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October 27 In the Winnipeg Sun today:
October 27, 2007
Gay peace
activist disinvited from conference
By ROB NAY, SUN MEDIA
A gay peace activist who was once held
hostage in Iraq won't be attending a Catholic conference taking place in
Winnipeg this weekend after his speaking invitation was withdrawn.
"I feel that at the root it's because I'm gay," said James Loney, a Roman
Catholic.
Loney said Winnipeg Archbishop James Weisgerber told him over the phone that
his speaking engagement had been cancelled because of his disagreements with
church teachings on sexuality.
'DEVASTATED'
John Robson, a co-organizer of the social justice conference, said he was
"devastated" by the decision.
"I think it was very unjust," he said.
As a result of the can cellation, Robson and his wife Nerina have decided not
to attend the conference, despite having helped arrange it.
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Winnipeg declined to comment when contacted
by Sun Media.
Loney said he was told there were threats people would picket his appearance.
A message posted on Life Site, a website started by anti-abortion group
Campaign Life Coalition, calls Loney an "unrepentant, active homosexual" and
says Catholics have complained to the Winnipeg Archdiocese about the choice of
speakers at the conference.
Loney said the cancellation reminds him of when he was held hostage by
insurgents in Iraq.
"When I was in captivity I had to keep my sexual identity a secret from my
captors," he said, adding he could have been killed if his captors knew he was
gay.
Loney, fellow Canadian Harmeet Sooden, Briton Norm Kember and American Tom
Fox of Christian Peacemaker Teams were kidnapped at gunpoint on a Baghdad street
in November 2005.
Their kidnappers, from a group calling itself the Swords of Righteousness
Brigades, demanded the release of Iraqi detainees.
Fox's body was found dumped on the streets of Baghdad in March 2006.
Loney and the remaining hostages were rescued in a military coalition
operation later that month.
OPEN DIALOGUE
Although his speaking invitation was rescinded, Loney said he just wants an
open dialogue within the Catholic church.
"I respect the Archbishop. He seems like a very good and compassionate man,
but I happen to disagree with his decision," said Loney. "I would invite him to
change his mind."
After being turfed by one church, another has stepped in to let Loney speak.
He will deliver a message on pacifism and gospel teachings at Augustine
United Church on River Avenue tomorrow at 1:30 p.m. http://www.winnipegsun.com/News/Winnipeg/2007/10/27/pf-4609276.html
Some anti-Catholics may use this issue as ammo, quick to point out that
Catholics are all intolerent of gays. Let me clear this up now: Catholics are not against gay persons, but rather, they are against their actions of homosexual fornication. Such activity even between heterosexuals is also considered unacceptable, hence this intolerance for fornication applies not just to homosexuals but also to heterosexuals. The simple reason for this is that it's against God's plan, where the sinners are now putting themselves above God, deciding for themselves what the "right" thing is to do.
October 21 The following is from: http://romancatholicvocations.blogspot.com/2007/10/celibacy-is-not-issue-fidelity-is.html ~~~ Celibacy has been blamed for everything from the vocations "crisis" to the recent abuse scandal in the Church.
A few of my thoughts: - Other denominations are experiencing a "vocations" shortage, and in many cases worse shortages, than the Roman Catholic Church. The Episcopalians are an example and they allow every type of person to live non-celibate "priesthoods". Women, married women, men, married men, homosexuals, and openly sexually active homosexuals. "Vocations" shortage just the same.
- Other religious denominations are plagued by abuse scandals as well, they're just not reported on as heavily as those in the Catholic Church. This is not to diminish the outrage that the abuse scandal has been, and the damage it has done to the Roman Catholic Church as well as the dignity of the priesthood in the eyes of many. It is to say that celibacy had nothing to do with it. A lack of faithfulness had everything to do with it.
- In regards to sexual misconduct and abuse specifically, the single largest group of pedophiles in the world, by a long shot, are married, or formerly married, men ("more than 70 percent of the males who molest children report themselves as heterosexual, and most are, or have been, married. "). The media simply ignores the plague that is sexual abuse in America. Best estimates are that between 50% and 66% of all adult women have been sexually molested or abused in some way, at some point in their life, with the overwhelming majority of those at the hands of men that supposedly love them. Of those men, virtually ALL OF THEM are NOT "CELIBATE.
