1977 Against Gay Discrimination - Hunthausen of Seattle | 1983 Benedict XVI & 1987 Hurley - 2012 Justified Discrimination against Gays & Clergy Support of Gays | 2012 Obama Appreciate Perspective Gay (LGBT) Rights – Fr. Marty Steven Kurylowicz - LGBT Rights Begins with Children
This posting was sent out as a US group mailing prior to posting it here on the Thalamus Center.
As I mentioned, in a previous post, President Obama’s letter to me was most timely because that very week I was facing the beginning of the Vatican’s Canon Law proceedings initiated by the bishop of my diocese of Grand Rapids, Michigan – Walter Hurley – to remove me permanently from my clerical state. Again, restating - what is also quite interesting is the letter I received from President Obama expressing his- appreciation of my perspective gay (LGBT) rights - was addressed to me as “Fr. Marty Steven Kurylowicz.” The letter that I received from the bishop of Grand Rapids, Walter Hurley, was addressed to me as “Mr. Martin S. Kurylowicz.” I find this very interesting, though I am likely reading more into it than is there. Hurley states that his reason for beginning this Canonical process to remove me permanently from my clerical state is due to my refusal for the past 15 years to return to my diocese. This is not true. On the face of it this appears true, though purposely hidden behind the scenes nothing could be further from the truth. Years ago much of the public would just accept what Hurley or Benedict XVI had to say.
Gay (LGBT) rights - President Obama’s letter appreciation Fr. Marty’s perspective on LGBT rights – 8/28/12 – Benedict XVI 2012 Canonical Disposal of Fr. Marty for “Coming Out” 1997
Catholics Coming Out - Fr. Marty Kurylowicz & Ricky Martin - March 29, 1997, 2010 - Leading Support Gay Marriage - NY Gov Cuomo & Vatican Attacks – March 29, 2011
GAY MARRIAGE – UNIDENTIFIED - Internalized Homophobia - Benedict XVI, Hierarchy & Blind Followers - GAY-BASHERS UK & US | UK Blair & Cameron Legalization of Gay Marriage | Kids Are Being Hurt!!! | PART 8
However, this is not so true today. For the past few years, people are not so quick to blindly believe whatever they say as true. People have been taking a second look at what they said about priests, sisters, monks and nuns, and thinking that there must be another side to the story of every person or institution they criticized publically. Since, Benedict XVI became pope - as it is said – his “chickens have been coming home to roost” in continuous droves. There is over 30 years of child sexual cover-ups cases and regardless of the endless number of news media spins the Vatican gives out or the number of PR personnel Benedict XVI hires or how often he gets angry – the chickens keep coming home. But the global child sexual abuse cover-ups sandals are not the only sandals Benedict XVI has – there are the Vatileaks with the Internal Corruption inside the Vatican & CHARACTER ASSASSINATION and the Vatican Bank Sandals with the same criticism constantly echoed about his 30 years of the Child Sexual Abuse Cover-ups - “LACK OF TRANSPARENCY.”
Ireland - Killing the Secrecy – Benedict XVI 30 years of Child Sexual Abuse Cover-ups
Benedict XVI - CHARACTER ASSASSINATION – Vatileaks - Vatican Bank Scandal - JP Morgan Closes VATICAN bank account “LACK OF TRANSPARENCY”
Now in 2012 there is exceeding ample precedence that is heavily documented in news media reports and in the civil courts that is over and far beyond any shadow of doubt clearly indicating that Benedict XVI (with his over 30 yrs. of child sexual cover-ups) including the bishop of Grand Rapids, Walter Hurley within the Metropolitan area of Detroit courts have a well established reputation for being deceptive and ruthless. So, much so that Benedict XVI in his feeble attempt muster up an air of righteous moral authority this past spring to crackdown on the USA nuns for being too overly concerned about issues of social justice that they have neglected to speak against gay marriage, the public took the side of the nuns. The hypocrisy of Benedict XVI’s criticism is so evident that the two of are nearly laugh entirely off the globe. Meaning that they lost so much credibility that what they have to say - falls on deaf ears or simply is laughable.
It appears the Catholic Church has things all turned around – 4/27/12
Really? [Catholic] Women religious in America will now have a bishop grading their morals?
Shouldn’t it be the other way around? Given the sex-abuse scandals – in which many Roman Catholic bishops looked the other way at best and moved child molesters from parish to parish, perpetrating evil, at worst – you would think that a ruler rap on the hierarchical knuckles would be in order.
“Sister” should have stepped in years ago. Instead, the Vatican has assigned a bishop to crack down on the nuns... http://www.thenewstribune.com/2012/04/27/2122898/it-appears-the-catholic-church.html
US Nuns, Rebuked by Vatican, Plan Road Trip to Spotlight SOCIAL JUSTICE Issues - To Highlight Their Work With The Nation’s Poor And Disenfranchised – 6/5/12
Without any Whistleblower Protection Laws for Gay Catholic Priests who “come out” for the protection of children – It was clearly unsafe for me to remain in my diocese.
The bishop of my diocese, Walter Hurley, has continually employed hostile and deceptive tactics against me from the beginning of his appointment to my home diocese in 2005 almost immediately after Benedict XVI became pope. Presently, today, he is continuing his same deceptive tactics though – though possibly this time - I may have an audience with more clout regarding law to watch and, at least to become aware of how he is initiating these canonical proceedings to remove my clerical status, which he began by sending letters to me to the wrong addresses. This is deliberate ruthless and deceitful discrimination antics used against someone who is gay. It is what Benedict XVI approves of – as justified discrimination against homosexuals that they do not deserve to be treated like other human beings. In 2010, Benedict XVI spoke against the UK passing antigay discrimination laws “In Speech, Benedict Raises Fears that Vatican Could Be Prosecuted for Stances against Gays.”
GAY MARRIAGE – “Doublespeak” Benedict XVI - IRRATIONAL Shift Blame Gays – Evading UN Accusations Global COVER-UPS Child Sexual Abuse “…a COMPLETE FAILURE to take responsibility” | PART 3
Benedict XVI and his accomplices like Hurley to use secrecy to keep their so called justified discrimination against gay priests or clergy, even members of the hierarchy who back in the early 1980’s as an issue of social justice were some of the first supporters of gay rights. They used secrecy in their strategies of discrimination against those they targeted, as a way to hold onto power in during their questionable attacks, as well as, desperately trying to keep everything private from the public and the news media. This appears to be Benedict XVI established MO, which was found researching through documentation revealing that it dates as far back as 30 years ago. In 1983, Benedict XVI then as Cardinal Ratzinger used the same identical strategies cloaked in the same impenetrable secrecy that creates for him the same familiar lack of transparency that he seems to feel safe in to work, which according to the evidence this is the way he ran the investigation on Archbishop Hunthausen of Seattle because of his public support of gays. I explained more about the research on Archbishop Hunthausen further below in this posting.
Vatican Crackdown 1983 of Archbishop Hunthausen of Seattle, Washington for Supporting gays and lesbians 1970’s – by Ratzinger(Benedict XVI)
Catholic Archbishop of Seattle Hunthausen issues a letter against homosexual discrimination - July 1, 1977
Reparative/Conversion Therapy and/or What Else???
