SOUNDBITES — “The culture of homosexuality is a culture of self-absorption because it does not value self-sacrifice. It is a glaring example of what John Paul II has called the culture of death. Islamic fundamentalists clearly understand the damage that homosexual behavior inflicts on a culture. That is why they repress such behavior by death. Their culture is anything but one of self-absorption. It may be brutal at times, but any culture that is able to produce wave after wave of suicide bombers (women as well as men) is a culture that at least knows how to value self-sacrifice.” —Part of a three-page tatement from the Catholic Archdiocese in Guam, whose population is 85% Catholic, and which is considering legalizing gay domestic partnerships via Bill 185 (via)
self-sacrifice
Why Are Guam’s Catholics Praising Muslim Terrorists While Denouncing Gays?
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Orpheus_lost
So, Islamic fundamentalists are fighting the good fight against a “culture of death” by killing themselves and others…
Okay…
naprem
Are they fucking kidding with this? Supposed christians are praising suicide bombers?
hyhybt
Wow.
Fitz
I want a pet Lion.
andy_d
I’m with Fitz.
Brian
Christians believe homosexuals are wrong, sinful and deviant. Apparently this Catholic Bishop agrees with actually killing them, too.
terrwill
What a fucking shame that thousands of US Soldiers were killed in the battle of Guam in 1944………..We should have let the Japanese obliterate the entire population…What a vile, despicable statement made by the Archdiocese of Guam. Hey scumbag guess what??? Those islamic fundametalists view the Catholic Church as a satanic institution you fucking assholes! they call for death to all who do not acknowledge islam as the only true religion. Nice work, defending those who would love to blow up your disgusting, hatefull asses………..
Jon B
Okay, it’s just funny now. I literally posted 2 minutes ago on another post about the negative attitude of this website affecting it’s ability to spot satire. So I’m reading this quote and saying to myself, “Wow, this is unbelievable!” and then I say to myself, “Wait, this really is unbelievable…” So guess what I do? I fact check!!! I clicked on the little VIA symbol at the bottom of the page and it takes me to a website called http://www.carnalnation.com. There, you will notice, if you look at the page for more than a second the ads are typical blog ads, which provides a hint this isn’t to be taken seriously. But directly next to the article in question, the author’s bio reads, “Chris Hall is a perverted nerd who has been known to administer severe spankings to writers who confuse ‘its’ and ‘it’s.’ He keeps one foot in San Francisco and one in Brooklyn and his mind permanently in the gutter. He’s the co-founder, with Elizabeth Wood, of the website Sex in the Public Square.”
IT IS CRAZY THAT YOU CAN’T SPOT SATIRE!!! You’re so negative and have such unrealistic expectations of bigotry popping up everywhere that you no longer have any sort of skepticism, which, as journalists (even in the loosest sense), is necessary to foster a healthy level of curiosity.
Jon B
You should really consider taking this post down, or changing the title, or apologizing in the title, because apparently readers believed this, and with the possible exception of Fitz and Andy_D (I have no idea what they are talking about, but I’d like a pet lion as well), they all seem to be pissed off at Guam, the Archdiocese of Guam, and some Bishop who may or may not exist, but in either case doesn’t deserve the hate.
terrwill
JON B: Methinks it is more of an indictment of the anti-Gay poo that spews from the leaders of many denominations of religous entities that one would not hesitate to think that the posting is something they actually WOULD say!
Jon B
Okay, now I have egg on my face, and I’ve fallen victim to what I’ve accused you guys at Queerty of, over-negativity causing me to jump to conclusions. Apparently, this is a real story. Unfortunately, Archbishop Apuron released a 3 page letter to the press in Guam regarding Bill 185, which would legalize domestic partnerships, in which he does make those comments. While I’m ashamed I made such a stupid mistake, and in such a humiliating way, wouldn’t it have been better to link here (http://www.guampdn.com/article/20091021/NEWS01/910210340/Church–senators-meet-on-Bill-185) to a real news agency, or here (http://www.docstoc.com/docs/13611117/In-Bill-185-the-Stakes-are-Very-High) to the actual document released?
Mike L.
