Help Sitemap Home Skip Navigation Contact Us Disability Statement

Drink Driving, Don't Risk It!

Question of the Week

Click on thumbnail to view image
Click on thumbnail to view image
Click on thumbnail to view image
Click on thumbnail to view image
Click on thumbnail to view image

Published Date: 24 December 2008
WELCOME to Scotland on Sunday's online feature, Question of the Week.
Each week we ask the readers of scotlandonsunday.com for their views on a burning issue from the past seven days.

The best responses may be reproduced on the Online Forum page in Sunday's print edition of the newspaper on December 28th.

If you wish to appear in Scotland on Sunday, then, along with your response, please leave a first name and surname, as well as your location - eg Tom Smith, Edinburgh. We welcome all comments.

The question this week is...

Should the Pope apologise for his comments about homosexuality?



Page 1 of 1

  • Last Updated: 24 December 2008 11:07 AM
  • Source: scotsman.com
  • Location: Scotland
  • Related Topics: SoS Daily
 
1

Big Carbon Footprint,

East Lothian 24/12/2008 11:07:15
No.

As long as we live in a free society all opinions should be protected.

The points in which we disagree should be debated in a rational and fair manner.
As soon as we start name calling and shouting people down we play right into the hands of the extremists.

I don't want to live in a society in which different opinions are regarded as 'illegal'
If I want this I'll head out to a totalitarian state for that level of suppression!

Plus I will not say who I am, already under the Labour Stasi, and debate on homosexuality or ethnic topics which bring opinions contrary to the Party line are treated severely.
2

danbob,

24/12/2008 13:08:44
The bible makes it clear that god finds men who sleep with men a disgusting thing, So the pope is correct to point this out. However I do find the pope very hypocritical. The excesses of the catholic church both past and present are just as bad if not worse. Whenever I see the pope this scripture springs to mind.

“Woe to YOU, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because YOU resemble whitewashed graves, which outwardly indeed appear beautiful but inside are full of dead men’s bones and of every sort of uncleanness. 28 In that way YOU also, outwardly indeed, appear righteous to men, but inside YOU are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness. (Matthew chapter 23 verse 27)
3

Shamus,

Glasgow 24/12/2008 23:03:29
We the British and USA once again have to invade Europe and get rid of this Fascist once and for all. What a waste of time and life it was the first time. But it is Christmas lets be jolly for a minute.
4

,

25/12/2008 00:29:41
Comment Removed By Administrator
Reason:
5

,

25/12/2008 00:36:29
Comment Removed By Administrator
Reason:
6

,

25/12/2008 00:56:18
Comment Removed By Administrator
Reason:
7

Buck Rogers,

in the 25th Century 25/12/2008 18:47:21
Leave the silly old guy alone!

If, like me, you are pleased to be the United Kindgom and many other parts of Europe move quietly, confidently and successfully towards being secular states then this Pope is a true delight.

He seems to have a knack of talking complete and utter garbage that does nothing other than help to illustrate to all rationale people that the Church is just as irrelevant to our struggle towards a rair, decent and ethical society as it always has been.

The Pope and his Cardinals and Bishops should be allowed to talk as much garbage as they like to those whose lives are sad enough that they can find no comfort other than in the greatest 'story' ever told. Everyone has a right to attend these type of gatherings, much the same as the BNP has a right to gather and foam at the mouth about immigrants and non-whites.

However, as soon as these religious figures start to lobby government and force their narrow-minded, bigoted guff on decent people, they should be curtailed. The problem with the Pope and other religious deviants is that the press report their ramblings in artcles where the voice of sanity is often ignored to help sensationalise matters and stretch the story out over a couple of news items/days.

Long may the daft old git keep rambling on. It is a bit like having your senile old granny sitting in her armchair in the corner of the room, talking gibberish. We should tolerate him as long as he is not preaching hatred or persecution of individuals or groups within society.

That said, I can understand that homosexuals will be displeased by him as he does seem relatively close to the Hitler approach insofar as cleansing the world of those people whom he has taken it upon himself to decide do not meet with God's personal approval.

One can't begin to imagine what it must be like to be living as a decent, upstanding member of society and yet find yourself to these irrational, frenzied attacks on your very existence!
8

Tracker,

25/12/2008 23:13:09
Yes. The pope may not have used the word "homosexuality" in his address, but a reasonable interpretation of his words can see that this is his target. I do not think, however, that he will ever issue an apology - homosexuals will continue to suffer persecution as a consequence of this speech and of others that he has made.
9

,

26/12/2008 00:21:39
Comment Removed By Administrator
Reason:
10

Canada,

Canada 26/12/2008 00:31:54
What a stupid question! God's word is explicit in condemning homosexual relations. The same yesterday today and tomorrow. God and his Word never change. Get over this whining about people who proclaim God's truth. If it doesn't fit your distorted secular views you have the right to remain silent. You've had your day of complaining.
11

Shamus,

Glasgow 26/12/2008 13:25:00
11# If you believe in something you cannot prove exists and persecute people as a consequence then I would not only call this distorted but also sheer madness. Religion is the opium of the people and clearly effects the brain.
12

