Diocese banning visit from gay author and sacking governors that approved it

[gymgymgo]

The Archdiocese of Southwark over-ruled one of its own headteachers and is sacking some governors because they approved the visit of a children's author who writes books about fictional gay characters. They've said the visit is "outside the scope of what is permissible in a Catholic school". The school's chaplain has said "the event is about promoting the literature of a lifestyle choice that is contrary to the teachings of Jesus Christ." Some of the teachers are now threatening strike action. Aibu to think this story will blow up in the diocese's face?

inews.co.uk/news/catholic-state-school-john-fisher-southwark-diocese-governors-cancel-visit-gay-author-simon-james-green-1505735

@elliejjtiny

It's not clear from the article how old the children are or whether the books have characters who happen to be homosexual or if there is more detail than that. Cancelling a visit from an author just because they are gay is not on imo but having someone come in to talk about and promote homosexuality in a Catholic school would be like inviting McDonald's to come in and do a burger cooking workshop in a school for vegans (if a school for vegans existed).

I'm a Christian and while I read books with homosexual characters in and watch glee/modern family (as do my teenagers), I don't think it would be appropriate for someone to be teaching people in a church or a church school that being a practising homosexual is a good idea.

The children from that school are secondary age, but the diocese also cancelled a visit to a primary school. The author's books for primary children don't have any romantic/sexuality content. The teens ones I've read have gentle, non-graphic romance elements

We live in a secular country. Anyone who goes to the effort of finding a job at or getting their child a place at a place at a religious school knows what they’re getting. And, frankly, they deserve what they get.

Sadly it isn’t surprising, people with these views are also the ones not only creating the next generation of homophobes, they’re also the ones destroying the childhoods of gay children.

[quote Lovelteers]@OpheliaThrupps ‘ It's their religion. Homosexuality is a sin.’

Didn’t take long for the crazy homophobes to pop up, did it ?

That’s the problem - this kind of action allows others to feel free to start spewing their hatred too.[/quote]
It's not just Catholicism though is it? How do Muslim schools deal with this? Isn't it also against Islam?

@CounsellorTroi

The school's chaplain has said "the event is about promoting the literature of a lifestyle choice that is contrary to the teachings of Jesus Christ."

Jesus never said anything about it.

Are you sure about that? Jesus definitely talked about marriage in Matthew 19 and marriage was between a man and a woman. These aren't my words, but His. "Have you not read that He who made them in the first place made them man and woman? It says that 'for this reason a man will leave his father and mother and live with his wife. The two will become one." There is no excuse for homophobia or bigotry. But equally, the amount of rage and bigotry against people who believe that marriage should be between a man and a woman is rather eye watering....

At no time are out young people told it’s wrong.
It's most definitely a sin in Catholic theology, your young people are not being taught the Catholic faith

Pope Francis has been very clear that everyone is welcome.
Sinners are always welcome of course. The subtext though is that they will be helped to stop sinning. The Church is also very clear that homosexuality is a sin! They dance around it a lot, and try not to say it, because it makes them sound like a bunch of bigots. But it is a non-negotiable part of their religion.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-56402096

@OpheliaThrupps. Acting on it is considered a ‘sin’ ie sex outside of marriage - that’s all. And in that situation it is really about how sex without the emotional element is a sin against the ‘self’ ie shortchanging one’s self.

Also, I wouldn’t get you information on this from a BBC short article - it is both more and less complex than the mainstream media likes to portray.

Basically, sex exists within the sacrament of marriage (and sacrament is the important bit). Same sex people cannot marry (in the eyes of the Church) therefore decided is prohibited. It is a technical answer. Because even the Church knows the human heart is far more complicated than that and actually doesn’t legislate about feelings, just actions.

It may seem a moot point to some but actually it is pivotal in understanding the position for gay people in the Church. A very important move has been made to acknowledge the feelings and inner lives of gay people and recognise this as equal to heterosexual witching in a Christian space. There are many, many clergy and lay who create the body of the Church and make it as inclusive as possible.

*witching ? Within

exactly why all schools should be secular

@OpheliaThrupps

It's their religion. Homosexuality is a sin.

This isn’t homophobic it’s fact Catholic’s believe homosexuality is a sin It’s completely nuts but it is what they believe so I can see why it would be an issue to show homosexuality as anything other than a sin at a Catholic school and it’s naive to think otherwise. Religion has no place in education IMO

It’s not - I ‘ve just explained it! Being ‘gay’ is not a ‘sin’ for Catholics

Where do you get your information from? If this was any other topic you would be rightly shot down for talking nonsense and perpetuating some of the hate we see online and off.

Bellalastrasse I struggle massively with the moral compass of people who are able to accept that their deity wants gay people never to have sex because only a married male/female couple is allowed to have sex. You'd need to be seriously twisted to find that acceptable.

As a practicing Catholic living about 50 yards from the school I hadn't heard about this talk until it was banned. My church Whatspp group is going mad now with people mostly saying that is a disgrace it was banned and that this sort of institutionalised bigotry makes us ashamed of our church. James Clark has done more to damage John Fishers and the Catholic churchs's reputations than an age appropriate talk to teenagers about accepting difference ever could.

The Catholic Church teaches that gay sex is a sin. It’s one of the many reasons that I left the church as soon as I was allowed to. Even as a 12 year old I could see that it was utter bullshit.

I think it might actually do a lot of good. Showing how bigoted and backwards they are will drive young people away from the church at an even faster rate!

@pointythings

Why do you need to struggle with the moral compass of such people? That’s fairly meaningless. You don’t have to concern yourself with other peoples beliefs and vice Verza. You certainly don’t need to judge them on your own moral scale.

Sounds quite bizarre. You don’t have to agree with the church. Many practitioners don’t agree with all of it.

It is, as I have said, both more complex than the rubbish written about it implies and yet more simple a faith than the doctrine people get wound up about, think.

The Catholic Church.

Where you can hush up and excuse child sexual abuse but you can't even tolerate fictional writings about gay people.

State schools should not be under the control or influence of any religion.

@Ncwinc we have people on this thread saying they work in those schools and don’t say that!

What about non Catholic teachers in. At pic schools? Do you think they would say that?

I don’t agree with any of this btw, I just can’t stand the people who blithely quote Catholic belief and practices when they know nothing about them in real terms, just something they’ve read off the internet.

I don’t see the issue. It’s entirely what I’d expect in a Catholic school which follows church teaching.

[quote Lovelteers]@OpheliaThrupps ‘ It's their religion. Homosexuality is a sin.’

Didn’t take long for the crazy homophobes to pop up, did it ?

That’s the problem - this kind of action allows others to feel free to start spewing their hatred too.[/quote]
What did she say that was homophobic?

The Catholic Church teaches it. Not Catholic teachers As in ‘according to Catholic teaching’.

Catholic Church in outdated homophobic non-shocka

I agree @Comtesse

But do people really believe this is about the well being of Catholic children?

Let’s not forget why the schools came about in the U.K. in the first place, eh?

In 70s London the only multicultural schools were Catholic - teachers and staff. That’s been nicely ignored, hasn t it?