- In education the numbers are terrible, and again none of the perpetrators are vowed celibates: From a CNS Story: A national survey of 2,064 students in 2000 showed that 9.6 percent of public school students from kindergarten through 11th grade reported unwanted sexual harassment or abuse by public school employees, mostly educators, said Shakeshaft, professor of educational policies at Hofstra University in Huntington, N.Y. The survey, done by the American Association of University Women, listed educators as responsible for 57 percent of the abuse with the rest done by other employees such as bus drivers and teachers' aides. Regarding victims, 56 percent of the reported abuses were against girls. Regarding offenders, students reported that 57 percent were males. If the survey were projected over the entire public school system, it would mean that 4.5 million students are subject to sexual abuse or harassment by [non-celibate] school employees, said Shakeshaft. Shakeshaft said a 1994 study she did on disciplinary action against 225 public school teachers who admitted sexually abusing children in New York state showed a lax policy. Only 15 percent were terminated and 25 percent received no disciplinary consequences, she said. Of the rest, 39 percent left the school district, many with a positive recommendation to teach elsewhere, and the rest were informally reprimanded, she said. Experts studying child sex abuse often refer to the sending of child-abusing teachers to other school districts as "passing the trash."
- More on the subject of sexual misconduct in US Schools: AP: Sexual Misconduct Plagues US Schools Hat tip to the Curt Jester for finding this article, and inciting me to make this post. In his usual comic sarcasm his post is entitled: "I had no idea that ...
... so many teachers must have taken a vow of celibacy." As I said, celibacy is NOT the issue, FIDELITY IS. What we need in the Church today are not simply vocations, but holy vocations, and in the case of the priesthood we need virtuos, heroic men, like the overwhelming majority of priests are, and have been, throughout the history of the Church. October 07 Televangelist Don Stewart offers green "prosperity cloths" on his show, and one can get one by simply phoning for one. His program shows us testimonials of people using such a cloth to turn their lives around, as through getting new jobs, or getting out of financial debt. Can such a little green cloth really do all that, and more? 
Proponents against all forms of religion may see this as a clear reason as to why religion can be nonsensical. Religion certainly is valuable when approached with good moral attitudes, however, just like everything else in the world, it has its imperfections, one of which is when some may use it to their own advantage. The following is taken from Don Stewart's website: MAKE A VOW OF TITHE BY FAITH!
A Vow of Tithe by faith is a sacred promise to give God a special offering in advance, based on what we believe God will give us in the future. It’s the same as planting seed today for a future harvest. Since this is a vow on future earnings and blessings, the amount of your vow will be determined by what you are expecting God to do for you. If you are believing for big blessings, then you make a big vow of tithe by faith. The greater your need…the bigger your expectations for the future…the bigger your vow. In other words, the more seed you plant, the greater your harvest will be.
In simple terms, here’s how it works. How much money do you need? If you make a vow of tithe for $1,000, it means you are believing God for $10,000 [emphasis mine]. If you make a Vow of $2,000, it means you’re believing for $20,000. Your future need may be much greater than that. You set the level of your need and vow to give to God according to that need.
I challenge you to make a vow of $1,000 or more.
http://www.donstewarttv.com/Home/GiveOnline/tabid/5387/Default.aspx For some people, especially those who have lost all hope and are desperate to try anything to get themselves out of whatever hardships they may be in, Stewart's appeal can sound quite inviting. If you go to church, your church shouldn't be egging you on to give thousands of dollars, and saying that the amount you believe in God is based on how much money you donate! That is absurd, and is a manipulative way of persuading the vulnerable to give more and more, believing that the more they give, the more they believe in God, and the more God will want to answer their prayers for that new car! When's the last time you heard a priest say that the more you put in the collection basket, the more God will love you? The bottom line here is this: God loves us all equally well, the only problem is that too many choose not to reciprocate or even acknowledge that love, resulting in... evil. Walking past an elementary school playground today, I noticed that some of the kids during recess wore vests that had the words "Conflict Manager" across them. I also saw those kids mediating a dispute between two younger boys. I never had such peer counselling back when I was still playing recess at school, but to have the kids involved in helping out their peers sort out their disagreements is a fabulous idea.
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