Pope Francis Allows Clergy to Bless Same-Sex Couples

[Jermayn]

I read my bible quite a bit. Yesterday I reread the book of James. Interesting truths regarding "respect to persons" and partiality of sins. Peace

That's great. Now back to the issue of judging. Educate me on these two verses, if you will.

Matthew 7:1: Judge not, that ye be not judged.
John 7:24: Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.

 

[Lost4words]

Its very confusing for me. How can a priest bless, say, a gay couple without it going against church teaching?

Ok, he may not be blessing the sin but, in a way, he is condoning what the Bible forbids.

I cant see it as being ok to bless them

Bless them individually? Yes. Together? I dont think so myself. I just cant see that as being Catholic.

 

[I's2C]

Jud 1:7 Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.
2Pe 2:6 And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly;

Follow GOD and not man; man will lead you to a consuming fire. Not any man but the WORD of GOD alone. GOD calls it an abomination and unnatural. GOD is super natural, meaning more natural than the natural. Same sex is unnatural and GOD set forth the natural order and will not break the natural law. All those that believe it is ok because some man calls is ok will go to same place. Any and all who stand for the unrighteous and say nothing against it are partakers of their sin.
I see some trying to defend this when it is undefendable for GOD already judged these acts and to us who call it out is not judging; GOD for GOD has set the laws on it.

 

[Brihaha]

"For those seeking a blessing should not be required to have prior moral perfection."

Statement from the Pope

If prior moral perfection was required for God's blessing none of us would receive His blessing. Why is that so difficult to understand?

 

[Tuur]

"For those seeking a blessing should not be required to have prior moral perfection."

Statement from the Pope

If prior moral perfection was required for God's blessing none of us would receive His blessing. Why is that so difficult to understand?

God does require repentance. If we do not repent of sin, we are in effect saying we have no sin, and are calling God a liar.

 

[Euthymios]

I read my bible quite a bit. Yesterday I reread the book of James. Interesting truths regarding "respect to persons" and partiality of sins. Peace

That's right. Christ condemned hypocritical judging, but Scripture teaches us to test fruit and judge heresy.

 

[Euthymios]

"For those seeking a blessing should not be required to have prior moral perfection."

Statement from the Pope

If prior moral perfection was required for God's blessing none of us would receive His blessing. Why is that so difficult to understand?

God never sanctioned the blessing of sin, or anything that contradicts divine revelation.

 

[Euthymios]

The Pope also only blesses marriages between a man and woman. Why judge the Pope and condemn yourself? It seems homosexuality is not merely an obstacle for those afflicted, but for others with judgemental proclivities too.

God commands us to judge a fake and wicked "pope" who is leading millions astray. Even Paul withstood Peter to his face when he thought he was in error. (Gal. 2:11).

 

[JulieB67]

If prior moral perfection was required for God's blessing none of us would receive His blessing. Why is that so difficult to understand?

No one is ever going to achieve a perfect sinless life. But there's a huge difference between someone who has achieved repentance -change of heart and mind who still falls short and someone who wilfully sins and has no plans to change. That means they have not repented. You can't live your life that way and expect to receive God's blessings.

I'm not Catholic but why would someone bless someone who has not repented of their sins? And doesn't plan to in the future? By blessing the couple you are definitely leading this couple in the wrong direction. We are to work at problem sins, not accept them.

 

[Godsunworthyservant]

What is going on in the Catholic church? Never thought I would have seen this headline in my lifetime.

Pope Francis publishes norms for clergy to 'bless' homosexual couples - LifeSite

Pope Francis’ new document allows clergy to bless any homosexual couple, in contradiction to the unchangeable Catholic teaching that the Church cannot bless sinful relationships.

www.lifesitenews.com

The Pope may have given an instruction about "blessing" same sex couples, but that doesn't change the fact that homosexuality is still a sin and I see problems with "blessing" a sinful lifestyle. That said, I can't find anywhere that Christ gave the Pope or anyone else for that matter some authority to decide who to bless and who not to. I can't even find anywhere that anyone other than God can make those decisions. I understand that Christ taught us to do things that might be a blessing to those in need, but that's an act of kindness and has nothing to do with the idea that an official of the church can bestow a blessing by simply making a statement of blessing.

 

[Athanasius377]

Que the hair splitting. Regardless of the technicalities the document is subversive and Francis knows this. For those who have never been part of a mainline church body, we’ve seen this before. It will start with all the qualifications but once the practice of blessing SS couples becomes the norm then it will become mandatory. Clergy that resist will be replaced one by one. Then the laity that resist will be driven from their churches. Then the pronoucment will come from on high that which blessings will be dei Fidei. There will be a schism. Mark my words. I saw it with Anglicans. The changes won’t remain with blessings you can count on it.

