CitizenSugar -- Breaking News, Together.

Vatican Opposes Decriminalization of Homosexuality?

LibertySugar — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 15:30:42 -0800

The United Nations is set to vote on a resolution that would call on all governments to decriminalize homosexuality. Yet almost 80 states that still criminalize homosexuality, as well as the Vatican, oppose the measure proposed by the European Union. Specifically the resolution would condemn the jailing and execution those found guilty of homosexuality, which happens in countries like Iran.

The Vatican argues that while the teachings of the Church forbid unjust discrimination, a UN resolution would put pressure on countries that do not recognize same-sex marriage. Still regardless of concerns about gay marriage, there may be good reason to pass the resolution — decriminalizing homosexuality would help fights AIDS by bringing treatment and prevention programs into the mainstream.

Are you surprised the Vatican would come out against this UN resolution?

Source

Vatican Installs Solar Panels On Roof

CitizenSugar — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 15:40:22 -0700

Vatican Installs Solar Panels on Roof The first solar panels were installed Monday on top of the papal audience hall at Vatican City. Workers began putting photovoltaic cells on the roof of the hall to convert sunlight into electricity. In sunny Rome, engineers say the cells will produce enough electricity to illuminate, heat, or cool the hall.

Vatican Says Female Anglican Bishops Reveal a Divine Divide

LibertySugar — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 03:00:39 -0700

The Roman Catholic Church has signaled the start of Schism 2.0 (at least), thanks to the Church of England's decision to allow women bishops in its Church. As for its own clergy, the Vatican has promised automatic excommunication for any Catholic bishop who attempts to ordain a woman as a priest.

The Catholic cardinal in charge of the Pontifical Council for the Promotion of Christian Unity said:

"Such a decision is a break with apostolic tradition maintained in all of the Churches in the first millennium, and is therefore a further obstacle for reconciliation between the Catholic Church and the Church of England."

The cardinal warned that the Church of England's decision would have a long-term impact on the previously fruitful interfaith dialogue.

Does the Catholic Church's belief that since Christ chose only men as his apostles, only men can be priests represent an irreconcilable difference between Catholics and Anglicans? What would be gained by a healthy dialogue between the two Christian churches that separated during the 16th century?

Tom Hanks/ Prof. Robert Langdon Not Welcomed in Church

LibertySugar — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 14:30:21 -0700

Tom Hanks is a persona non grata in all of the churches of the Vatican and Rome. The Vatican has banned the filming of Angels and Demons, Dan Brown's sequel to The Da Vinci Code because it is "an offense against God."

The head of the Vatican's Prefecture For Economic Affairs said:

[The stories] turned the Gospels upside down to poison the faith. It would be unacceptable to transform churches into film sets so that his blasphemous novels can be made into mendacious films in the name of business.

The Church did not even read the script, as the name Dan Brown was enough to merit a ban. In The Da Vinci Code, Brown suggests that Jesus married Mary Magdalene and had children, and Angels and Demons paints a picture of corrupt leadership in the Catholic Church.

I'm still trying to decide whether viewers are sophisticated enough to distinguish between fiction and accepted theology. Still, while modern moviegoers may wish the Catholic Church lightened up for the sake of art and entertainment, it's hard to imagine the Church freely giving its stamp of approval. Would it not lend credibility to the theology created by Dan Brown? Do you approve of the Church's disapproval?

Source

The Vatican Updates the Seven Deadly Sins

CitizenSugar — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 10:04:24 -0700

Looks like they might have to remake the movie Se7en, because the Vatican just added a whole shebang of new sins — hot, fresh, and updated for the modern world. The list was overhauled in response to the Pope deploring the “decreasing sense of sin” in today’s “secularized world” as well as falling numbers of Roman Catholics going to confession.

What's new on the list? Pollution, drugs, and genetic manipulations, for starters. According to the new rulings, genetic manipulations are considered violations of the fundamental rights of human nature, drugs "weaken the mind and obscure intelligence," — and all this is combined with the widening social and economic differences between the rich and the poor "cause an unbearable social injustice."

Why the update? To find out,