Is it just me or is the organization seemingly more vindictive on its blog. Yesterday, it took a cheap shot at NY governor Andrew Cuomo's mother. And today comes this bit:
From a Catholic Culture summary:
In a powerful editorial for The Anchor, the official newspaper for the Diocese of Fall River, Massachusetts, Father Roger Landry calls attention to the pastoral damage done by priests who refuse to convey the Church’s teaching on human sexuality, fearful of opposition from gay-rights activists.
A sample:
If doctors and nurses at the Dana Farber Cancer Institute were aware that a patient was chain-smoking cigars and out of a desire not to displease him said nothing, they would be guilty of unconscionable neglect. If the patient was flaunting his cigar-smoking and attempting to persuade others that, rather than harmful, cigar-smoking was a great practice deserving of celebration instead of censure, the destructive consequences of their reticence would be magnified. Similarly, pastors and parishes who are aware that parishioners are unabashedly engaging in practices contrary to the practice of the faith and who do not strive, with patient, tender and firm preaching and accompaniment, to help them eliminate whatever in them is leading them to sin, are culpable of the worst type of pastoral malpractice.
You mean NOM is citing the work of a Catholic priest after all of the rumors and speculation involving the Catholic church in NOM's activities? I'm shocked, really I am.
But that part about cigar smoking is nothing new. NOM and its affiliate organizations in New York encouraged supporters to make the same sort of claims in letters to the editor.
The idea of comparing homosexuality to cigar smoking is rooted in junk science. The first person who made this comparison (even though he was talking about cigarettes) was Paul Cameron, the infamous discredited researcher who, amongst other things, was either dismissed or censured by several medical professional groups.
What's next, NOM? Citing Cameron's work on gay men and gerbils?
5 comments:
NOM knows where the money's at, but you almost have to laugh at the foolishness of their supporters, people who aren't just bigots for cash.
These are folks who truly think comparing cigar smoking: an act with demonstrable harm to oneself and others, is comparable to homosexuality, a mere attraction to members of the same gender, which carries no inherent risks (aside from unquantifiable "soul" related nonsense, or the risks that are associated with any type of sexual activity).
And yet they somehow - surprise, surprise! -- cannot draw comparisons between same sex marriage and inter racial marriage, or other civil rights issues. There, suddenly, they cannot see parallels at all, despite all being acts that harm no one, but are violently opposed by regressive, conservative and religious individuals who offer dire threats that it will destroy civilization, offer less "rights" for everyone else, carries terrible risks.
It's truly a wonder the lengths they will go to just so they can justify hating others and still live with themselves.
Cigar smoking and Catholic priests is just begging for a joke.
As I started to read the column, I thought about how skeptical and immediately disgusted I've become at any mention of the Catholic church, even when (on the odd chance) there isn't anything negative being relayed.
Sure, I'm a liberal, but I suspect a lot of conservative Americans share the same feelings, especially after the countless cases of sexual abuse and pedophilia that have come to light in the last twenty years. And then there's the church's stance on AIDS, condom use and birth control in general--an ostrich with its head in the sand comes to mind.
When NOM's donors are revealed, if the Catholic church is indeed one of them, I think NOM might find a less welcome reception in some conservative circles than they currently enjoy.
NOM AND the Catholic church just doesn't get it! heir message is out of date, irrelevant, and un-Christian. Of course, we expected as such. After all, it IS 2011! Get with the program.
Sometimes a cigar is not just a cigar.
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