I'm a bad Christian
The archbishop of Athens and the head of the Greek Church is once again meddling with politics. In his sermon today he supported Buttiglione
Personally people who talk about defects and sins in the same sentence scare me. In his little moral world, where evolution and genes have no place everything is simple. Homosexuals chose a sinful lifestyle.
I'm sick of hearing the political views of a religious leader who has repeatedly said that he can't expressed his opinion on the military coup of 1967, because he was too young. He wasn't too young to get a promotion.
(*) The title is a link to an article in Greek. I only tried to translate a small part of the archbishop's sermon as presented in the article.
Edit: I wanted to say that the title is a statement of my political views, but it's not. What you choose to do with your personal life shouldn't be a political statement.
Because he was a good Christian, when they asked him his opinion on the marriages of homosexuals, he responded as a good Christian. That being a homosexual is a sin in the eyes of God, it's not a criminal offence. (...) that we shouldn't speak, because those who have the defect are annoyed, because they want all the others to accept it as a normal situation (*)
Personally people who talk about defects and sins in the same sentence scare me. In his little moral world, where evolution and genes have no place everything is simple. Homosexuals chose a sinful lifestyle.
I'm sick of hearing the political views of a religious leader who has repeatedly said that he can't expressed his opinion on the military coup of 1967, because he was too young. He wasn't too young to get a promotion.
(*) The title is a link to an article in Greek. I only tried to translate a small part of the archbishop's sermon as presented in the article.
Edit: I wanted to say that the title is a statement of my political views, but it's not. What you choose to do with your personal life shouldn't be a political statement.
posted by Maria | 10/31/2004 08:57:00 pm
I agree that using defect and sin in the same sentence is unfortunate, bordering on scary. But as far as Buttiglione himself was concerned, I'm also frightened of a world in which one's personal views must toe the line before one can be eligible for office. He clearly stated that he saw a clear distinction between his personal views and his job as a member of the Commission and his personal views.
All of which is pretty irrelevant, because the Parliament was baying for blood, and he just gave them the excuse they needed. These parliamentarians couldn't give a damn about gay rights, unless it somehow enables them to assert strength from a position of apparent moral superiority.
The entire episode has me sick to my stomach.
Actually I believe that your archbishop is right. There is a huge discrepancy between what the Church (Greek, Roman, it doesn't really matter) teaches and how many Christians think of gay rights, gay marriages, adoptions of children, etc. I am an absolute atheist and I dislike discrimination of any kind. But what can you expect from the Church? The Church still condemns use condoms, the pill and abortion in general. How could it possibly accept homosexuality? *rolls eyes*
So much for religion and religious leaders, politicians, however, have no such excuse. In the EU state and church are officially separated. Therefore opinions like Buttiglione's, perhaps founded on his religious believes but maybe just on intolerance, are not acceptable for a member of the Commission.
Just my two cents. ;) Btw, I am not the only anonymous here any longer. :P
Cashima
Anomymous #1,
Buttiglione's personal opinions were in opposition with the job he would have been assigned. How can someone support views he doesn't believe? The personal opinions should never be taken in consideration when they are irrelevant, like the football club someone supports, but would you have accepted him if he had said that nationA should have fewer votes, because Christianity isn't the prevailing religion? Another, more extreme example: Would you hire a teacher, who admits to being a pedophile, but not acting to his desires?
Cashima,
the Greek Church is making progress. A couple of years ago our archbishop officialy admitted the existence of the big O. Shocking, isn't it?
Shannon,
thank you for finding that reference. The fact is the Bible is full of metaphors and symbolic meanings that everyone can interpret however he/she likes.
Well (to start from somewhere, 'cause I'm really pissed right now), as good as your translation is, "defects" cannot exactly give the meaning of the greek extremely derogatory term "kousouria"... And I really can't understand how an archibishop can refer to some people as having "koysoyria" when it comes to their personal choices/preferences/needs/urges which, as you say, is eventualy all a matter of genes. Or is it a God's matter? And if it is, then why doesn't God like what he created?
I'm really sick of this guy and the ones that blindly follow him. Those who were killed in the Technical University of Athens 30 years ago weren't too young to die, were they? But he was too young to say anything...
And now he is the right age to express his personal views (making 'em sound as if they were the church's) on everything and everyone. It's just so sad...
Well, to hell with him... I really wonder if I'm gonna meet him there...
Antonis
Antoni, I wouldn't be surprised if I found out he's one of those that believe no one was killed that day. I must say I don't remember any past speeches on the occasion, so I'm curious to see whether he's going to make any statement tomorrow.
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