The reason why I have not returned to my diocese of Grand Rapids is directly related to Vatican’s directives that I received 3 months after I came out in March 1997. I was told among other severe restrictions that I was to be sent away for a period of months to be reeducated on the topic of sexual orientation. This I believe was essentially reparative/conversion therapy, which was considered even in 1997 to be an unethical psychological treatment for a gay person. After I was surprisingly successful in coming out to my parish in Sparta, Michigan. There was no mass exodus for the prior 3 months, as has been reported in the Grand Rapids Press. Now 3 months later, I was to be subjected to threats of such cruel and inhuman treatment. I was in the state of shock and could not believe what was happening to me. I remembering thinking at the time – I wish someone could hear this insanity. I felt and in fact I was trapped – like a child who was going to be abused and no way to call for help. I remembering thinking to myself “No one is going to believe this absurdity.” Because, all this information was exchanged behind closed doors, in secrecy. I was completely ambivalent and rightly concerned and apprehensive as to what it all meant and what other future shocking twists and elimination of other aspects of common decencies would be done away with unexpectedly. I was 47 years old, a pastor of a parish for the past 12 years, during that time besides the regular heavy load of pastoral duties – I was responsible for the construction of new parish facilities from start to finish (funding raising, planning/design/layout of the new construction the building, execution and retirement of the debt) and I was successful. Photo
At that time and I had never been subjected to such inhuman mistreatment in my life and I never heard of any other priest or priests ever being so abused. However, one fact became plainly clear to me that it was no longer safe for me to remain in my home diocese of Grand Rapids. It seemed deliberate, at the time, on the part the Vatican to have delayed informing me of their drastic directives, till the last 2 weeks before I was to move out of my parish and begin my sabbatical. It could have been a power play to force me into submitting quickly to these unorthodox and unethical demands from the Vatican, without being allowed any reasonable amount of time for negotiations or discussion of other possible alternatives. Because to refuse to submit to their morally unacceptable demands – would make it impossible for me to adequately plan a course of study. However, I did refuse to submit unethical demands and I choose to study, which was made even more difficult because I had give-up my regular priest salary, my two terms of earned sabbatical time including the educational funding, including funding for room and board. All this caused unbelievable many long and unnecessary setbacks, which all seemed to be the deliberate intention of the Vatican – just to be vindictive. There are many other clergy who have had similar experiences dealing with the Vatican.
Only recently, reading the documented research regarding the case of Archbishop Hunthausen of Seattle, 1983 – I was surprised to find how much the Vatican’s antics used against him, 30 years ago, were so identical to what I experienced, e.g. the secrecies, the long unexpected delays of silence from the Vatican while waiting for a reply that seemed quite unnecessary. I will explain further below.
I find this behavior of the Vatican or Ratzinger absolutely abhorrent completely ungodly in need of immediate public disclosure followed immediate expulsion. Is this the same evil methods of intimidation the Vatican under the direction Ratzinger (now Benedict XVI) used on the parents, adults, the victims their global child sexual abuse cover-ups? The fact alone that the Vatican and Ratzinger chose to issue these atrocious directives to me in secret – behind closed doors - speaks volumes about the strength of their moral character or lack thereof. How were they ever allowed in the Vatican? There is something seriously wrong in the Vatican that has been allowed to continued unhalted or questioned for the over the past more then 30 years. What steps are being taken to see that this kind of inhumanity never happens again in the future? In no way can such behavior be called Catholic. How long to we the body of Christ allow this to go on?
They were nothing but sadist cowards hiding in the Vatican. This is the same kind of situation how children are abused. They are abused because they are unable to defend themselves. I refused to submit to such inane directives, and was I unwilling to leave the priesthood. It was at my request I was given an Educational Leave of Absence and I was told it was opened ended - to study psychology at the University of Michigan. However, I was denied my regular priest salary, including any educational funding, as well as, having to pay for my own room and board. To me it seemed cleared that not only was it unsafe for me to remain in my home diocese, I was no longer wanted in the diocese and expected to get permanently lost. I believe they simply did not know what to do with me. The problem was because I my “coming out” was reported in the news media, press, TV, radio, magazine, etc. this posed a problem for secretive and amoral people involve with my case in the Vatican. Their sadist treatment though continued for the following 15 years. Photo
Archbishop Hunthausen of Seattle, Washington
These directives from the Vatican in June 1997 were given to me in a way that was similar to the Vatican’s treatment of Archbishop Hunthausen of Seattle, Washington 1985. Timothy Peter Schillin, explains in his book “Conflict in the Catholic Hierarchy: A Study of Coping Strategies in the Hunthausen Affair, with Preferential Attention to Discursive Strategies” 2003, how the Vatican handles conflict. I was surprised by how accurate he is in his detail explanations of the kind of treatment that I experienced firsthand from the Vatican - Cardinal Ratzinger.
Since 1997, it has been extremely difficult, in fact impossible to describe how I was treated or rather attacked by the Vatican, which as he states came “out of the blue” 3 months after I came out. As Mr. Schillin’s empirically grounded dissertation systematically details and labels the interactions of the Vatican and Archbishop Hunthausen, he has helped me put into words the unbelievable cruelty; the inhuman treatment I experienced and still continue to experience presently that I never expected would come from the Vatican. It must be the same kind of treatment that the victims child sexual abuse experienced when coming to their local cardinal or bishop for help.
Ratzinger’s Strategic Use of Secrecy to hold onto Power
It is the Vatican’s or Ratzinger’s strategic use of secrecy that gives them the advantage of having the power in conflictual situations. Secrecy is used to keep Ratzinger’s heavy-handed use of power out of public view, e.g. allowing long delays (years) before making a decision, seemly all in effort to keep a person or persons off balance, ultimately to obtain compliance, while seamlessly keeping a public appearance of benevolence though at the same time keeping public opinion or civil authorities from interfering. The Vatican or rather Ratzinger’s attacks come “out of the blue” with the intent to have a startling effect on the receiver. Overtime this brutal treatment takes its toll on the person under attack from the Vatican. “Hunthausen suffered a mild heart attack in 1984 and underwent cancer surgery in 1986. He also had many powers stripped from him, and later returned to him, by the Vatican in the midst of the investigation.”
What kind of information the Vatican or Ratzinger allows or purposely leaks to the public about an individual who opposes their authority is not the same information that is told privately to the same individual. Now in August 2012, the bishop of Grand Rapids, Walter Hurley, has twisted the past 15 years that it was unsafe for me to return to the diocese and without any qualms of conscience is stating that I refused to return to the diocese and his reason to start the canonical procedure to remove my clerical status. This is the same kind of intense hostile attack that mirrors the June 1997 directives to be reeducated on sexual orientation. And still there are no USA civil laws for the protection of me or for children growing up gay who are subjected influence of the harmful effects of the Vatican’s unsubstantiated antigay teachings.
President Obama Public Endorsement for Gay Marriage
However, President Obama has done more than anyone dreamed possible for LGBT rights. And indeed we are extremely thankful for his courage. President Obama’s public endorsement and support for gay marriage on May 9, 2012 (the eve of my birthday) was truly unexpected but ever so healing for me and I must believe for many, many others. I whole heartedly concur with Andrew Sullivan’s statement –
…One interview doesn't make a difference. And then I watched the interview and the tears flooded. There is something about hearing your president affirm your humanity that you don't know what effect it has until you hear it. And I think of all those gay Americans over the centuries who never heard that, never believed it could happen. And I have to say I'm immensely proud of this president for doing what he did… Read/listen more:
Rachel Maddow’s reaction was exceptional, as well as, calling Obama's endorsement "political bravery" which again I wholeheartedly concur. On her show she states:
…The Barack Obama administration has been very, very, very pro-gay rights. They have pursued at every level policies to improve the lives of gay Americans and to further gay rights…
…ultimately, what presidents do is they wield political power. And even before today [publically supporting gay marriage], that legacy of the first term of the Barack Obama presidency was already clear.
