Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, the man who ensured the Catholic church adhered to the Vatican's conservative and anti-gay doctrine, has been elected as the new Pope to the dismay of LGBT Catholics across the globe.

The election of the new pontiff, Benedict XVI, has already caused an outcry within the gay community. He's already been dubbed "God's Rottweiler" and has called lesbian and gay people "intrinsically evil".

So what's in store for us special girls? Will he reinforce the Christian belief that we are an abomination in the face of god?

Hugs,

Katie x

The Pope is not the only religious leader who condemns anything other than a "normal" heterosexual lifestyle. I don't expect anyting to be relaxed during his papacy. In fact, his views go well with the current right wing trend in the States.

Let's also keep this in mind - how long will he last? He's 78! Many believe, and I subscribe to this, that he is an interim pope. Pope John 23rd was elected in the same fashion, yet look what he did in his tenure - Vatican II. So the new guy could easily cause either a lot of damage or a lot of good in a short time.

They needed to keep John Paul II's legacy going for public relations, and the few years that he will probably be Pope gives the Catholic Church time to think of a game plan. Don't get me wrong - I do not wish ill upon him, although I know he sure doesn't like who I am, unless he's using that old phrase "hate the sin but love the sinner." Whatever.

I'm not surprised this guy was chosen. But I have no idea immediately what will happen other than speeches about us "deviants."

"People say the west should be responsible for the problems in Africa." Why is everything that is wrong with the world blamed on the West or at least it should be the West's responsibility to fix it? That is absolute BS. Maybe its time for other non-western countries to step up to the plate.... Lots of wealthy Middle Eastern countries out there.. Come on OPEC lets put some
of that oil money to good use!... What about China and the other Asian countries? With their growing economies they should also chip in. Seems that in today’s current politically correct world.... the only acceptable place to put the blame is on the white western world and nobody else wants to accept the responsibilities of their own inept and corrupt governments

On a global level, what bothers me more than the fact that aid is expected of western states but not so much of eastern ones, is that people in the west seem to feel that the amount of help they give should be dependant on whether or not other countries are pulling their weight too.

Aid and help to poverty stricken, badly managed, or ill-health stricken states where HUMAN BEINGS ARE SUFFERING is simply a thing we should WANT to give, and unconditionally. We shouldn't be using the BAD examples of other countries as an excuse to close our eyes and ignore the problems. We should give from the heart, not out of obligation, and we should give generously, as required.

"We shouldn't be using the BAD examples of other countries as an excuse to close our eyes and ignore the problems."

Hi Rhia
Im not saying that we shouldn't give.... What Im upset about is how everyone blames the west for anything that goes wrong and how everyone thinks its just the west's responsibility to fix it.
The west as a whole is very charitiable. Im just tired of people bad mouthing the west when other places should and could do more. Like scolding an A student for not getting a A+ while
letting the F students get away with it because that all we expect of them.

The new pope "he's old, he's gonna die soon". How much damage can he do? Well, Catholic doctrine is creating world overpopulation and death by starvation, yet the Church does little about this with it's vast wealth. Nature is unemotional but has ways to balance things out. AIDS. It's "God's Will". It's skimming off Catholics faster than they can make new ones in Africa. Well, at least their souls will be saved, right? Nature "...will find a way". Nature does not care about politically correct, or compassion, or faith. Nature does it's thing. It may one day do humankind in the same way. Make AIDS airborne and.....well, we'd be gone in a couple generations, and oilfields in a million years, while nature replaces us with it's next "great plan"....without hate or compassion...it's Her nature.

We can do something about it. Don't expect the Church to care. they have what they want. They have their souls. Screw their bodies. Hello? Has anyone in Rome read how their "Jesus" behaved to people? Ask yourself, what would "Jesus" do if HE was Pope? If you aren't doing it, you shouldn't be Pope.

I just think the Catholic Church has missed a great opportunity to drag itself into the 21st century by electing the Nigerian Cardinal as Pope. This new guy just seems like a wet fish to me with no people skills. I give him a few months before the bullet proof glass in the popemobile is replaced with normal window glass.

Personally it doesn't bother me what the Catholic, Anglican, Methodist or any other church thinks about me. I'm me, I'm happy and if they have a problem then that's their issue not mine.
Wendy is right that Mother Nature may just dispose of all humanity to save the planet, after all she's done it before several times in fact.

Alex
xxxx

What consequences ? It seems to me like just another sign of these times. Here we have had a lutheran priest for prime minister since 1999... I myself put my faith in openminded people. Who knows, they may be the ones surviving this ice age too...

Linda

personally, i couldn't care less about the new pope cos he'll be just as bigoted as the last one and look how TV went completely overboard in the coverage of his .This new one should realise that we are in the 21st century,some of his views paricularly on the LGBT thing just don't cut it these days.I am not a religous person and this will just re-inforce my feelings about the subject.this is just a personal statement but doesn't mean that others who that are religiously minded are wrong..love anna-marie xxx

I don't think he'll have any effect realy. I read in the paper today that it is beleaved he's just an intern Pope. The search for a new one has already begun. His election is to show the church is stable.

