In his new book, Pope Benedict issues a strong rejection of violence in the name of God.
“Violence does not build up the kingdom of God, the kingdom of humanity,” Benedict writes. “On the contrary, it is a favorite instrument of the Antichrist, however idealistic its religious motivation may be. It serves not humanity, but inhumanity.”
I find this passage from the book Jesus of Nazareth—Holy Week: From the Entrance into Jerusalem to the Resurrection puzzling in light of the Pope’s past statements about gays and lesbians. Can the pontiff not see that his words against gays and lesbians do, indeed, inflict—if not physical violence—spiritual violence on a whole community of people?
The basic teaching of the Catholic Church that gays and lesbians are “intrinsically disordered” is painful enough; but the pontiff has singled out gays and lesbians for much more pointed attacks.
Just last year, Pope Benedict called same-sex marriage one of the most “insidious and dangerous” threats facing the world today. Back in 2008, he compared homosexuality to climate change and said it was a threat to human survival.
At that time, Rev. Sharon Ferguson, chief executive of the UK’s Lesbian and Gay Christian Movement called the comments “totally irresponsible and unacceptable.”
“When you have religious leaders like that making that sort of statement, then followers feel they are justified in behaving in an aggressive and violent way because they feel that they are doing God’s work in ridding the world of these people,” she said.
Sticks and stones may break bones, but words have consequences as well. When the Pope takes to his bully pulpit to point a finger at “Antichrists” who promote violence, he needs to remember there are three fingers pointing back at himself.