Today, he added to that...
…he took this extra step today...something extra…This was above and beyond.
And it is not without risk. And now having said these words publicly that no president has ever said before, now we get to see how this changes the country.
Read complete transcript:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/47356492/ns/msnbc-rachel_maddow_show/t/rachel-maddow-show-wednesday-may/ :
President Obama Sent Me a Letter Stating That He Appreciates My Perspective on LGBT Rights – August 28, 2012
For me President Obama sent me a letter stating that he appreciates my perspective on LGBT rights. I happened to receive his letter to me in the evening of the same day that began with at 8:00 am with a meeting with the canon lawyer assigned to me to help defend the charges that the bishop of the Grand Rapids, Walter Hurley, made against me. It was an unbelievable day because in the morning I was to be kicked a rounded by Benedict XVI for “coming out” 1997 for the safety of children, however, in the evening I was being patted on the back by the president of the United States of America in appreciation for my perspective on LGBT rights. I am still incredulous to believe you sent your letter to me. It was and continues to be a life safer in more ways that gives me the courage, as you stress in your letter, to stand united to protect liberty and justice for all our citizens. I am most humbly honored to be a team member. I am speechless all I can say is --- Thank you, Mr. President for your courage support of LGBT rights and most especially, I have to admit for your letter that you sent to me and to Mrs. Michelle Obama for her unending care and concern about the well-being of kids who are growing up and especial thanks to your loyal staff members and all who are supportive to you both and your daughters. I cannot believe that I sound as overjoyed, as Rachel Maddow and Andrew Sullivan did on the day you publically endorsed gay marriage. It is a remarkable feeling likely shared by an unbelievable number of gay people, their parents, families and friends.
Gay (LGBT) rights - President Obama’s letter appreciation Fr. Marty’s perspective on LGBT rights – 8/28/12 – Benedict XVI 2012 Canonical Disposal of Fr. Marty for “Coming Out” 1997
A Marriage of Deceit & Ruthlessness - HOMOPHOBIA and GREED - Fuels Violence Against Gay Marriage as - Kids Are Being Hurt!!! - Fr. Marty Kurylowicz - July 4, 2012
It is no secret by now that the IGNORANCE of the issue of GAY MARRIAGE has in the past been used in the USA as a political wedge to usher certain people into public office, which later led us into a war under false pretenses. Since, 1981 when Benedict XVI, as Cardinal Ratzinger took the office in the Vatican as grand inquisitor, he immediately began in a deliberately covert manner to systematically and ruthlessly (in the same way the child sexual abuse cover-ups were orchestrated) silencing Catholic social justice moral theologians, academics, priests and sisters particularly those dealing with the sexual orientation (like the Vatican recent sanctioning of the USA Catholic Sisters for advocating SOCIAL JUSTICE over attacking the issue of gay marriage, i.e. Sr. Margret Farley) we have faced in the USA: (A) the recession of the 1980’s that followed a significant political shift to the right, (B) in the 1990’s the major downsizing of employees, loss of jobs, at the same time the outsourcing of USA jobs and the exploiting the workers of overseas, the tremendous rise in health care cost and the number of uninsured, (C) in the 2000’s came the taxes cuts for the super-rich, led into war under false pretenses, the deterioration of the USA infrastructure due to years of budgetary cut backs including the staffing and updating of Federal rescue agencies, which led to the massive devastation and tremendous loss of life caused by Katrina 2005 collapsing of the weak levees and the unconscionable lengthy delay and serious lack of competency of the Federal rescue agencies to aid and save lives.
This particular marriage of deceit and ruthlessness between homophobia and greed fueled violence against gay marriage, each for different reasons work together to silence and ignore the social justice about gay marriage, because it threatens their social order, respectively, which are based on long-term self-serving structural inequalities. Daniel J. Christie, Ph.D. – explains that this form of violence against gay marriage as structural violence that harms and kills people indirectly and slowly, as opposed to direct violence that is physical violence that harms and kills people. “… direct violence can be prevented. In contrast, structural violence is ongoing…Fundamentally, structural violence occurs whenever societal structures and institutions produce oppression, exploitation, and dominance. These conditions are static, stable, normalized, serve the interests of those who hold power and wealth, and are not self-correcting.”
Read more:
My Perspective on LGBT Rights Begins with Children
1997 Fr. Marty Kurylowicz “Coming Out” Focus on Science & Bible | PROTECTING - CHILDREN Growing up Gay - Lifetime harm caused by Ignorant Antigay Social & Religious Norms
1997 – FOCUSING ON CHILDREN was a dramatic focus shift from public focus of homosexuality exclusively limited to adult sexual behavior
(a) Caused an Immediate Resonating almost calming effect with people
engaging deep interest eliciting serious pertinent questions
(b) – Nullifies Unsubstantiated Traditional Immorality of Homosexuality,
e.g. Vatican Antigay teachings,
(c) Major Threat to blindly accepted, unchallenged, ignorant – antigay social
& religious norms
*****************************
(1) Research - Antigay religious norms – life threatening to children -
as young as 4 and 5 years of age
My name is Fr. Marty Kurylowicz, I came out March 1997 to my parishioners at Holy Family Parish, Sparta MI to draw public attention to help protect children, as young as 4 and 5 years of age who grow up to be gay – from the life long harmful effects and for many life threatening effects of being raised in antigay social environments made up of ignorant antigay social norms that are primarily influenced by unsubstantiated religious norms, e.g. the Vatican unsubstantiated antigay teaching, a major world religion. The Vatican antigay teachings are unsubstantiated, because they are not based on facts from either the bible or science.
(2) Scripture scholars - Bible does not condemn homosexuality
(3) Science research – homosexuality – natural human development
The bible does not condemn homosexuality anymore than the bible condemns Galileo. There are many passages in the bible that clearly state that the earth does not move, instead the sun moves. However, Galileo explained that it was the exact opposite, the sun does not move and the earth rotates round the sun. The Vatican condemned Galileo as heretic and placed Galileo under house arrest for 9 years. Nearly 400 years later, Pope John Paul II in 1992, stated that the Vatican was wrong and that Galileo was right. In 1997, from science through research and clinical studies of both the major medical and mental health associations it is overwhelmingly accepted that homosexual orientation is a natural part of human development.
(4) Facts - Science & Bible - Nullify all the Vatican antigay teachings
These facts alone nullify all the Vatican antigay teachings because like Galileo they are not based on credible facts from a variety of many different disciplines of study and research. Therefore it is imperative the Vatican immediately renounces all their antigay teachings because they are unsubstantiated and cause severe harm to very young children growing up gay around the world. The Vatican and in particular Benedict XVI will not face the truth about homosexual orientation and has relentlessly and obsessively after being elected pope - publically spoke against homosexuality - simply and arbitrarily discrediting any and all credible scientific facts regarding the truth about homosexuality. This behavior of Benedict XVI - begs the question, why? This is even more puzzling that being a great intellectual academic scholar and author of many books, he has not been able to give any details or credible documentation to explain his reasoning about homosexuality. Publically, this is a glaring discrepancy because at his intellectual level he expounds on numerous subjects, but with the frequency that he touches on more than any other that is the defining subject of his papacy, homosexuality he has the least to say about.