Karen, I wrote that exact same thing in my first response here to Katie's query. But what this guy does in what will probably be a short span of time can either be hopeful or hurtful. Like I mentioned, Pope John 23rd was elected in such a fashion and look how much he changed the Church during his time.

Mere I should have read the whole thread before I responded. Yes I did just repete what you said. My fault. This man is a hard liner, protector of church law. I don't think there will be any change. Maybe a little stiffening of the lip. But not enough time for any real change. It seems to me if he were a tolerant person hardliners & extreamest would fight him all the way. Those with the loudest voices are heard the most.

Hey, Karen, there was no harm done in repeating that. It needed to be said again and you did it very well.

My wife is ticked at me that I didn't get my daughter to mass this morning. My wife isn't feeling well and really can't go out. But when I made a certain Hindu prayer gesture she told me I should just essentially quit the Church and concentrate on my Buddhism/Hinduism. These days it might not be a bad idea.

I think a person should practice whatever makes them feel closest to the god of their choice. Exposing your daughter to different beliefs can do nothing but help her in her choices.
Personaly I use prayer & meditation.

Amanda, you are expressing what we all feel when it comes to those "in charge." For instance, I teach world history. When I discuss Islam, I have to (and want to) make it clear that religious laws vary from place to place. I know plenty of Muslims who are crazier than I am (if that's possible). I've known plenty of Catholic priests who support gay marriage, their own right to marry, etc. Yes, I'm preaching to the choir. I hold out no hope for the new "pontiff." The same old shit will continue.

So what do we do? What can we do? What can we do is perservere.

"How will new pope affect us?"
Personally, the new pope is not going to affect me at all.
I suspect I'm not the only one.
xx

From what I hear he will cary on the same views as Pope John Paul II, and is strict on church docteran. So in other words I think were stuck right where we are. I anticapite we will be going through another papal election in about 10-15 years or so (give or take a few years). Personal I don't think Pope Binidect XVI will be worse than John Paul II was. Personaly speaking don't know though

According to the faith I was born into, 'Gays are immoral, their behaviour contrary to natural law, their acts grave sins, and they are objectively disordered. I prefer subjectively as, if I sin at all, I like to think I through choice. And as I was born with the wretched stigma of original sin, I take this with a pinch of salt. As a postcript, I do believe Cardinal Ratzinger, as he was then, initiated this policy whilst head of the Congregation of the Faith. What sort of Pope will he be? Well it's all about control. It always was . . . Love and kisses, Porscha xxx

The Catholic church is not anti homosexual. However it is against homosexual acts and calls such people to live a life of chastity. As for me, I am a catholic, TS, straight and follow my conscience

Joanne

Yes, and the Church is not against sinners either...as long as they live a life free of sin. Right.

If these people claim to right to tell me how to live, I claim the same right, to tell them how to live. Afer all, "their God" is wrong and mine is right. Doesn't that give me the right to tell them how to live?

“Benedict XVI… has called lesbian and gay people "intrinsically evil".
If he believes that then he is intrinsically stupid.
How will he affect us? Actually I hope he will make people realise the futility of such ridiculous, nonsensical ideology.
I don’t need god, or any of his spokespeople to tell me right from wrong, to me it’s plain bloody obvious.
And I’m proud to be a devout atheist!
xx

personally, i think the pope talks out of his backside cos virtually all the world's problems are to do with religion. I honestly have to time for him

LOL xxxxxxx
Anna-Marie

Sandi: Didn't you know "WE" Americans are responsible for ALL the terrible things that go one in this world!! Slavery started with us, (Not with the African tribes that used to raid each other and take prisoners and make slaves out of them hundreds of years before we even existed, nor the native american tribes that did the same thing before the white man was ever here!) WE are responsible for the problems in the middle east!! ( Not the muslim extremists!) We are responsible for the children in the world that don't have enough to eat.( Not the warlords that took all of the food and aid we delivered to Somalia!) The US is responsible for not stopping Hitler before he destroyed 75 percent of Europe, not the countries that rolled over and cooperated with him instead of fighting to the last to stop him, or the ones that said "We're neutral and don't give a damn if you kill millions". It is our fault about the inquisition, where the catholics killed everyone that didn't convert (even though we didn't exist then)It was the US that was first there to help after the Tsunami. It was the US that bailed the French out of HOW many wars?? It is ALL our fault and we should take full responsibility. I am damn tired of hearing all that shit. We give more, help more, go to the aid more than ANY OTHER COUNTRY IN THE WORLD !! So "We're the bad ones aren't we! I don't mean to offend our true allies such as the Brits and the Aussies, and the very few others that DO stand up for us, but the rest can kiss our cute little asses! Sorry girls, I am just sick of people bashing my country. Even some here.
And to keep on topic. Screw the pope, he's put in place by church officials,humans,(many that are child molesters or turn their collective eyes away from the fact it occurs) not GOD!!! Jackie

Jackie,
I don't mind Americans criticizing America. It's the thing about America that I am most proud of. Our right to criticize our country.

I object to "outsiders" and other Americans telling me how to live my life when I don't harm anyone else.. I object to them vilifying me for who I am, I do not deny their right to do so. I object to them passing laws to force me to live my life the way they believe I should. Most of all I object to an organization, such as the Catholic Church, a foreign power, forcing their spiritual beliefs on me.