Defenders of the Faith

"For Whoever is not against us is for us."
Mark 9:40

Defenders come from all corners. Benjamin Rodkin delivers an impassioned defense of the Faith--from outside the Communion! Behold:

First, Porcaro states that the Church has affirmed its stance against "gay rights." I do not know if she has ever bothered to read the catechism (I know it's long and boring, much easier to just criticize the Church than actually read what it teaches), but the Church affirms the dignity of all people regardless of race, religion or sexual orientation. The Church does oppose gay marriage, which I understand some people see as a "right" (except of course when it comes to polygamy, then all of a sudden the right of people in love to marry no longer becomes inalienable), but such opposition does not equate itself with being against "gay rights."

Porcaro is quite right to say the Church condemns the homosexual lifestyle and she also correctly notes that it condemns divorce and pre-marital sex of any kind, but she then goes overboard by writing "I don't see the Vatican issuing edicts targeting divorcees or college students and their places in the church. There is a famous story in the Bible where the prostitute Mary Magdalene is to be stoned. Jesus stands in front of her and tells the men that 'he without sin may by the first one to throw a stone.' Guess how many rocks were tossed?"

The Church does in fact regularly condemn divorce and heterosexual sex outside of marriage - again, its all there in the catechism, do take the time to read it - and Pope Benedict XVI's first encyclical "God is Love" criticizes modern culture, which has turned sex into something about selfish pleasures rather than real romantic love. Porcaro is also wrong to say Magdalene was a prostitute; she was not. Furthermore, what did Jesus say to the sinful woman after he had defended her from those who wished to stone her? "Go your way and from now on sin no more!" (John 8:11).

Yes, Catholics and Christians in general (the same goes for Jews or any other religious group) have an obligation to love their fellow man and woman, but that does not mean condoning everything they choose to do. Porcaro is right to say that the judgment should be left to God, and that, in fact, is what the Church teaches, but no one is obliged to condone sin. You may love your friend dearly, but if he or she was a thief, a drug addict or worse and did things you knew to be wrong, you may love him or her nonetheless but would not say what he or she were doing was somehow OK. If Porcaro thinks the Church's view of homosexuality or sexuality in general is wrong, that is her opinion and she is entitled to it, but what is unfair is for her to force her opinion upon the Church.

Eloquent, empathetic and completely on-target! Mr. Rodkin's Foolishness evicerates his Reasonable interlocutors typical tripe with an account of the Church's teachings. I salute his fair defense.

More like him, please!