The "New" Pope

Ratzinger was the late Pope John Paul II's enforcer of stark views on many issues that, for all the church's proclamations of love, fuel disdain. In 2003, Ratzinger issued a proclamation condemning government recognition of same-sex unions saying that instead it was the government's responsibility to "avoid exposing young people to erroneous ideas about sexuality and marriage." Calling civil unions the "legalization of evil," Ratzinger said politicians who vote for them are "gravely immoral." Ratzinger went on to condemn adoption by gay parents, saying, "Allowing children to be adopted by persons living in such unions would actually mean doing violence to the children." This is the same Vatican that had barely a thing to say about the American clergy child sex-abuse scandal. And when it did, Ratzinger downplayed it.

The Catholic Church Steps Backwards
by Derrick Z. Jackson
April 21, 2005
ZNet