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Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Archbishop Marek Jędraszewski Speaks

LGBTQ Activism Is the New Communism, Catholic Archbishop Says


From the Advocate
BY TRUDY RING
OCTOBER 07 2019 


Archbishop Marek Jędraszewski
The Roman Catholic archbishop of Kraków, Poland, has claimed LGBTQ activism threatens to oppress his nation as communism did.

“Currently we are living at a time in which the next great threat to our freedom has appeared,” Archbishop Marek Jędraszewski said in a pastoral letter dated September 28, “and it is of a totalitarian nature. … Its source is — just like the totalitarianisms of the 20th century — a radical rejection of God.” The letter is in Polish, but it was translated by right-wing U.S. site LifeSite News.

“As a consequence of this rejection, a new vision of man is being proclaimed in which he becomes a caricature of himself,” he continued. “As part of gender ideology, there are attempts to obliterate the natural differences between woman and man. Moreover, through the aggressive propaganda of LGBT ideology in the name of so-called ‘tolerance’ and ‘progress,’ that which is most sacred to us is mocked.”

“This clearly reminds us of the totalitarian times of the [communist] Polish People’s Republic, when social advancement was guaranteed only to members of the Communist Party, and [Christian] believers were treated like second-class citizens,” he added. He further said that LGBTQ-inclusive sex education programs, recommended by the World Health Organization, were harmful to children. 

Another right-wing site, Church Militant, also reported approvingly on Jędraszewski’s letter and noted that he had given a sermon earlier in September in which he called LGBTQ activism a “rainbow plague” that is afflicting the nation just as communism, the “red plague,” once did. “Not Marxist, Bolshevik, but born of the same spirit, neo-Marxist,” he said, according to the site’s translation. “Not red, but rainbow.”

Poland is heavily Catholic, and while the Catholic hierarchy in some European nations has made friendly overtures to LGBTQ people (although the church has not budged in its doctrine), Poland remains deeply conservative and homophobic. However, in the past few years, LGBTQ activists and supporters have held Pride parades in some Polish cities and made other efforts to push the nation toward a more accepting attitude.

A conservative American student in Kraków, Filip Mazurczak, told LifeSite News that Poland is in the midst of a “religious cold war.” But he predicted the nation will resist calls for LGBTQ equality, and he offered a bizarrely caricatured view of LGBTQ activists and allies.

“While Warsaw hipsters may love LGBT as much as they love veganism, bands nobody else has heard of, and not shaving, a large part of Polish society is conservative and Catholic and opposes this,” he said.

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The Archbishop should stay with the apologies and penitence for the church abusing so many children for the centuries.  The church has harmed far more children than LGBTQ activism ever would. Plus the church's "gender ideology", relegates women to subservient leadership roles.  WWJD?  

For those within the LGBTQ community who are still Catholic, what do you think? Are you part of the "Red Plague"?





9 comments:

  1. I do not see the religion as being monolithic. The current Pope has not made the statements of the Polish Archbishop. The religion is many things to many different people. In some places I think they are even permitting married priests and women in clergy.
    In 2011 my youngest brother was ordained as a deacon. Each deacon was encouraged to select a special mission. He chose as his mission to work to make the church more open, acceptable and comfortable for LGBT.
    Movements for change take time. If forced from above (or for that matter from below) they tend to lack the sincerity of true societal change. While it looks like the archbishop is concerned with 'activism' rather than LGBT people in general and I could not agree with the statements made in the post, that does not mean I do not wish the Polish people peace and happiness. His views may also be a result of having had to practice his religion underground during the 'communist' era in Poland.

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  2. I am Catholic. I set as one of my goal for 2019 to reestablish myself any faith community. Your post-is timely, as I anticipate I'll be speaking with my parish priest sometime today regarding his feelings of having me come back to my parish as a woman. I haven't been back since I transitioned a little over a year ago. I will let you know how it goes. My parish is traditionally been very liberal. We shall see.

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    1. HI Marcia,
      Please let us know what happens. I am sure many would like to know the outcome.
      Thanks for the comment.

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    2. Well, I had a nice conversation with my parish priest, Fr. Don. He told me repeatedly: "I want you back" and "you are welcome." He also told me there would be no hang ups in me receiving the Eucharist. And so, back I will go this weekend and see how it goes!

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    3. That is good news - Thank you for sharing.

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  3. I have yet to read of any position of the Catholic Church and many others which outlines a basis for their position.As far as "t" is concerned they only have an old testament quote re: wearing clothes of the other sex. Based on 2019 Fashion Week most women are in sin. emily

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  4. I am Catholic. I am not part of the "Red Plague". I am part of the beautiful world that God created. In this world, there are no mistakes created by God. Therefore I am whom God wanted me to be. God asked us all to love everyone even if I don't understand them. These people are forgetting what Jesus taught in describing the second part of the Great Commandment: "Love thy neighbor as thyself."

    In a recent NY Times opinion piece it was pointed out that the number of people who identify with a religion and Christianity in particular is decreasing. The decrease was, in large part, ascribed to a few blowhards such as the ones who are described in your note. People are rejecting the hatred so called Christians are spewing and are rejecting religion because they believe the blowhards are actually portraying the true teachings of the religion.

    Do I understand why God put me on this earth with a brain that is part male and part female? No, of course not but I continue to search for what I am supposed to do with it. Has God made me more empathetic than I might have been otherwise, I believe this is true. Do I believe that I must love everyone no matter what? I believe my experience has taught me that well.

    So the folks in your note are, first, behind the times with the science behind gender. The church will eventually catch up (recall Galileo). Second, they are not following the teachings of Jesus. It remains to be seen how God will judge them when the time comes.

    Love to all,
    Leann

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  5. For those who are are unaware of him, I would suggest looking up Fr. James Martin and his work on discussing the position on the Catholic church's relationships with the LGBTQ community. He has recently had a session with Pope Francis, requested by the pope, which Fr. Martin described in very positive terms. So this Archbishop and his followers are far from the only voice in the Church.

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  6. How heart warming!
    Dont you just love when RELIGIOUS INSTITUTIONS politicize HATE?
    Religious leaders like him (plenty of them HERE in the good 'ol USA) are single handedly destroying the 'Christianity Brand'; while wondering about dwindling membership (and diminishing income).
    As for me, I am a loyal member of
    "The Church of The Late Sunday Sleeper".
    Velma

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