This was not the case with Pope John Paul II. As pope John Paul said little to nothing on the subject homosexuality because there was ample research data continuously forthcoming from science and scripture scholars suggesting a new understanding regarding homosexuality, sexual orientation, human psychological development, etc. John Paul II, as we know, believed the truth would be found with faith and science working together to come up with answers. It is noted that John Paul frequently met with the scientists at the Vatican, at least once a week to discuss issues of the day. The committee at the Vatican on the topic of homosexuality was made up of theologians and scientists, as was the case for many committees at the Vatican, at the insistence of John Paul. This was not the case when Benedict XVI became pope, almost immediately all the scientists were dismissed from all the committees in the Vatican and only theologians remained. Sources within the Vatican at the time were shocked and noticeably worried about the future credibility their work because the balance for the search for truth was thrown off giving a very one-sided view on issues, which is not objective truth - truth was lost. This is clearly seen in Benedict XVI’s and the hierarchy’s public statements on homosexuality. This appears to be the same mistake that the Vatican made when the pope then condemned Galileo. And as we know John Paul II apologized to Galileo stating the he was right and that the Vatican and the pope were wrong.
(5) Children 4 and 5 years of age – know “different” - Well Before
“Age of Reason”
Nullify Immorality of Homosexuality
When I came out in March 1997 the focus was on the fact that very young children, as young as 4 and 5 years of age knew in some fundamental way that they were “different” not gay, only later in life would they identify this being different as being gay. This point alone was highly significant because it threw the Vatican focus of homosexuality off of being entirely focused on adult homosexuals and moved it onto children in early childhood psychological developmental years. This switch in the focus immediately, almost in lightening speed, resolves major key issues regarding the morality of homosexuality, because this places our understanding of homosexuality, sexual orientation out of the adult world and places almost at the beginning of life - into the very early years of human development - well before the “age of reason” therefore; (1) homosexuality cannot be considered a conscious and willful choice to commit a terrible intrinsically disordered and evil act, (2) if not a choice, no sin is involved, (3) there is no adult sexual acts of any kind involved at this very young age in a child’s life, (4) sexual orientation at this stage is about the natural development of human attachment essential for survival and growth of a human being, and (5) human attachments are about “loving another and being loved by another” there is nothing intrinsically disordered or evil about love. These facts alone nullify, renounce all the Vatican antigay teachings as unsubstantiated and instead they are labeled as being severely harmful to the lives of children in their early childhood years, something on the order of the ancient practice of “foot binding.” These are research facts over years of study that were available in 1997 and have continued to develop through the years.
This is why my “coming out” 1997 was not a big issue about me personally. Because my reason and focus for “coming out” was on the vital importance of explaining the research data about sexual orientation existing in early childhood, in order to stop the severe harm caused to the children growing up gay by the ignorance of antigay statements that create hostile and violent antigay social environments that threaten a child’s very existence. After I came out the focus was off me and almost immediately forgotten, as I remembered back then to Holy Family Parish, Sparta, MI, when I began to explain to my parishioners these research facts. It did not take much, if any, convincing people because almost immediately they began to identify these facts in what seemed to be a flooding of specific past episodes and memories from their own personal individual lives, about kids they knew and grew up with, about themselves, their children, etc., etc. It was like it brought into focus much confusion in their past lives that seemed at first unsettling, but left them with a better sense of calm and a new more secure understanding about themselves that made sense that answered many old forever nagging unanswered questions – and left them with much less anger. And the fact that I came out was almost forgotten, their questions were not about me but about many various aspects of sexual orientation and early childhood psychological development.
I held for the next 7 to 8 following weeks, 3 classes a week on the topic of sexual orientation, each class running for 2 hours. The classes were open to all parishioners though registering before attendance was required (simply by calling the parish office) in order to limit the classes to only 20 people in each class for the sake of confidentially and we run as many classes along as people wanted to attend. Every class was filled and the classes lasted nearly 8 weeks.
After I came out the parish did not fall apart. There was no great exodus. The weekly and building fund collections did not drop. Maybe we seemed closer more united on a deeper level. I was schedule to be transferred before I came out in March 1997, my 12-year term, as pastor, at Holy Family Parish ended at the end of June of 1997. I must say it was much harder than I realized leaving that parish, so much so that even the thought of going back for a visit seemed unbearable - the joy of seeing everyone again would be great – but leaving them all again seemed unbearable. I think that something wonderful happened there maybe in a very small but significant way we helped to change the world for the better, especially for children. That’s a good thing!
The Major Problem “Coming Out” 1997 not Parishioners –
Was The Vatican
The major problem I faced in 1997 was not from the parishioners – it was from of all places the Vatican. It was 4 years prior to my “coming out” I had been enrolled at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI taking one class a semester, including the spring/summer semester, in psychology. I did this all while I was still being a pastor at Holy Family Parish in Sparta, MI commuting twice a week to Ann Arbor. I had to give-up all my free time and watching TV to study at the U of M. And believe me TV cannot compare to the excitement of learning, at the U of M. It was at the University of Michigan that I studied the research data about sexual orientation, psychological human development, etc., as well as, at attending the yearly American Psychological Association conventions and attending regular meetings at PFLAG, Affirmations, Ferndale, MI and workshops/lectures sponsored by the U of M LGBT Office. My point is that I truly professionally studied the issues of sexual orientation thoroughly and was very well versed on much of the latest research data. Now after “coming out” to my parishioners and teaching 8 weeks of classes on sexual orientation - it was reported as being quite successful handling and educating people on the issue of sexual orientation.
I met with my bishop (which was not the present bishop Hurley) in May 1997 to hear the directives that were coming from the Vatican. I was, at first, quite shock, later I was even to the point of being somewhat frightened after hearing that I was to be sent away for several months (the location not having been disclosed) to be reeducated about sexual orientation and homosexuality. This was equivalent to reparative therapy, which is based on the concept that was debunked in the 1970’s by both the American Psychiatric Association and the American Psychological Association that homosexuality was a mental disorder. Reparative therapy’s main objective is to attempt through intensive psychotherapy to change a person’s homosexuality. It was and is considered unethical because it has never been proven effective, instead it posed more serious, even dangerous threats to the psychological well-being of the person, even placing for some at even greater risk of attempting suicide. It has been noted that the mental disorders associated with homosexuals are primary those due to the stress of not being accepted, of being ridiculed and being under constant vigilance of being attacked verbally or physically and at times violently. It has been amply and duly noted that homosexuals who grow up in safe accepting social environments, experience no more mental disorders than their heterosexual counterparts.