Canada,

Canada 26/12/2008 18:21:18
#11 Why do you always have to stretch the point. How do you go from being opposed to homosexuality to persecution. When you don't believe in God, you don't believe in nothing. You believe in anything! I know God exists, I don't have to prove it. That is the meaning of faith.
13

Shamus,

Glasgow 26/12/2008 19:04:58
13# You appear to be talking to yourself. Must be the opium or the god thing.
14

sonny,

Bangkok 27/12/2008 02:36:28
Why should a man like the Pope apologize to homosexuals? No major religion in the world condones the practice. Why the few should dictate to the many is beyond me. It seems that while the vast MAJORITY of people are really indifferent to it those who are practicing it are trying to force the rest of us into accepting and condoning their behavior. They should get on their knees and ask forgiveness for their acts and their ignorance in trying to throw aspersions on a man of the cloth!
15

Dr Drikus van Panzerfest, Saffer Shrink,

27/12/2008 10:37:02
On a wider level he has a point about the breakdown of family.

The breakdown of family goes hand in hand with secularisation. Secularisation doesn't mean an end to religions or pseudo religions - religions are simply replaced with new secular mantras and ideologies which take their cue from sources other than traditional scriptures and beliefs - our incomplete understanding of Darwinism for example.

Instead of religions we have less formal material ideologies such as Consumerism or Hedonism, which, despite lacking organisation or congregants (partly because they are essentially shallow and selfish)have at their root a common outlook on life and its meaning. We haven't yet realised how corrupting these ideals are because they have not been prevelant for long enough - the credit crunch is a mere taster.

The Pope is railing against selfishness, lives ruled by lifestyle choices, pursuit of material wealth and greed. I believe he is misguided on homosexuality, because it is not a mere lifestyle choice for many people, but I support his wider philosophies.

It may be controversial but the pope should keep pricking our consciences, although I do find it ironic that he's a lifelong celibate telling us about the sanctity of male-female union!!
16

Dave Scott,

Broughty Ferry 27/12/2008 10:48:37
Should the Pope apologise for his comments about homosexuality?

From a theological point of view - No.
From a pastoral point of view - Possibly, since if his plea was a call to bodily holiness, and/or anti-Creational behaviours, then he should have made adherents aware of all sexual sin - heterosexual and homosexual. Unless of course he is preparing a suitable broadside for males who lust after women who are not their wives - in thought or in deed !
Also, from a pastoral view, he may alienated or, at least, have made it more difficult for a person of homosexual orientation to want to engage with the offer of salvation made through Christ.

From a social justice point of view - No and Yes - i.e. no more or less than the homosexual community should apologise to Christians for advocating a lifestyle (deathstyle?) which offends God and/or them - that is, any apologising, if that is what is required, should be mutual.
17

Shamus,

Glasgow 27/12/2008 10:53:31
16# Considering das Papes and his entourage of cardinals and bishops are living it up better now than the Borgias I would say they are railing against themselves. What right does this individual have to dictate to others.
18

Dave Scott,

Broughty Ferry 27/12/2008 13:40:38
18 Shamus:

Yeah, putting one's own house in order might be a good starter. I don't know about them 'living it up' but I do know that Jesus' heaviest opprobation was for religious hypocrisy. I'm not accusing all, or any, clerics since I'm not acquainted with them but, if reports are to be believed, I hear of misdemeanours by people in positions of trust - that applies to non-clerics as well.
19

Gdgy,

28/12/2008 11:25:29
No if the poop believes this then it is his right to say it.
However, he should be aware that with every pronouncement he has lost another set of sentient human beings to his weird religion....
20

Rev. George Dunn,

Highlands Ranch, Colorado USA 28/12/2008 13:38:00
No he should't. His remarks were not vindictive or personal in nature but were an expression of long-standing Catholic theology. As a Methodist minister I do not agree with his theology; but he has a right, if not an abligation, to express that theology
21

Ian Drury,

oxford 28/12/2008 14:04:38
No. He has the the right as leader of the Catholic faith to express the views held by many Catholics and other Christians of different persuasions. As regards the views of Shamus, you would probably find that Pope Benedict leads a more frugal life than you might think and I would recommend the book "Pope John Paul 11 - An Intimate Life " written by Caroline Pigozzi to give you an honest portrayal of how a Pope lives from day to day.
22

Helter Skelter,

28/12/2008 19:54:03
Don't shoot the messenger
23

aljok.23,

the world 29/12/2008 09:25:31
All of us are just a bunch of people doing and saying what we want to do or say. The Catholic Church are a long standing theocracy whose doctrine entails a sway towards conception of a Heaven on Earth as opposed to a Hell on earth(not just The Catholic Church). There are actions by people which rail severely against the churches sway which gives rise to a retort . Who better to give the retort than one of their spokespersons. The family is central to shared peace within a society.

 

Comment on this Story

 

In order to post comments you must Register or Sign In

 
 
RSS Feed of this article's comments
Delivery formats: RSS, Atom, Javascript & Email
 
 


Sister Newspapers:
Press Complaints Commission

This website and its associated newspaper adheres to the Press Complaints Commission’s Code of Practice. If you have a complaint about editorial content which relates to inaccuracy or intrusion, then contact the Editor by clicking here.

If you remain dissatisfied with the response provided then you can contact the PCC by clicking here.