Pope Rails Against Same-Sex Marriae/Gays Kiss

BARCELONA, Spain — Pope Benedict XVI strongly defended traditional families and the rights of the unborn Sunday, directly attacking Spanish laws that allow gay marriage, fast-track divorce and easier access to abortions as he dedicated Barcelona's iconic basilica, the Sagrada Familia.

It was the second time in as many days that Benedict had criticized the policies of Spain's Socialist government and called for Europe as a whole to rediscover Christian teachings and apply them to everyday life.

As he headed to the basilica, about 200 gays and lesbians staged a 'kiss-in' to protest his visit and church policies that consider homosexual acts "intrinsically disordered." Later, a few hundred women marched to protest their second-class status in the church and the Vatican's opposition to birth control.

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The Roman Catholic Church continues it's attempt to stop social progress and keep gays and women in their place

Pope: Gays a Threat to World Peace

The fascist Pope Benedict continues his attacks on gays and lesbians by suggesting Gays are a Threat to World Peace

ATICAN CITY, Jan 1 (Reuters) - Pope Benedict ushered in the New Year on Tuesday by criticising policies that undermine the traditional family, saying they eroded one of the most important foundations for peace in the world.

The Pontiff, delivering a traditional New Year prayer for peace, appeared to take a swipe at efforts in several countries to grant legal recognition to gay and unwed couples -- although he did not single out any policies by name.

He said the traditional family led by a husband and wife instilled values that promote peace, and added it was an "irreplaceable" institution.

"Those who are hostile, even unknowingly, to the institution of the family ... make peace fragile for the entire national and international community," the Pope told crowds gathered in a sunny St. Peter's Square.

The German-born Benedict has made defending the traditional family a priority since being elected Pontiff in 2005 following the death of John Paul II, focusing much of his attention on Europe.

Gay marriage is legal in several European countries including predominantly Catholic Spain, where hundreds of thousands of Catholics rallied on Sunday in favour of the traditional family. The Pontiff had addressed the Spanish rally via a live video-link.

Speaking earlier on Tuesday at St. Peter's Basilica, the leader of the world's 1.1 billion Roman Catholics urged followers to reject challenges to the family "eclipsing the truth of man".

"I wanted to shed light on the direct relationship that exists between the family and peace in the world," the Pope said.

"The family is the primary agent of peace and the negation or even the restriction of rights of the family ... threatens the very foundations of peace."

Quoting from a message he issued in December to mark the Church's World Day of Peace on Jan. 1, Benedict said the family was "the first and irreplaceable educator of peace".

He also said that if the world wanted to live in peace, it would need to recognise those universal values that all people share as part of a single, "human family". (Editing by Keith Weir)

Source: Reuters North American News Service

Are there any sane rational people left in the Catholic Church??

Italian Catholics Rally Against Gays in Rome

Italians Rally Against Rights for Gay Couples" The Rally Saturday, organized by Catholic and other religious groups opposed to rights for unmarried couples, inlcuding gays, drew an estimated 250,000. Amazing that a quarter of a million people can be mobilized to oppose civil rights for a group of people who do not share their religious beliefs. The Catholic Church is opposing gay rights throughout the world, and is the world's largest anti-gay organization.

Catholics in Limbo

Do people really believe in this crap in the 21st Century? "Pope Revises Limbo View, Hope for Unbaptised Babies" Apparently Catholics, who cherish the life of zygotes and unborn fetuses, believe that unbaptized babies will be punished by their "loving god" for eternity, or wait somewhere called "limbo", a waiting area for those who can't get into heaven but are not evil enough to burn in hell. Thi is about as relevant or rational as debating how many angels can sit on a pinhead. Hello! The Dark Ages were a long time ago, welcome to the MODERN WORLD where we are supposed to use reason and science to undestand the world.