Reeducated on Homosexuality - Reparative therapy
Reparative therapy by 1997 still had no evidence scientifically that proved it worked, in fact it was found to be harmful and it was being considered unethical and unsafe. The fact that the Vatican was unaware or dismissive of ample research data regarding homosexuality was deplorable, because the Catholic Faith is all about truth. Since, 1973, the term “homosexuality” was removed from the list mental and emotional disorders by American Psychiatric Association stating that sexual orientation is not a disorder; therefore, it does not need to be cured. The American Psychological Association stated. In 1990 that scientific evidence shows that reparative therapy does not work and that it can do more harm than good. “In 1991, Gerald Davison, a former president of the Association for the Advancement of Behavior Therapy, argued that conversion therapy (is the same as reparative therapy) is ethically improper and that its existence only confirms professional and societal biases against homosexuality.” In 1993, the American Academy of Pediatrics stated, "The psychosocial problems of gay and lesbian adolescents are primarily the result of societal stigma, hostility, hatred and isolation." In 1996, the National Association of Social Workers adopted a policy statement on Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual issues. “…Sexual orientation conversion therapies assume that homosexual orientation is both pathological and freely chosen. No data demonstrate that reparative or conversion therapies are effective, and in fact they may be harmful.”
Therefore, Vatican’s directive was such a drastic contrast drop from the height of the intellectual level I was operating out of that (explained above) this news from the Vatican was startling – it was an unimaginable gigantic leap back in time passing even beyond the dark ages intellectually. While in my bishop’s office I did not say much at the time, I only wished that some of my colleagues from the APA, the U of M and news media could have heard this directive coming from the Vatican. I honestly could not even imagine what a sabbatical for several months on reeducating someone on homosexuality and sexual orientation would be like. It seemed like unnecessarily cruel and unusual treatment of all places by the Vatican.
My two earned sabbaticals including the funding were all canceled, which I was hoping to use up before accepting a new parish assignment. My possible future assignments in the Diocese of Grand Rapids that were offered to me before I came out were all eliminated. In a matter of one meeting, months after I came out and the news media hype had died down, my whole status in the Grand Rapids Diocese was gone. I no longer felt safe in the Grand Rapids Diocese, only the anxious pressure about what would happen next. At 47 years old, for me it seemed to be the beginning of the end.
Needlessly Already Spending a LIFETIME and Enormous Expense in Ineffective Reparative Therapy
Vatican directives were to send me back
No Civil Laws to Protect Gay Priests – From - Vatican Hostile & Inhuman Treatment
The thought of my being sent away to be reeducated about homosexuality and sexual orientation was disturbing to me on two counts: (1) it was then as it is now considered by the vast majority of professionals from both the medical and mental health fields as ineffective and dangerous to the individual well-being and (2) it seemed a most unnecessary and extremely cruel even inhumane ordeal for a place like the Vatican to be ordering a priest or anyone to submit to. It was for me even more unsetting, because I had already spent well over some 20 years trying through psychotherapy to reeducate myself on my being a homosexual – in attempts to be heterosexual. I learned only too well, at the age of 47, from the grueling experience of those past some 20 years in my deep earnest commitment faithfully believing what I had been told that reeducation/reparative therapy would work but it most assuredly does not. It had only compounded my depression in addition knowing I wasted those some 20 years for absolutely nothing. Even more unsetting was the fact when I learned that this was not my own personal bias, but that major medical and mental health associations agreed.
It was after further study and then learning the research facts that sexual orientation begins in early childhood, which struck me like bolt of lightening that March 1997 at the New Ways Ministry National Symposium listening to Dr. Richard Isay’s (just recently deceased) opening address explaining that children as young as 4 and 5 years of age know that they are different and that it is only as adults do they realize that being different was in fact being gay – that it all became the relentless motivating force that led to the moral obligation, as a Catholic priest to “come out” for the protection and well-being all children growing up gay. In good conscience I could not remain silent – I knew too much from my own personal experience to allow children suffer what I went through.
Character Assassination – Fr. Marty Kurylowicz
Being Punished and Humiliated For Being Faithfully Following
Vatican’s Unsubstantiated Antigay teachings
In a breach of confidentially the present bishop of Grand Rapids Walter Hurley (who had been working closely with then Cardinal Ratzinger, now Benedict XVI discriminating against gays as far back as 1987) disclosed to a news reporter from the Grand Rapids Press, May 2006, in an attempt that seemed to further discredit my reputation, the huge sum of money spent on my psychotherapy. However, this breach of confidentiality of Bishop Hurley backfired on him, because this huge sum would have been completely non-existence, as the documentation will prove, if I never had been raised in a Catholic antigay social environment that stressed the Vatican antigay teachings that are unsubstantiated. Also, this huge sum of money would have been greatly reduced, to far less than even 10% if I sought psychotherapy treatment outside of Catholic mental health agencies. The Vatican’s unsubstantiated antigay teachings have been proven to continuously perpetuate psychological harm. It took me an enormously long time to find this out – nearly enduring 4 decades of psychological harm because I blindly obeyed and believed them to be true and I can say emphatically that they are not true, but instead they are extremely harmful and even life threatening. I can say this after working endlessly acquiring a well-informed conscience based years of prayer, the needless years spent in psychotherapy and when I decided to no longer to follow blindly but on a postgraduate level of university academic studies to search for the truth, I found that the Vatican’s antigay teachings are unsubstantiated – instead they are life threatening.
Bishop Hurley Disclosure of Gay Priest Reparative Therapy
Psychological Expenses
CHARACTER ASSASSINATION – Vatican’ MO
Vatican Published Psychological Documentation of Ex-Bank President
It is interesting to note that Hurley’s confidentially disclosure of my psychological expenses appears to be the regular modus operandi of the Vatican. Because it is quite similar to the recent Vatican Bank scandal – where the Vatican published the psychological documentation of their ex bank president, which it is believed was meant to further discredit him because of threatening inside information he is believed to have would expose even more serious corruption in the Vatican.
Vatican’s - Vindictive Hostile Retaliation
In my letter above I explained I did not go away to be reeducated about my homosexuality and sexual orientation. I asked permission to study psychology at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI – if I paid for it on my own, however, to do so I was told that I had to give up my regular priestly salary and find my own living arrangements including paying for it myself. But it must be explained that a priest salary is considerably lower because room and board is included. This presented an additional hardship for me. However, I thought given such a life threatening order by the Vatican - to be sent away to be reeducated on homosexuality and sexual orientation was so extreme – Needless to say, I was worried if I stayed – what other inhumane atrocities would I be subjected to. I guess you could say I was fleeing for my life. To get me to leave the priesthood was likely what the Vatican was attempting to force me to do. Again, the whole reason why I came out was because “I was a priest.” It is a priest’s duty to be willing to lay down his life for others, at least that is the theology of priesthood. True I had always hope the living up to that duty would not directly fall into my lap – but it did. I gave up everything I had to be a faithful priest – I realize that this does not mean much to many people – they can barely understand the concept, except for parents. And now Benedict XVI and Bishop Hurley simply want me to give up my clerical state, so much so that Hurley sent these important letters to me for my response but he sent them to the wrong addresses that are not my mailing addresses, even though I receive all other diocesan mail at my correct address. If wasn’t the recent Vatileaks and Vatican Bank scandals and Benedict XVI’s 30 years of child sexual cover-ups – people would be willing to give Hurley the benefit of the doubt – but in indeed we now know that this kind of deception is this rule of the Vatican and not the exception. I have absolutely no recourse – the only recourse I have if I still have it - is to make this all public and kill the secrecy of the Vatican – in hopes that people’s awareness will in some way reform the Vatican – make the protection of children the highest priority.
