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LGBT Parenting
My childhood priest thinks the devil made me gay (vent?)
So last night, C was looking at the news on my ipod and handed it to me to read this story, having no idea that the priest mentioned in it was one of my priests growing up.
The background here is that I was raised Catholic, with some of my family still practicing. My grandmother still attends the same church I went to growing up. I am no longer religious at all (haven't been since I was a teen), and am not sad about my religious past, or conflicted at all about religion.
But reading this piece hurt. And I thought some of you might understand. I guess I am just looking for some comfort in sharing with others.
My experience with Catholicism wasn't overtly negative - my church was not at all fire and brimstone-y, and I never once heard a priest, nun, or teacher (I was in Catholic school for several years) say anything about the evils of being gay. Not once. Even when I set off a mini-scandal at school when it got out that I thought I was gay.
While as an adult, I have many many issues with the church, as a child, it wasn't ever really a negative place for me, just one I ultimately decided I didn't fit into. The priest who wrote this piece, suggesting that the devil made me gay, is someone I made confession with on numerous occasions, who knew me by name, and who was thought of by many of us kids as a "cool" priest.
And then to read this...
I mean, I'm not an idiot, I know the Catholic church (as an institution - not talking about individuals) is not what one would call pro-gay, but I guess just seeing those words in black and white, knowing they were written by someone who was a positive part of my childhood was painful.
Thanks for reading.
Mrs._F
sahm ~ toddler breastfeeder ~ cloth diaperer ~ baby wearer
sahm ~ toddler breastfeeder ~ cloth diaperer ~ baby wearer
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Re: My childhood priest thinks the devil made me gay (vent?)
sahm ~ toddler breastfeeder ~ cloth diaperer ~ baby wearer
I will limit my comments to saying that it must be super-convenient to be able to blame Satan for everything that seems icky to you. What a nice little box for your BS.
Ugh. I'm sorry, Mrs. F.
I agree with leapgirl that blaming Satan is super convenient. I'll start today when I tell my boss why I'm not quite done with my project: Satan made me NOT do it. I wish life were that simple... *sigh*
that sucks
its always hard when you can put a face to the hate - especially when its so close to home.
Blogs: Our Growing Family - CT Working Moms
I'm sorry, Mrs. F. Sometimes the hatred stings so badly. *Hugs*
this is borrowed from MRS. F Just a standard disclaimer - while I am not religious, I respect the beliefs of others. I know many here are active in many different faiths, and I hope none of the above comes across as disrespectful, that is not my intent.
I have a really hard time understanding how a gay person can be religious and follow something/someone who supposedly denounces them? Just as I have a hard time understanding how a Gay person can be UBER/STAUNCH republican.
I welcome enlightenment - its so hard for me to grasp I have a dear dear friend who is Gay but super religious and I see how she is so torn between the two that she will probably live her life alone because being gay is bad - so I have major head trip issues and can not for the life of me get this -
-J
our Blog -http://dosbabies.wordpress.com/
You're right, CT - giving a very familiar face to the hatred is no fun.
Makes me sad that some of the people I love can turn a blind eye to this kind of stuff and keep supporting the institution.
Thanks so much for reading and replying ladies. Just sharing with you and reading your responses has made me feel much better.
sahm ~ toddler breastfeeder ~ cloth diaperer ~ baby wearer
I think rejection from anybody that was supposed to mold us (spiritually or otherwise) and was an important part of our childhood is hurtful. So, I understand your hurt.
J is very, very religious. She just says God made her the way she is. I am still struggling with my own sprituality (also raised Catholic), but was questioning the exsistence of God before I ever came out. I went to a Catholic college and knew somebody who was gay but she refused to acknowldge it and will probably always be alone because being gay was a "sin" and she couldn't live that way/deny God.
BTW I saw my alma mater is now listed as an inclusive insitution. I don't know when that happened, I don't think it was when I went there.
I think it is the same reason you can be religious and still not agree with every tenant of that religion's teachings/dogma. For example, most American Catholics use birth control. I was raised Catholic and will probably raise my kids in a Church (although we are looking at gay-friendly Lutheran and Episcopal churches)--for me it is a sense of a social contract. I believe there is a value of taking some time out on a regular basis to reflect on our blessings and remember that we are all in this together and with that comes a responsibility to help our "neighbors" out. Looking at the Catholic Church, for all its short-comings, it has a deep and profound tradition of social justice and economic justice and those are values that are meaningful to me. For a long time, I chose to value those goods over the short-comings and stay involved. Now that we have children--for me--that balance has shifted away from the Church, but I still understand why others make a different calculation.
ETA--I am really sorry to here about your experience Mrs. F. I would find that very painful as well.