Pope Francis stuns the press

By reiterating Catholic teaching as well as the basic assumption most societies have embraced for the better part of history.

I think that in some ways Pope Francis has drawn a thicker line in the sand between the progressive approach to human relations, especially sexuality, than many thought.  After all, before Pope Francis, the Left could say the Church and its leaders were all about hate, oppression, intimidation, and bigotry.  Because leaders, when pressed, took more traditional approaches to condemning non-heterosexual normality, it was easier to say they were all about hate; hate being defined nowadays as failing to affirm progressive values.

Pope Francis, on the other hand, said it was all about mercy, all about not judging, all about love.  And he was praised for doing so.  Since then, however, he has also reiterated time and again the Church’s teachings on human nature, human relations, and human sexuality.  In doing this, he has left those who would criticize the Church with no recourse than to say hatred is defined as anything that fails to conform to their values.  It’s no longer based on how things are said, or how individuals are treated.  Pope Francis has made sure of that.

Say what you will, but apart from conformity to a particular moral viewpoint, he has not expressed hatred or contempt or bigotry toward the LGBT community.  Since that’s the case, then at least we now know what is demanded from some on the Left.  It’s not a case of how you treat people, speak to people, love people or accept people.  It’s that you accept a particular moral framework, and nothing less than complete conformity to that framework will be tolerated.