Fr. Marty Kurylowicz
Read more:
VATICAN CRACKDOWN - Gay Catholic Priest 1997 - Fr. Marty Kurylowicz “Coming Out” for “Protection of Children from Antigay Social & Religious Norms”- to be Permanently Remove & Silence | Vatican Ordered REPARATIVE THERAPY | – World Health Organization 2012 Calls REPARATIVE THERAPY Serious Threat to Health &Life
First posted on August 7, 2012
Revised and updated on August 9, 2012
Final revision on August 17, 2012
AUSCHWITZ -- CHRISTMAS 2008 -- A flashback far more severe than in --- “Brokeback Mountain” – Fr. Marty Kurylowicz - 12/26/08 - Excerpts 
…And when I heard what Pope Benedict XVI said about homosexuals and transgendered human beings at Christmas 2008, I felt that same trauma all over again. Because in some way, somehow, he was conveying in a non-verbal manner the horror of the Holocaust, in what appears to be a traumatized, trance-like, accepted social norm from that period of time dictating that some people just don’t count, aren’t important, and can be easily disposed of. And if you rock the boat, you could be next to be disposed of…
…It hit me the way it did when I realized that the research I was doing about a Holocaust survivor, a man 68 years old telling his story, who was remembering what it was like to be on the train to AUSCHWITZ, from the perspective of a young teenage boy who just wanted to talk to a girl. It seemed like the same kind of horror, a tacit assumption that some people don't count and can be disposed of without remorse. Could it be that Benedict XVI is unconsciously repeating Hitler's crime against humanity by taking on a long-accepted social attitude from that period of time?
…What would be the severity of the psychological effects on a boy who grew up to be gay in Germany during the time of Hitler’s NAZI PERSECUTION OF HOMOSEXUALS 1933 -1945? During the Nazi regime, homosexuals were publicly defamed and falsely accused for the major social problems of that time, which was done to incite massive public hatred and hostility directed against homosexuals. Homosexuals were used for medical experiments, physically mutilated, brutally tortured and exterminated.
Would this child, as an adult, in a severe dissociated state of mind from his own homosexual feelings (Harry Stack Sullivan MD, Dissociative Processes, Clinical Studies on Psychiatry (1956)), unconsciously perpetuate the terrifying horror of the insensitivity he had experienced growing up? If he found himself in a position of authority would he recreate the same social and political environment of violence and terror for homosexuals that he experienced, as a child who grew up to be gay, during the NAZI PERSECUTION OF HOMOSEXUALS?
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…
Vatican out of step on gay rights, says Tony Blair – 4/08/09 Photo
Tony Blair slams Vatican attitude toward gays – 4/08/09
Nothing in life is more precious than the intimate relationships we have with love ones. Healthy love relationships delight us give us confidence to take on challenges and support us in difficult times.
SEXUAL ORIENTATION - Attachment Theory | - Internalized Homophobia - “Auschwitz - Christmas 2008 - Brokeback Mountain” --- Revised 11/15/10
Nancy Pelosi: ‘Hate Crimes Have No Place in America’ Speaker of the House – 4/29/09
President Obama Commemorates Enactment of Hate Crimes Prevention Act – White House –video & transcript - 10/28/09
… This is the culmination of a struggle that has lasted more than a decade. Time and again, we faced opposition. Time and again, the measure was defeated or delayed. Time and again we've been reminded of the difficulty of building a nation in which we're all free to live and love as we see fit. But the cause endured and the struggle continued, waged by the family of Matthew Shepard, by the family of James Byrd, by folks who held vigils and led marches, by those who rallied and organized and refused to give up, by the late Senator Ted Kennedy who fought so hard for this legislation -- (applause) -- and all who toiled for years to reach this day...
…And that's why, through this law, we will strengthen the protections against crimes based on the color of your skin, the faith in your heart, or the place of your birth. We will finally add federal protections against crimes based on gender, disability, gender identity, or sexual orientation. (Applause.) And prosecutors will have new tools to work with states in order to prosecute to the fullest those who would perpetrate such crimes. Because no one in America should ever be afraid to walk down the street holding the hands of the person they love. No one in America should be forced to look over their shoulder because of who they are or because they live with a disability…
Obama Signs Hate Crimes Bill – 10/28/09
“Prosecutors will have new tools to work with states in order to prosecute to the fullest those who would perpetrate such crimes,” Mr. Obama said, speaking in the East Room of the White House at an evening reception, “Because no one in America should ever be afraid to walk down the street holding the hands of the person they love.”
Obama signs hate crimes bill into law – that includes sexual orientation and gender identity – 10/28/09
…To loud applause, Obama hailed the hate crimes measure in the bill as a step toward change to "help protect our citizens from violence based on what they look like, who they love, how they pray."
Obama Signs Measure to Widen Hate Crimes Law - extends hate crime protections to include sexual orientation and gender identity – 10/28/09
…“After more than a decade of opposition and delay, we've passed inclusive hate crimes legislation to help protect our citizens from violence based on what they look like, who they love, how they pray, or who they are,” President Obama said before he signed the bill…
.
______________ The letter _______________
Kids Are Being Hurt!!!
Thalamus Center - Early Childhood Psychological Development Growing Up Gay
Martin S. Kurylowicz, M.Div., M.S. fathermartykurylowicz.blogspot.com
President of the United States
United States Congress
United States Supreme Court
United States Department of Justice
50 United States Governors
Dear -- --------,
My name is Fr. Marty Kurylowicz, a Roman Catholic priest from the Diocese of Grand Rapids Michigan ordained June 16, 1979.
In March 1997, after attending a National Symposium of the New Ways Ministry that was held in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, I learned that children as young as 4 and 5 years of age know that they are different. This feeling "different" is only identified in their adult years as being gay. However, the harmful influence of antigay social and religious norms -- in particular, for Catholics, the Vatican’s unsubstantiated antigay teachings -- are severe and last throughout a child’s lifetime. The harmful effects are not isolated only to these children who grow up to be gay, but also affect their families, siblings, friends and anyone whom they might consider special in their lives. They are a prescribed societal sentence of implicit isolation, which place at risk of suicide so many innocent adolescents and young adults. They stifle an enormous amount of human potential in the world that otherwise could be put to use for finding cures for diseases, offering better ways of maintaining peace among people and improving the quality of life for everyone in the world.
After the New Ways Ministry National Symposium in March 1997, in good conscience I felt intensely morally obligated to "come out" as a gay Catholic priest to my parishioners at Holy Family Parish, Sparta, Michigan USA, to draw public attention to this implicit form of child abuse. This abuse is caused by the harmful influence of antigay social and religious norms, in particular, for Catholics, the Vatican’s unsubstantiated antigay teachings. My background study in this area is extensive, far beyond that of the average person. However, since I have come out, I have been subjected to overt as well as covert retaliation coming from the Vatican through the bishops of the Diocese of Grand Rapids. I was ordered to be sent away to be re-educated regarding sexual orientation, to subject myself to conversion or reparative therapy--not a lobotomy, but similar. I refused to consent to this inhuman treatment because of the obvious clinical research data. And because I did so, in retaliation I lost my regular priest salary for the past 13 years, my earned sabbatical terms and my status for any future assignments in the Diocese of Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA.
