Letter to Pope: Protect LGBT Youth

[William769]

The head of a New York homeless shelter for LGBT youth wants the pope to see the impact of church teaching on LGBT youth.

The head of a homeless shelter for LGBT youth published an open letter to Pope Francis in The New York Times today, asking the leader of the Catholic Church to change its teaching on homosexuality.

Noting that religious parents tend to reject their LGBT children at higher rates than their secular or less religious counterparts, Carl Siciliano, executive director of New York's Ali Forney Center, wrote, "Jesus Christ is never recorded as having said a word in judgment or condemnation of homosexuality or of LGBT people. He spoke of a loving, compassionate God, and commanded his followers to act with love and compassion. Jesus spoke of God as a loving parent who would never abandon his children."

In an interview with The Advocate, Siciliano said that he is "“less interested in words than actions, and the church's hostilities against gay people haven’t stopped at all," citing the rash of firings of gay people in Catholic institutions and the Catholic bishops continued public opposition to marriage equality efforts.

Still, he said, he admires the pope's focus on economic justice, and said he approached the issue of homeless LGBT youth from that angle.

When families reject their LGBT kids for religious reasons, the consequences include "economic destitution," he said.

http://www.advocate.com/politics/religion/2014/04/13/letter-pope-protect-lgbt-youth

[theHandpuppet]

1. Thanks for posting on this issue

Here's another article regarding homeless LGBT youth:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/113734602

[William769]

3. Thanks for the link.

[Bluenorthwest]

2. Francis thinks Jesus was a failure, Francis is the New Superstar, here to correct the slacker

Jesus who omitted all the hate and bigotry Francis wants others to hear from his message. Francis is an evil man his 'economic justice' rhetoric is a cover for rapist priests and bigoted theology.

[theHandpuppet]

4. A kick for an important issue

[Cha]

5. Heartwretching! So glad this letter has been addressed

to the Pope, William~