretary for the Church of Uganda. (New Vision)

Ah yes, there's that "love of Christ" I've come to expect from religious extremists. Life imprisonment instead of death, eh? Now that's compassion worthy of the Gospel! /sarcasm

Timothy Kincaid rightly wonders about the silence of American Christian churches too busy leading the charge against gay rights here in our country while ignoring what their brethren in places like Uganda are up to. I didn’t see it listed in this news article, but though I am a lapsed Catholic I do have to wonder where the hell is the Catholic Church in Uganda?

*chirping crickets*

Funny, Catholic bishops in the United States seem to discuss homosexuality in the political arena quite often. Perhaps their brethren in Uganda are just a bit shy. Then again, it’s probably difficult to defend those for whom one is "contemptuous of [their] existence or worth".

Perhaps His Lordship Matthias Ssekamanya and Bishop of Lugazi Diocese or one of his brother bishops can explain their silence? Well for anyone who is curious to find out:

Uganda Catholic Secretariat
Plot 672, Hanlon Road,
Nsambya Hill
P.O. Box 2886,
KAMPALA, Uganda
Tel: +256 414 510389, 510570/510544/510571
Fax: +256 41 510545
E-mail: uec@infocom.co.ug
http://www.uecon.org/