At the same time, an insider to the Vatican warned me that I could really get hurt severely by people in the Vatican. And even though this person was dead serious, I passed this warning off as being someone’s overactive imagination that was a bit bizarre. I thought, "After all, this is the USA, what do I have to fear?" However, this covert retaliation has been substantial. My car was repossessed in July 2009 and on June 26, 2010, I lost my home to foreclosure…
Read complete letter:
Vatican Crackdown 1983 of Archbishop Hunthausen of Seattle, Washington for Supporting gays and lesbians 1970’s – by Ratzinger(Benedict XVI)
Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger… efforts to prevent the evolution in church teaching
toward acceptance of homosexuals - a timeline beginning 1984 - Milestones in campaign to hold the doctrinal line - National Catholic Reporter, July 30, 1999
Pope Blasts U.K. - Anti-Discrimination Laws - February 2, 2010 – CBS News
In Speech, Benedict Raises Fears that Vatican Could Be Prosecuted for Stances against Gays
(AP) Pope Benedict XVI weighed in against anti-discrimination laws, which have raised fears at the Vatican that the Catholic Church could be prosecuted for refusing, for example, to hire gays or transsexuals.
Benedict blasted proposed laws before the British Parliament that are intended to prevent employers from denying jobs to applicants on the grounds of gender, sexuality, age or race. Current legislation exempts religious organizations, but the planned new law would effectively apply to lay people employed by churches.
Benedict told the bishops that they needed to take a firm, public stand against the proposed legislation, which he said violated natural law…
…Meanwhile, Benedict confirmed Monday he would visit Britain later this year, a trip that has grown fraught following his move to welcome into the Roman Catholic Church groups of Anglicans upset over the ordination of gays and women… Read complete report: -
“Religious beliefs that gay and lesbian relationships are sinful or inferior to heterosexual relationships harm gays and lesbians.”
JUDGE VAUGHN WALKER
Md.'s top leaders cross Catholic hierarchy on gay marriage
By John Wagner, February 24, 2011
Obama 1st US call for gay rights at the UN – “Human rights are the inalienable right of every person, no matter who they are or who they love” US Ambassador - March 23, 2011
GAY MARRIAGE & Benedict XVI’s OBSESSION “…HITLER YOUTH brainwashed young Germans into support of their prejudices and policies against homosexuality.” “Hidden holocaust?: gay and lesbian persecution in Germany, 1933-45” By Günter Grau, 1995 – Fr. Marty Kurylowicz
New York - GAY MARRIAGE Bill - Gay Catholic Priest Sends LETTERS to All NY STATE SENATORS - June 7, 2011 - How Strong is the VATICAN in the USA? - June 20, 2011 – Fr. Marty Kurylowicz
Gov. Christine Gregoire announces support for marriage equality – 1/04/12
…"The very reason for our state's founding was for religious freedom. At the heart of religious freedom is respect for the freedom of individual conscience," O'Malley told the Senate Judicial Hearings Committee, referring to Maryland's origins as a haven for English Catholics.
"The way forward, the way to sustain and enhance our common life together, is equal respect for the freedom of all," he said in unusual personal testimony that underscored the importance he attaches to the measure...
Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley signs gay marriage bill -3/01/12
GAY MARRIAGE – UNIDENTIFIED - Internalized Homophobia - Benedict XVI, Hierarchy & Blind Followers - GAY-BASHERS UK & US | UK Blair & Cameron Legalization of Gay Marriage | Kids Are Being Hurt!!! | PART 8 – 3/26/12 – Fr. Marty Kurylowicz
VATICAN CRACKDOWN ON NUNS – 5/7/12
“…conservative American churchmen living in Rome — including disgraced former Boston Cardinal Bernard Law [Child Sexual-Abuse Crisis they created] — were key players in pushing the hostile takeover of the Leadership Conference of Women Religious…for emphasizing social justice work over loyalty to the hierarchy and issues like abortion and Gay Marriage…
OBAMA Gay Marriage Endorsement Is 'Political Bravery'- RACHEL MADDOW (VIDEO) & Obama Lets Go Of Fear – “…I think of all the GAY KIDS out there who now know they have their president on their side…” By ANDREW SULLIVAN - NPR – May 9 & 10, 2012
Spitzer's Apology Changes 'Ex-Gay' Debate – 5/21/12 – NPR
…CONAN: Do you think homosexuality is a choice? SPITZER: Is a choice? No, for sure, that's the one thing I have no doubt about, it's no choice…
A Marriage of HOMOPHOBIA and GREED - Fuels Violence against Gay Marriage as Kids Are Being Hurt!!! | Benedict XVI - Hires Fox News PR – Improve Image - 7/04/12 Fr. Marty Kurylowicz
Pew poll shows rising support for gay marriage – “This shouldn’t come as too surprising. CATHOLICS have been leading the way on same-sex marriage for some time now.” – 7/31/12
Connecticut court ruling favors Gay Marriage – 8/01/12
"Reparative Therapy" or "Conversion Therapy" – To Change Sexual Orientation - Lack Medical Justification, THREATEN HEALTH - Are ETHICALLY UNACCEPTABLE – 9/01/12
FRENCH President Hollande - UN to DECRIMINALIZE HOMOSEXUALITY – 9/26/12 - Benedict XVI’s tenacious attacks Unprecedented – impetuousness, HUBRIS SYNDROME??? * Hunthausen Case 1983
First Lady Talks LGBT Youth: “We’re Here for Our Kids” – 9/25/12
First Lady Michelle Obama recently appeared on ‘Access Hollywood’ and reflected on the changes she’s noticed over the past four years. After highlighting the president’s historic support for marriage equality and the implementation of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” repeal, the First Lady spoke about the positive message these advancements send to youth:
“I'm probably more hopeful than I've ever been because I can see the changes and I can see it in our kids,” she said. “I get to see so many great signs of this country's growth. Kids who now feel like, for the first time, if they're gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, that they feel like they have a place. … One kid came up to me yesterday on the photo line and he said, I would have committed suicide if it wasn't for what your husband did.” … Read more & view video
GAY MARRIAGE – Propaganda Tactics|B16’s Naturalistic fallacy & Homosexuality - Dehumanizing, Depriving Civil Rights, Silencing Gays - Covering Up B16 Crimes Against Children 30+yrs? |PART 5
'Less Than Human'
by David Livingstone Smith 2011
Excerpts:
Dehumanizing Homosexuals
Depriving Civil Rights – Human Rights
…We dehumanize our fellow human beings when we convince ourselves (or allow ourselves to be convinced) that they are less than human and come to believe that, although these people appear to be human beings like us, this is merely a façade. Beneath the surface they are really subhuman creatures, fit to be hunted down and destroyed. The immense destructive power of dehumanization lies in the fact that it excludes its victims from the universe of moral obligation, so killing them is of no greater consequence swatting a mosquito, or poisoning a rat. If dehumanization is a key factor in war and genocide, we ought to be working very hard to prevent it.
Read more:
Psychology of Violence - David Livingstone Smith 2010
The way that Benedict XVI and the hierarchy are able to maintain this false notion about homosexuals is by publically dehumanizing homosexuals. It is their relentless condemnation of homosexuals using anti-gay propaganda trying to convince the public that homosexuals are less than human, are subhuman and therefore, homosexuals can be “excluded from the system of moral rights and obligations that bind humankind together ('Less Than Human' - by David Livingstone Smith 2011).”
What is it that enables one group of human beings to treat another group as though they were subhuman creatures?