 

[FireDragon76]

God does require repentance. If we do not repent of sin, we are in effect saying we have no sin, and are calling God a liar.

Nobody is saying anybody is sinless. That's not required for a blessing.

 

[JulieB67]

Nobody is saying anybody is sinless. That's not required for a blessing.

Repentance is required for blessings from God. Repentance is not being sinless. Repentance basically means you've changed your mind and heart about the sins and actually want to change your life. We all fall short and will always sin, that's not going to change. But this is not the same thing as someone that continues to wilfully sin without any repentance. (change of mind) and will continue to do that sin. And if someone bestows a fake blessing on them, (it wouldn't be from God) they are leading this couple in the wrong direction. And the person and them will have to answer for that.

We can't walk in darkness and expect to have blessings from God. The bible tells us if we walk in darkness the truth is not in us regardless.

 

[Euthymios]

The truth is, one condemns themselves by judging others.

That's not true. Christ taught that we will know false teachers by their fruit. In order to distinguish between fruit, judging is required. In Matthew Christ condemned hypocritical judging.

 

[Euthymios]

Since when has blessing sin been acceptable to Christians? Paul rebuked the Corinthians for tolerating the man living with his father's wife. We are required to judge in the church. You need to get acquainted with God's word. Unless you consider yourself the ultimate authority. This is what God's word has to say, just so that you know.

1 Corinthians 6:9

"Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who submit to or perform homosexual acts, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor verbal abusers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God.…"

That's right. We also see in the book of Revelation, that the churches of Thyatira and Pergamum tolerated false teachers, to the chagrin of the Lord. Only if a judgment is made will Christians know what teaching should not be tolerated. In Revelation 2 we see Christ upset with the church of Thyatira for tolerating the false teacher Jezebel. Verse 20 reads, " Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols."

 

[FireDragon76]

Repentance is required for blessings from God. Repentance is not being sinless. Repentance basically means you've changed your mind and heart about the sins and actually want to change your life. We all fall short and will always sin, that's not going to change. But this is not the same thing as someone that continues to wilfully sin without any repentance. (change of mind) and will continue to do that sin. And if someone bestows a fake blessing on them, (it wouldn't be from God) they are leading this couple in the wrong direction. And the person and them will have to answer for that.

We can't walk in darkness and expect to have blessings from God. The bible tells us if we walk in darkness the truth is not in us regardless.

Even if one doesn't consider the union of two men or two women to be ideal, it's consistent with Catholic Personalist ethics to recognize the good that can come about in those relationships. That is what would be blessed in such cases.

 

[FireDragon76]

It is a blessing we're speaking of, not sin. Asking for God's blessing is not a sin for anyone, thankfully.

Catholic priests have blessed all kinds of things. I don't see the big issue, unless somebody has some particular animus against gay people.

 

[Euthymios]

Catholic priests have blessed all kinds of things. I don't see the big issue, unless somebody has some particular animus against gay people.

God himself and St. Paul have an animus against gay people. Seriously, have you ever studied Scripture before? St. Paul writes:

"Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God." (NKJV, 1Cor. 6:9-10).

The Greek word for homosexuality used in the above text is arsenokoitai, and means "one who lies with a male as with a female." (Thayer's Greek-English Lexicon, p. 75).

 

[FireDragon76]

God himself and St. Paul have an animus against gay people

God is love.

. Seriously, have you ever studied Scripture before? St. Paul writes:

I'm quite familiar with the Scriptures. It's all a question of hermeneutics and interpretation.

 

[JulieB67]

Even if one doesn't consider the union of two men or two women to be ideal, it's consistent with Catholic Personalist ethics to recognize the good that can come about in those relationships. That is what would be blessed in such cases.

Good in what way? It wouldn't be with God. So what's the point?

You are blessing something that is in fact an abomination against God. It really has nothing to do with us or what we think about gay people. It's God himself that sees the sin as an abomination.

God loves the sinner but repentance has to come into play. If someone is walking in darkness and has no plan to change they have no fellowship with God nor will so in the future. So I ask again, what good? Good for the world? We are not to be of this world. Or put this world before God.

These fake blessings will set the standard for these people to continue in their sin. The whole point of the church is to lead people to Christ by coming to repentance/change of heart and mind. So these fake blessings will in fact have the opposite effect.

I'm not suprised though, eventually there's going to be a one world religion and I'm sure anything goes. All will be accepted and so on. Even though it goes against the very word of God. That's why the gate is narrow and few find it. This is just the start....