KIDS ARE BEING HURT!!! Good Friday - Tony Blair, Gays, Benedict XVI

This is an excerpt from a letter that was written to someone inquiring about homosexuality and the Vatican's teachings on homosexuality and Tony Blair's Holy Week 2009, Easter message.

Hello,

You have a bright mind. I think that you are coming to an understanding about homosexuality in the slow process that I did. It took me an awful long, long time to come to the understanding I have now.

The unnatural part about homosexuality stayed in my head for a very long time. It wasn't until in my forties that I learned quite by accident studying psychology at the University of Michigan how homosexuality is an aspect of nature that is found in all species and therefore it is not unnatural in the least. In fact, it is a sign of ignorance for those who insist as I did that homosexuality is unnatural or goes against nature. This is especially troubling if the person or persons are degreed professionals, who would seemly know better, but do not. This global collective form of ignorance, which seems to be quite acceptable on this one particular subject about homosexuality, causes us to question why, what is going on with these educated people. It is a fact of nature that homosexuality is found in all species this information is not that difficult to understand. And so in this day and age when some people insist that homosexuality is unnatural or worst "an objective disorder" it is clear that they are not basing their statements on any concrete facts. It is as absurd as hearing people saying that Galileo's ideas about the earth and the sun are unnatural and that they go against the Bible. It seems that some form of collective cognitive dissonance is taking place. ( This is the feeling of uncomfortable tension which comes from holding two conflicting thoughts in the mind at the same time.) Read more and more and more

In my studies of social psychology I learned how powerful social and religious norms are on people even when these norms go against truth. James L. Hilton, Ph.D., who was our professor for social psychology played in class a video clip from Allen Funt's "Candid Camera" an episode that demonstrated the powerful effects that social norms have on individuals. In this video clip, a man enters an elevator and is facing out as people normally do. But then a few more people one by one enter the elevator, however they faced the rear of the elevator. The spoof of "Candid Camera" was to see how long it would take this man who is facing out of the elevator to turn around and face the rear like the others. It was only moments later that this man follows the others and he faces the rear of the elevator. Even though this was a spoof, Professor Hilton was showing just how powerful social norms are on us, so powerful that they can get entire groups of people to agree to go against truth and logic.

Click here to play the video clip

http://www.ebaumsworld.com/video/watch/710170/

This helps to explain why Jesus had severely chastised some of the Pharisees [the church leaders of his time] for the harm they inflicted on innocent people because of their blinding arrogance was so strong, they were immune to hearing any truth. We are all quite susceptible this same kind of blinding arrogance. There are Pharisee-like church leaders today like the ones that Jesus chastised, who are oblivious to the severe harm they cause to innocent people particularly to very young children. This is especially true of all the antigay teachings because they are not based on any facts from science or religion. There is enough scientific evidence that tells us that sexual orientation is set very early in a person life either before birth or very soon after. This makes these antigay teachings extremely harmful to innocent children who grow up to be gay and they fuel the killing and slaughter of innocent youth, adult gay people and many others of diverse natural forms of human sexuality. This is sufficient evidence along with the proven fact that homosexuality is found in all species to be reason enough to end all antigay teachings, to hold on to them is a crime against humanity far worst then the harm committed against Galileo.

The Gay Divide - Islam and homosexuality Listen

Creative Commons

People do not understand the truth about homosexuality because they like myself blindly believed the teachings of the Vatican, as coming from God, which they are definitely not.

