In a Cardinal newsletter published in diocesan newsletters last week, the head of Hong Kong's Catholic church rejected all calls for changes in the definition in marriage.
The Cardinal used the communication (published September 30) to reaffirm the institute of marriage as a union between man and woman.
The letter takes note of global changes to the definition of marriage and strongly encourages readers to keep marriage as a heterosexual union.
Cardinal Hon remarks that "The resulting climate change [of same-sex marriage legislation in the USA] in moral attitudes and conduct towards sex and marriage, if not properly addressed, can be as bad as and even worse than climate change in the physical environment."
He goes on to argue that "Redefining marriage by turning it into a gender-neutral or genderless regime is to undermine its very rationale."
Cardinal Hon also suggests that Mr Justice Kennedy's (who ruled that "the right to personal choice regarding marriage is inherent in the concept of individual autonomy" ) ruling does not have the right to redefine marriage and that "those judges who handed down the judgement are not God."
Diocesan Family Commission officer Michael Tse said the pastoral letter was timely. "Though the situation of Hong Kong is not as serious as Taiwan or the U.S., the storm is coming soon," he told ucanews.com.
The actual approach of the diocese toward gay Catholics is often considered a disaster among some community members who said they could not publicly announce their sexuality due to the conservative environment in Hong Kong, according to ucanews.com.
"They just do not know they are hurting us. I hope the church can have more substantial ways to help LGBT people spiritually and psychologically, rather than denying us," said Teresa, a lesbian Hong Kong Catholic.
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Reader's Comments
This man should be commended for his wittiness and his good taste.
"Though the situation of Hong Kong is not as serious as Taiwan or the U.S., the storm is coming soon"
So they are afraid!
If only they could leave the State separate from the Church (esp. where they are a minority church)
We have 7 billion people on this planet and we need to find new strategies to control a burgeoning world population.
Certainly, we no longer need policies intended to encourage population growth nor to allow the "church" - regardless of brand-name - to dictate the hearts-and-minds of people.
Even in those countries where having kids is the best form of superannuation, Eg. much of Arabia, Asia and Africa, a negative population growth is almost mandatory.
This man/Neanderthal/dinosaur (I am being 'polite') is a blow-back to a time when few were educated and church ministers/priests (who would want to be called a priest these days, the very name is positively prehistoric) were the advice resource for the "common man/woman".
These days are mostly long gone - the majority can Read, Rite and do Rithmatic - so the structure that used to be needed is no longer. We have schools, colleges and universities that do a better job of education than the "church" has done or could ever do.
If CTT is serious about the 'evils' of climate change then he would or should know that reducing world population by 2 or 3 billions would be a good start. Encouraging loving m2m, f2f and other non-reproducing unions would also be a great start in that direction.
Please retire CTT, you have outlived your - and your churches - usefullness.
There is no God.
Silly man
His arguments are a great antidote for the hypocritical, self-serving, self-righteous, and simply dishonest arguments of the likes of HonTong, and, also in HK, of the few leaders of creepy evangelical / Christian Right groups -- Society for Truth and Light (really!), New Creation Society, Hong Kong Alliance for Family, Hong Kong Sex Culture Society -- who rise up whenever anti-discrimination legislation is proposed.
I know that the vast majority of HK people are tolerant and essentially broad-minded people. Christians account for 10 percent or less of the HK population, and within that small group there are just a few rabid RC and evangelical individuals, each with a small flock of SHEEP, who, luckily for those few leaders, don't choose to use their critical thinking abilities to tell those leaders how unChristian and inconsistent their Biblical arguments are and how dishonest are their arguments about "natural" families....
According to the Present Pope he tolerates Gays but thats as far as it goes so much for loving your fellow man according to their religion.
It looks like the Pope is committing a sin according to their beliefs.
His God is 'close-minded' and 'discriminating'...just like him!
Whereas my God is 'open-minded', non-discriminating, accepting everyone and allowing anyone to get marry in their free-will!
Marriage is a union and life-long commitment of two individuals, regardless of their race, language, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, social status, nationality, etc, etc, etc. There should be no discrimination for marriage of two individuals!
Never ever to allow an extreme religion like this to destroy the progress of humanity to become more civilize...
Didn't a fellow called Adolph do the same things with some innocents called Jews in the 1940s?
There is NO PLACE for religion in my bedroom … and the way things are headed … probably no where in my Life !!!
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