Wait. They’re praising suicide? Wow.
rudy
Ratzinger and his corrupt regime have shepherded his church into absolute depravity.
Solis
How much further off the deep end can the Leadership of the Catholic Church go? Absolutely disgusting!
Michael vdB
After all the gays area dead, who is next?
Mark
Everybody has this image of “crazy Christians” based on what they hear in the media, but it’s just not true. Most Christians are normal, decent folks. Read on and try not to laugh:
http://www.theonion.com/content/opinion/im_not_one_of_those_love_thy
Solis
Hey Terrwill, I don’t think “letting the Japanese obliterate the entire population [of Guam]” would have solved anything other than eliminating my grandparents and parents who fortunately survived that war. The point here is that the Archbishop of Guam has joined the ranks of the Bush Administration in spreading fear amongst his followers. Many leaders of the Catholic Church continue to express their ignorance, but is by far one of the most bizarre statements made by a Catholic Bishop. Apparently, the negative side effects of years of hair perming solutions have started to seep into his brain! And if you’d like to know, the sentiment on Guam among Catholics and non-Catholics alike seem to reflect opposite that of the Bishop’s weak and ignorant leadership. Even my 80+ year old mother isn’t buying into it!
hyhybt
The trouble is, you can’t *make* a satire of religious nuts without it turning out to be true.
For instance:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/religion/6346662/North-Carolina-church-plans-Halloween-Bible-burning.html
Attmay
God bless the lions.
Don Bosco
I live on Guam. This is all very real. Guam is a very Catholic community, but even by its own standards, there has been a backlash in the community. It is very embarrasing, but I encourage everyone to speak about it so our local prelate is somehow made accountable for the hateful statements he made. The statements are outrageous. Remember this is a U.S. territory. I’m hoping it draws attention and results in some kind of official admonishment from the Catholic Church, muslims or the GLBT community.
terrwill
Solis: My Bad. How bout I ammend my post to read, the ancestors of the vile scumbags who now spew the poo eminating from the Church and those who embrace it? Excluding your GrandParents, Parents and those who call out the hateful scumbags for who they are ;-P Just when I read a post where anyone defends islamic subhuman scum I kinda go off the rails………..
Marianne C
Actually, no, CHRISTIANS don’t believe that terrorists or suicide bombers are better than Gays. Fanatics may believe it. Fundamentalist fools may believe it. Doctrine of Hate fulminators may believe it. But REAL Christians? No.
As a Christian, I apologize to anyone who’s been injured or offended by that kind of vile and despicable rhetoric. And I want to say I’m getting pretty sick/tired/fed up with homophobic, misogynistic, benighted fools claiming to speak for Christianity and by extension for Christians everywhere. They do not speak for me. The Archdiocese of Guam does not speak for all Catholics, much less all Christians. Whoever wrote that utter claptrap ought to have to put his writing hand in the fire to purify it before the rest of him burns in hell.
Please understand that the Guam statement is not a statement of Christian principle. It’s a statement of hatred and bigotry and judgmental stupidity. People like this Archdiocese have chosen not to merely ignore the message of Christ or to edit it to suit themselves, but to turn it inside out, to reverse it, to alter it at its very foundation. They’ve warped religion so it’s all about themselves, their own hatred, and their failure to accept their fellow man, not about spirituality, decency, compassion, and brotherly love.
This goes so far past insane and obscene that words fail. But trust me, people: it ain’t Christian. Christ was not big on hating your fellow man. Nor did he ever say, “Reject one another as I have rejected you.” He never appointed the Catholic church to sit in twisted judgment over us all. And Christ never, ever, uttered a single word against homosexuals.
Suicide is supposed to be a mortal sin to the Catholics. So is wanton murder. Does that moron even understand what he’s praising while the church he claims to support fails it’s parishioners, it duty to mankind, and its children? And while pondering that point, find me a Gay who hasn’t had to sacrifice a very great deal just for being Gay when there are people in this world who believe as the Archdiocese of Guam believes. Who didn’t have to sacrifice something in coming out of the closet? And who doesn’t sacrifice something every day of his life for staying inside it?
This is just another example of how fanaticism has perverted religion. I suspect there’s a special corner in hell reserved for clergy who stir up hatred against the innocent.