'this people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far away from me 'but in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the precepts of men.'" Matt: 15: 8-9

As the people did in Galileo's time for which Pope John Paul II apologized to Galileo nearly some 400 years later and which Pope Benedict XVI had problems with. When I learned that homosexuality is a part of nature as much as heterosexuality and then later through studies that there are more than just two genders it was not hard for me to accept. It helped me understand that human sexuality is far more diverse than we can possibly imagine. This was because of my university studies that I was so privileged to have had, at a world class university (University of Michigan, Ann Arbor), one of the top ten in the world. This is why when a Vatican official, at the time of my "coming out" (1997) called the University of Michigan "that secular school" as an attempt to degrade it, led me lose faith in the intelligence of the hierarchy, particularly Cardinal Ratzinger. But it did rise my respect for Pope John Paul II and his strong commitment to truth. He firmly believed that truth could only come from science and religion having no conflicts on any issue. Pope John Paul II will likely go down favorably in history. Pope Benedict XVI most likely will not, even though there are a number good things that he has done, however, innocent children are harmed because of his ignorance they are victims of inhumanity. (

IV. ERRONEOUS JUDGMENT - - 1791

This ignorance can often be imputed to personal responsibility. This is the case when a man "takes little trouble to find out what is true and good, or when conscience is by degrees almost blinded through the habit of committing sin." In such cases, the person is culpable for the evil he commits.)

CATECHISM OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH

Pope Joh

n Paul II was a humble

human being he relied on the input of many professional people from both sci

ence and religion. Whereas Pope Benedict XVI had dismissed the people of science from many of the committees inside the Vatican particularly those who were involved on the issues of homosexuality. This is the kind of arrogance, and pride that led Jesus to address some of the church leaders of his time

calling them "the blind leading the blind." "Let them alone; they are blind guides of the blind And if a blind man guides a blind man, both will fall into a pit."

Something else I learned at the University of Michigan having the opportunity to talk with some of the brightest professors in the world. Among the very brightest I found a sense of humility. Because although they acknowledged their work they could be at the same time quite indifferent about it. They were more aware than us neophytes how little they knew and yet how much more there is to know. They are fascinating individuals.

Tony Blair. Photograph: Rex Features

Tony Blair, a world leader speaking most diplomatically about Pope Benedict XVI needing to rethink his ideas on homosexuality is a most encouraging act human compassion for other innocent human beings, which is non existent at this level of world leaders.

Tony Blair, on Wednesday, April 8, 2009 choose to truly be an ally for all gay people for their parents, families and friends. I am still in a stage of disbelief. It is such an unprecedented act by a world leader. How very reassuring for the world in many more ways than most people can possibly imagine. Christmas 2008 was so cruelly dampened by Benedict XVI insensitivity and unChirst-like message. However, Easter, Tony Blair, beat Benedict XVI to the punch by doing a very Christ like action that simply stunned the world. Thank you, Tony Blair in more ways than I could possibly describe, for people of all forms of human sexuality harmed so severely by ignorance. The harm that Pope Benedict XVI Christmas 2008 message caused I feel slowly healing by your Holy Week 2009 Easter message. Photo

I wrote an article about Pope Benedict XVI 2008 Christmas message attacking homosexuals and transgendered human beings (Auschwitz Christmas 2008 - Part I - A flashback far more severe than in Brokeback Mountain)

I think in truth on a much deeper level I was frightened, really frightened, to hear Pope Benedict XVI’s Christmas remarks against homosexuals and transgendered human beings and even more frightened by the silence from the larger global community of human beings. What is so frightening is, even if there is agreement that one person does not matter or is not important, in truth then no one matters.

Tony Blair said the Vatican should rethink "entrenched" attitudes towards homosexuality, claiming its views on gay rights were out of step with those of ordinary Roman Catholics.

In an interview with the gay magazine Attitude, the former prime minister disagreed with the pope's stance and argued that most Catholic congregations would have a more tolerant approach to homosexuality. Read more

Tony Blair slams Vatican attitude toward gays

LONDON (AP) — Roman Catholic leaders are out of step with ordinary believers in their attitude toward homosexuals, former Prime Minister Tony Blair said in an interview published Wednesday.

Blair, who formally converted to Catholicism in 2007, said he believes there is a big generational difference on the issue, and that ordinary Catholics are more liberal-minded than their leaders. Read more Photo

More about Tony Blair later.

Good Friday

Marty

PS.