…A rough answer isn't hard to come by. Thinking sets the agenda for action, and thinking of humans as less than human paves the way for atrocity. The Nazis were explicit about the status of their victims. They were Untermenschen — subhumans — and as such were excluded from the system of moral rights and obligations that bind humankind together. It's wrong to kill a person, but permissible to exterminate a rat. To the Nazis, all the Jews, Gypsies and others were rats: dangerous, disease-carrying rats…
Dehumanizing the enemy allowed German soldiers and officers to agree with the Nazis' new vision of warfare, and to fight without granting the Soviets any mercy or quarter."
…The Holocaust is the most thoroughly documented example of the ravages of dehumanization. Its hideousness strains the limits of imagination. And yet, focusing on it can be strangely comforting. It's all too easy to imagine that the Third Reich was a bizarre aberration, a kind of mass insanity instigated by a small group of deranged ideologues who conspired to seize political power and bend a nation to their will. Alternatively, it's tempting to imagine that the Germans were (or are) a uniquely cruel and bloodthirsty people. But these diagnoses are dangerously wrong. What's most disturbing about the Nazi phenomenon is not that the Nazis were madmen or monsters. It's that they were ordinary human beings…
NPR book review:
'Less Than Human': The Psychology Of Cruelty
Benedict XVI Fights Against Homosexuals Civil Rights
Read more:
3. Gay teen suicide – Family Acceptance Project - shows relationship between a lack of family acceptance of a gay child and the rate of substance abuse, suicide and others problems
References:
Groundbreaking Study Finds Family Acceptance of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Adolescents Protects Against Depression, Substance Abuse and Suicidal Behavior in Early Adulthood – by Caitlin Ryan, PhD, December 6, 2010 - FAMILY ACCEPTANCE PROJECT.
Dr. Caitlin Ryan: Reducing Risk and Promoting Well-Being for LGBT Youth: The Critical Role of Family Support – 2009 – podcast
Dr. Caitlin Ryan: Commitment, Intentionality, and Hard Work: What It Takes To Do Culturally Competent, Ground-Breaking Research 2010 – podcast
Family Acceptance Project™ website:
Dr. Caitlin Ryan – Mental Health Matters: How does the “Family Acceptance Project” work? – 2011
Family Acceptance Project™ - Helping diverse families understand how to support their LGBT children – videos
Family Acceptance of LGBT Youth Protects Against Suicide, Depression & Substance Abuse and Predicts Better Health & Self-Esteem
School Victimization of Gender-Nonconforming LGBT Youth Linked with Depression and Quality Of Life In Adulthood
Best Practice Guidelines for Serving LGBT Youth in Out-of-Home Care
Family Acceptance Project™ Resource Links:
San Francisco State University Related Programs
LGBT Family-Related Organizations
LGBT Youth Organizations
School-Related Resources
Gender-Related Resources
LGBT Legal Advocacy Organizations
Online Resources for LGBT Youth
Hotlines
Adolescent Health
National LGBT Organizations
LGBT Health-Related Organizations
Lesbian and Gay Youth: Care and Counseling - By Caitlin Ryan and Donna Futterman
UA professor Stephen T. Russell to Explore LGBT Suicide Risk – 2008
Homophobic families harm gay teenagers, study claims - 2008
Internalized Homophobia and Relationship Quality among Lesbians, Gay Men, and Bisexuals - David M. Frost and Ilan H. Meyer - 2009
Journal of Counseling Psychology 2009, Vol. 56, No. 1, 97–109
New Report Shows Inequalities for Children with LGBT Parents
Talking About Suicide & LGBT Populations - Suicide Prevention Resource Center (SPRC)
Preventing Suicide among LGBT Youth by Effie Malley - Suicide Prevention Resource Center (SPRC)
Homophobia Is Killing Our Youth – 2009
Gay Bullying Deaths and Religion: Are Believers the Problem or the Solution? 2010
For Many Gay Youth, Bullying Exacts a Deadly Toll – 2010
Gay bullying and Catholic responsibilities – 2010
Homophobia in the Church: What Catholics Are Doing About It, and What Still Needs to Be Done – 2010
“Most religious denominations continue to condemn homosexuality as sinful and
provide a rationale for marginalizing LGB people.” - Suicide Prevention Resource Center (SPRC)
Social Environment - Although the social environment itself has not been defined as a risk factor for suicide, widespread discrimination against LGBT people, heterosexist attitudes, and gender bias can lead to risk factors such as isolation, family rejection, and lack of access to care providers. Risk factors may interact in unhealthy ways—for example, internalized homophobia or victimization may lead to stress, which is associated with depression and substance abuse, which can contribute to suicide risk. This risk may be compounded by a lack of protective factors that normally provide resilience, such as strong family connections, peer support, and access to effective health and mental health providers…
Herek and colleagues (2007) describe a framework to understand the social environment for sexual minorities. The framework integrates the sociological idea of stigma with the psychological idea of prejudice. Through stigma, society discredits and invalidates homosexuality relative to heterosexuality. Institutions embodying stigma results in heterosexism, and heterosexual individuals internalizing stigma results in prejudice. The United States legal system has faced challenges by sexual minorities and sympathetic heterosexuals that have led to significant changes. However, the legal system continues to reinforce stigma through discriminatory laws and the absence of laws protecting sexual minorities from discrimination in employment, housing, and services. A minority of states had antidiscrimination laws as of 2005, and most of these only referred to employment and not to housing or services. Most religious denominations continue to condemn homosexuality as sinful and provide a rationale for marginalizing LGB people…
See no Race, See no Gay: What Proponents of a Gay-Blind Approach to Bullying in the Schools can Learn from Race Relations - by Kira Hudson Banks, Ph.D. and Nestor L. Lopez-Duran PhD,
2010 - Psychology Today
Bullying, gay teen suicides, and a need for a solution – 2010 - Nestor L. Lopez-Duran, PhD. - clinical child psychologist and researcher, University of Michigan
Bullies and Victims: Boys will be boys or a symptom of distress? 2009 -Child Psychology Research
http://www.child-psych.org/2009/10/bullies-and-victims-a-risk-for-psychopathology.html#comment-47375
The cruelties of STRUCTURAL VIOLENCE on CHILDREN are often subtle, unspoken, unrecognized, and even normalized, regarded by many people as natural or “just the way things are.” Daniel J. Christie - Peace, Conflict, and Violence:
Peace Psychology for the 21st Century.
Pope’s child porn 'normal' claim sparks outrage among victims -122110
Related links:
John Jay Report: On Not Blaming Homosexual Priests – 51711
"No public figure talks more about child safety but does little to actually make children safer than Pope Benedict" 112611
The New John Jay Report on Clergy Abuse in the Catholic Church – “The researchers conclude that there is no causative relationship between either celibacy or homosexuality and the sexual victimization of children in the Church.” 51811
Facts about Homosexuality and Child Molestation - Gregory M. Herek, Ph.D.
Roman Catholic Hierarchy child sexual abuse “cover-ups” ordered by Benedict XVI to avoid public outrage & criminal charges falsely accused gay priests, WATERGATE? – January 2, 2010
Read more:
All tyranny needs
to
gain a foothold
is
for people
of
good conscience
to
remain silent.
Injustice anywhere is a
threat to
Justice everywhere
Martin Luther King
The Nobel Peace Prize 1964
Martin Luther King Jr.
What you cannot do is accept injustice.
From Hitler – or anyone.
You must make the injustice visible
– be prepared to die like a
soldier to do so.
Mahatma Gandhi
Kids Are Being Hurt!!!
“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.”
…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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