Post #4: The Pope is still hanging out in your bedroom, and here's what he thinks...

The current Pope, Francis, has made waves for statements such as the above, which appear to be rather radical shifts in official Catholic policy towards LGBT persons. 

A recent Vatican report further clarified, or muddied, their stance on LGBT "lifestyles" and same-sex marriage:
Newsweek: What Did the Vatican Really Say About Gay Marriage Yesterday? Catholics Disagree

The report says, among other things, that homosexuals “need to be welcomed and accompanied with patience and delicacy” and that “[homosexuals] have gifts and qualities to offer to the Christian community.”

Even acknowledging the existence of committed same-sex partnerships is apparently unprecedented for the Catholic Church.  The report went a step further “Without denying the moral problems connected to homosexual unions, it has to be noted that there are cases in which mutual aid to the point of sacrifice constitutes a precious support in the life of the partners,” the report reads. 

The bottom line is apparent in further reading, though.  Pope Francis has also been quoted as saying that being gay is essentially falling prey to "the machinations of the Father of Lies", or Satan.  To me, this suggests that the essential backwards qualities of the 21st century Vatican are not surface level, but speak to a deeper problem in orienting humankind within the context of the universe.  

Christians who believe that our souls are being literally fought over to be claimed for either the forces of God or Satan will naturally extend that dualistic approach to other issues and ideas.  In such a world, there is a right way to act and a wrong way to act, and shades of grey are colored over.  This is a helpful heuristic in understanding the Catholic Church's silence and even cooperation in the face of Nazi and Fascist aggression during the 1930s and 40s. 

It's also helpful in understanding why, despite these overdue advances in the Church's ability to recognize LGBT individuals as children of God, the Church is still incredibly far from truly accepting "unconventional" forms of love, family, and lifestyle. 

I am very interested in seeing political theatre that takes on the Catholic Church and other massive religious bodies that engage in political action (see also: the fundamentalist theologies at work in the Middle East and elsewhere).  It would be particularly exciting to see a performance take place in a Church that was respectful of the sacred environment while also pursuing a subversive and challenging orientation.  We can still love our authority bodies as we gently tell them to grow the fuck up.