[TheRealThing]

I hope not. I know they are seeking to improve communications, but at this point they are clinging to their values. They need to take a firm stand on right and wrong and not give in to society. The clammy tentacles of the LGBT movement have hit western Europe pretty hard, but at this point the eastern European countries are highly conservative socially. Italy seems to be split 50/50 on the issue. Considering an estimated 300,000 - 1,000,000 people just marched against civil unions (and that's not even as far as marriage) hopefully the influence there will continue to last and grow.

Pope Francis is much more conservative than he's being presented as. I wish he would take a stronger stand against communism rather than capitalism and I certainly don't agree with his stance on global warming, but he does believe in the structure of the traditional family as well as being pro-life. He is big about how the Church presents itself. The media, for whatever reason, is out to try to twist his words in any way they can. I do wish he would place an emphasis on protecting the unborn.

We are seeing a cultural shift in some Churches. The United Church of Christ, well, Barack Obama was a member of that Church for many years. I am greatly disappointed in the Episcopal and Presbyterian Churches, both of whom in recent years have decided to accept gay marriage into their congregations. It's not a surprise though given how their congregations have been susceptible to "evolving" with society on moral issues. I anticipate the Methodist Church of "open minds, open hearts, and open doors" will eventually cave to it. Right now they are at a 50/50 split on the marriage issue, but they do believe in pretty much everything except for marriage. Not to mention, they call it sexual orientation.

"Equal Rights Regardless of Sexual Orientation

Certain basic human rights and civil liberties are due all persons. We are committed to supporting those rights and liberties for all persons, regardless of sexual orientation.

We see a clear issue of simple justice in protecting the rightful claims where people have shared material resources, pensions, guardian relationships, mutual powers of attorney, and other such lawful claims typically attendant to contractual relationships that involve shared contributions, responsibilities, and liabilities, and equal protection before the law.

Moreover, we support efforts to stop violence and other forms of coercion against all persons, regardless of sexual orientation."

Some Methodist Churches are more liberal than others. There are some that are all about bowing down to the LGBT community while others cling to traditional values.

I would say that at this point the Catholic Church has held to traditional views moreso than the Episcopal, Presbyterian, United Church of Christ, or even the Methodist Church. The big issue with Catholicism is that they have the Catechisms.

This comes from the Catechisms:

Article 6:2357 - Homosexuality refers to relations between men or between women who experience an exclusive or predominant sexual attraction toward persons of the same sex. It has taken a great variety of forms through the centuries and in different cultures. Its psychological genesis remains largely unexplained. Basing itself on Sacred Scripture, which presents homosexual acts as acts of grave depravity,141 tradition has always declared that "homosexual acts are intrinsically disordered."142 They are contrary to the natural law. They close the sexual act to the gift of life. They do not proceed from a genuine affective and sexual complementarity. Under no circumstances can they be approved.

It's clear as clear gets. I'm not Catholic, but if one who is questions the passages in The Books of Leviticus or Romans, they definitely shouldn't be questioning the clarity of this.

Barack Obama certainly did a great job with the freak show he sent out to greet Francis, didn't he?

Yes he did. And it's really annoying that so many among the media are steadfast to report that Obama is a Christian. That situation does however serve as a glaring example of what most people think Christianity is all about. I can assure them that tolerance of abortion and homosexuality is not representative of viable Christianity.

This idea that Christians are not to judge others does not mean we are to accept those sins, or the raft of legislation coming down in support of them. Christians are led by the Holy Spirit, and though they may well feel led to witness to these folks, they will never be led to embrace them as being different. As I have said in the past, if it had been the Lord Who made them do such things, He wouldn't be right in judging them for committing those sins.