Blind Arrogance

Tony Blair receives the same treatment that the thousands of victims of child sexual abuse had received from the hierarchy for decades who were asking for justice and to stop the harm. Once, again Vatican and its hierarchy show a total disregard for humanity in favor of their own traditions. This remained so until with the use of the Internet and the strength of the human spirit to right the wrongs brought the hierarchy down to justice and it looks like it will have to happen again for the safety and well being of protecting children. Effie Malley a senior prevention specialist at the National Suicide Prevention Resource Center (SPRC). She is one of the authors of SPRC’s Suicide Risk and Prevention for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Youth. She works with federal grantees, advising them on youth suicide prevention and early. Effie Malley will be speaking at the upcoming 42nd Annual conference of the American Association of Suicidology, April 15-18, 2009 in San Francisco.

11-Year-Old Hangs Himself after Enduring Daily Anti-Gay Bullying

Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN)

Calls on Schools, Nation to Embrace Solutions to Bullying Problem

NEW YORK, April 9, 2009 - An 11-year-old Massachusetts boy, Carl Joseph Walker-Hoover, hung himself Monday after enduring bullying at school, including daily taunts of being gay, despite his mother's weekly pleas to the school to address the problem. This is at least the fourth suicide of a middle-school aged child linked to bullying this year. Read more

Even Tony Blair a world leader is dismissed by a smug arrogant smile of indifference in front of a portrait of Benedict XVI.

Leader of Catholic Church dismisses Tony Blair's gay rights comments

The next leader of the Roman Catholic Church in England and Wales has dismissed Tony Blair's comments over gay rights in the Church.

Archbishop Nichols told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "Mr Blair is a very fine politician and he has got very well-tuned political senses."But I am afraid the way the Catholic Church thinks is rather different to that and I think I will take my guide from Pope Benedict actually." Read More Telegraph.co.uk

(“...they are blind guides of the blind And if a blind man guides a blind man, both will fall into a pit." Matt:15:14)

(IV. ERRONEOUS JUDGMENT - - 1791 This ignorance can often be imputed to personal responsibility. This is the case when a man "takes little trouble to find out what is true and good, or when conscience is by degrees almost blinded through the habit of committing sin." In such cases, the person is culpable for the evil he commits.) CATECHISM OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH

Jesus speaks clearly about how the Vatican, the church leaders of today, like the some of the Pharisees and scribes "teach as Doctrines the Precepts of Men."

Matthew 15 Tradition and Commandment

1 Then some Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem and said, 2 "Why do Your disciples break the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat bread." 3 And He answered and said to them, "Why do you yourselves transgress the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition? … 7 "You hypocrites, rightly did Isaiah prophesy of you: 8 'THIS PEOPLE HONORS ME WITH THEIR LIPS, 
BUT THEIR HEART IS FAR AWAY FROM ME. 9 'BUT IN VAIN DO THEY WORSHIP ME, TEACHING AS DOCTRINES THE PRECEPTS OF MEN.'" …12 Then the disciples came and said to Him, "Do You know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this statement?" 13 But He answered and said, "Every plant which My heavenly Father did not plant shall be uprooted. 14"Let them alone; they are blind guides of the blind And if a blind man guides a blind man, both will fall into a pit."

Matthew 23 Pharisaism Exposed

4" They tie up heavy burdens and lay them on men's shoulders, but they themselves are unwilling to move them with so much as a finger. 5 "…they do all their deeds to be noticed by men; …13 "But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you shut off the kingdom of heaven from people; for you do not enter in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in… 24 "You blind guides, who strain out a gnat and swallow a camel! 25 "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and of the dish, but inside they are full of robbery and self-indulgence. 26 "You blind Pharisee, first clean the inside of the cup and of the dish, so that the outside of it may become clean also. 27 " Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which on the outside appear beautiful, but inside they are full of dead men's bones and all uncleanness. 28 "So you, too, outwardly appear righteous to men, but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.