Tuesday, August 24, 2010

To Be Catholic or Not To be Catholic - by Fr. Marty Kurylowicz – September 30, 2009

Revised October 7, 2009
I was asked a very important question today about remaining Catholic or not. 
Below is my reply.

*** *** *** ***
Hi Joe,

Delighted to hear from you. God love you for contacting me. I hope you are happy and are in love, as I think you are. It is a blessing from God.

You present a most important question, one that should not be taken likely. It is such a basic question I will post my reply on the Thalamus Center though not your request or name, I will use Joe. You have helped me to formalize something wonderful about Marriage Equality in my mind, for which I thank you.

I certainly understand your feelings wholeheartedly, believe me. With all due repsect, I guess that is why I am staying in because this present state of Benedict XVI and the hierarchy is NOT Catholic. It is quite the opposite. It is evident they have neglected to do a thorough study of human sexuality and have based their pronouncements on ignorance and fear. We should be teaching people how to love and not teaching them how to stop loving human beings.

I would not advise you to go anywhere where you are being mistreated. Life is tough enough without having to put up with harmful abuse where you go to pray and to be renewed. I think try to hear Jesus words when he said to come away for awhile with me and you will find rest. Wherever that peace is found for you is where you may want to be. It is not healthy spiritually or psychologically to subject ourselves to unnecessary harm and abuse. With all due respect, the Vatican, Benedict XVI and the hierarchy have indeed been harmful and abusive, this definitely is not from God. God is love – not abuse and harm.

Marriage Equality

I think Marriage Equality is bringing the LGBT population to a healthy state mind and well-being, where it belongs. I think in truth and soon more significantly by research we are going to find that the general population is more LGBT&I as a whole, than not. I say this from being a bartender, priest, pastor, psychologist and now an activist of the LGBT&I people. My life has always been surrounded by a diversity of people, still there are so many people yet to get to know, and so much I do not know. As researchers are showing us more and more that gender identity, sexual orientation, etc. are on continuums. This means that nearly everyone is a mixture of LGBT&I components to some degree. And the harsh ignorant anti-LGBT&I social and religious norms just keeps us separated from one another because of what we cannot accept in our themselves. When we have educated the world population about the truths of the complexities that make up human sexuality that each person is a unique mixture of components of LGBT including Intersex, we will then fine peace among the diversity of people and a lot of happiness. It will increase our human potential in the world by leaps and bounds, finding cures of all kinds of diseases and much more. It has that unshakeable feel of the powerful words of Martin Luther King, Jr. "I have a dream" speech. video 7,627,869

Human beings are meant to be one with each other - that is the way God made it to be. Martin Luther King, Jr, his words are universal and they remain true for us all today and will remain so throughout the ages to come and that is what Catholic means - no segregation but being one together. I think that we should listen to his profound words, they are tried and true, a blueprint on how to become one.

Love Remains Constant

And even though we are a mixture of LGBT&I components love remains constant. The principles of love never change. So when two people decide to get marry and they are individually well aware of their unique mixture of LGBT&I components then marriage will take on its’ true meaning. Then when pledging our love to one person we will be aware that this means that we will not leave our beloved for anyone else in the world. For example, if we are fully aware and accepting that we have a bisexual orientation, then when we pledge our love to one person, we realize it is to that one particular person we will love and never leave, no matter how may other people we maybe attracted to, men or women. If you think about it that means we pledge our love to one person among everyone else in the world. A pretty powerful commitment, would you not say?

Opponents to Marriage Equality

Because the opponents to Marriage Equality never base their objections on any well founded facts, but only resort to name calling and fear tactics makes me believe that they have a mixture of LGBT&I components in themselves that they have dissociated from, likely since early childhood. Again, the truth will set us free not ignorance and fear. Formally studying the facts about human sexuality at almost a graduate level will be most beneficial for them and for us all.

So, maybe do not resign from the Catholic Church, because in truth what you are resigning from is that which is not Catholic in the first place. You may be in exile for a while but God will be with you both and you will fine rest and be refreshed. Then maybe at some other time you will be able to speak about what changes need to be made in the governing of the Catholic Church. You will have a clear example how it can work better and be more in tune with Christ.

I find from the other Christian denominations that diversity involved in their governing is truly more to the way Christ wants us to be. Catholic means universal not just an extremely very small group of celibate men governing with absolute no input from anyone else. They have proven that they are unable to protect children. Kid are being hurt!!! That does not sound like Christ, does it? Everyone has to have a voice in the Catholic Church for it to remain Catholic, this means all our Christian sisters and brothers as well as, non-Christians. We are meant to be one, many though we are. It sounds a bit like the Holy Trinity.

I hope this helps some. You asked a very important question more input is still needed.

With all best wishes, Marty

Written by Fr. Marty Kurylowicz
http://fathermartykurylowicz.blogspot.com/2009/09/to-be-catholic-or-not-to-be-catholic-by.html

Gay Marriage
Truth Will Set Us Free
Not Ignorance and Fear
by Fr. Marty Kurylowicz – October 2, 2009

Hate Crime Bill vs Attacks But No Facts ->
Fear And Ignorance Of
The Blind Leading The Blind – October 27, 2009 – MSK

Human Sexuality -> Astonishing Complexities, Variations And Wonder
October 20, 2009 – MSK

On Prop 8, it's the evidence, stupid
By Lisa Bloom – CNN.com -
and related links:

Church of Scotland admits institutional homophobia
April 25, 2007 - Ekklesia

"No sensible person can imagine that the sexes differ in matters of love
as they do in matters of clothing.
The intelligent lover of beauty will be attracted to beauty
in whichever gender he finds it."
Plutarch

The Quality Of Lasting Homosexual Relationships
Deserve Respect
Roman Catholic -->Cardinal Christoph Schönborn, 
Vienna

The Pope Is Not Gay
Andrew Sullivan – The Daily Dish – The Atlantic

Vatican Asking For Male Prostitutes –
“Naturam expellas furca, tamen usque recurret.”
Though you drive Nature out with a pitchfork,
she will still find her way back.

Prop 8 judgment, August 4, 2010 - Gay marriage
“Religious beliefs that gay and lesbian relationships are sinful or inferior to heterosexual relationships harm gays and lesbians.”
Judge Vaughn Walker

“Someday, maybe, there will exist a well-informed, well considered and yet fervent public conviction that the most deadly of all possible sins is the mutilation of a child’s spirit.”
Erik Erikson

…whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him to have a heavy millstone hung around his neck, and to be drowned in the depth of the sea. Matthew 18:6

Important note: No disrespect meant to Pope Benedict XVI or the hierarchy, the one and only concern is the safety and well-being of children.
Kids Are Being Hurt !!!

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