Politics
Some Catholic Bishops Reject Pope’s Stance On Blessings For Same-Sex Couples. Others Are Confused
CAPE TOWN, South Africa — Some Catholic bishops in Africa, Poland, and elsewhere have stated that they will not adopt the new Vatican policy allowing blessings for same-sex couples.
Others dismissed Francis’ statement as merely reinforcing the Vatican’s long-standing teaching that marriage is exclusively a relationship between a man and a woman.
The replies demonstrate how divisive the subject is and how Francis’ decade-long attempt to make the church more inclusive to the LGBTQ+ community continues to elicit opposition from traditionalist and conservative Catholic officials.
Bishops in Africa, home to 265 million Catholics, or roughly a quarter of the world’s 1.3 billion Catholics, provided some of the strongest comments. Many of those Catholics live and work in societies where homosexuality is vilified and illegal.
Some Catholic Bishops Reject Pope’s Stance On Blessings For Same-Sex Couples. Others Are Confused
According to the Human Dignity Trust, which advocates for LGBTQ+ rights, 31 of the continent’s 54 countries have laws criminalizing homosexuality, more than any other continent.
Same-sex couple blessings, according to Zambia’s bishops conference, are “not for implementation in Zambia.” Malawi’s bishops conference stated that “blessings of any kind” for “same-sex unions of any kind” would be prohibited.
In Zambia, gay sex is criminal by 15 years to life in prison, and the law classifies it as bestiality. In Malawi, gay sex is punishable by up to 14 years in prison, with the potential of corporal punishment for those convicted.
Zambian bishops stated there should be “further reflection” on the blessings, citing the country’s anti-homosexuality laws and “cultural heritage” that opposes same-sex partnerships as justifications for their decision.
The Polish bishops conference, which is among the most conservative in Europe and a reference point beyond the continent due to its ties to St. John Paul II, has stated that it has no plans to bless same-sex couples.
Some Catholic Bishops Reject Pope’s Stance On Blessings For Same-Sex Couples. Others Are Confused
According to the conference, marriage can only be between a man and a woman, and any sexual activity outside of that is “always an offense against God’s will.” Rev. Leszek Gsiak, a conference spokesperson, made this statement.
It is unusual for an entire national bishops conference to publicly oppose a Vatican policy, though the declaration from the Vatican doctrine office did not instruct bishops to allow same-sex couples to be blessed but provided guidance on how they could be done if people requested them.
The document, titled “Fiducia Supplicans,” states that blessings can be given to people in same-sex partnerships as long as they are not mistaken with marriage rituals and reaffirms that marriage is a permanent union between a man and a woman.
The Vatican office announced on Monday that it has changed its 2021 statement that had ruled out blessings for same-sex couples because God “cannot bless sin.”
In an attempt to downplay any shift, the US bishops conference stated that the church’s teachings on marriage have not changed and that the announcement “articulated a distinction between liturgical (sacramental) blessings and pastoral blessings, which may be given to persons who desire God’s loving grace in their lives,” according to a statement.
Some of the most vehement resistance came from Francis’ typical detractors.
The pronouncement, according to German Cardinal Gerhard Müller, who previously headed the Vatican doctrinal office, is “self-contradictory” because it still says same-sex partnerships are against God’s law while enabling same-sex couples to receive a blessing.
“The church cannot celebrate one thing and teach another,” Müller said in an essay published in religious publications.
Kazakh Bishop Athanasius Schneider, who has long been critical of Francis’ progressive stance, described the new policy as a “great deception.” “The evil that resides in the very permission to bless couples in irregular situations and same-sex couples,” he stated.
Some Catholic Bishops Reject Pope’s Stance On Blessings For Same-Sex Couples. Others Are Confused
In a statement on the Catholic Herald magazine’s website, he and Kazakh Archbishop Tomash Peta stated they had forbidden priests in their archdiocese from delivering “any form of blessing whatsoever” for same-sex couples.
Bishop conferences and church leaders from Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Madagascar, and South Africa also issued public statements, most of which sought to clarify what they described as confusion among their flock about whether the new policy recognized and accepted same-sex relationships.
Many people were concerned that the move was a step toward the Catholic church tolerating homosexuality.
The bishops of Nigeria said there had been different interpretations of the policy in Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country and home to 20-30 million Catholics, and that they needed to make it plain that the Vatican declaration does not allow for a blessing and formal approval of same-sex partnerships.
“The Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria assures the entire People of God that the teaching of the Catholic Church on marriage remains the same,” it stated in a statement. “There is, therefore, no possibility in the Church of blessing same-sex unions and activities.”
Abbé Jean-Marie Djibo, a priest in the Archdiocese of Bamako in Mali, a Muslim-majority West African country, stated the Catholic church in his country would not obey any new policy and demanded that the Vatican explain its decision.
“The church in Mali does not agree with the Vatican’s decision concerning homosexual couples, and the bishops and priests here are calling the church faithful to reassure them that this decision will not be applied,” he went on to say. “This decision concerns only the Vatican, not us.”
“In his message, the Pope used coded words that have been variously interpreted, so we want him to clarify this position for us,” he said.
In the United Kingdom, an organization representing 500 Catholic priests issued a signed letter confirming the Church’s doctrine on marriage and same-sex relationships following “widespread confusion.”
In Zimbabwe, which also has anti-gay policies, LGBTQ+ rights campaigner Chesterfield Samba believes the pronouncement will not affect Zimbabwean same-sex couples whom the church rejects. He stated that he had anticipated opposition from some church branches.
The Southern African Catholic Bishops Conference, based in South Africa, where a liberal constitution allows same-sex weddings, appeared to welcome the possibility of blessings for homosexual couples as proof that “nobody is outside God’s grace.”
However, it said its reading of the pronouncement was that “the blessing is done with the hope of conversion.”
Reporters from the Associated Press Noel Sichalwe in Lusaka, Zambia; Baba Ahmed in Bamako, Mali; Sello Motseta in Gaborone, Botswana; Farai Mutsaka in Harare, Zimbabwe; and Nicole Winfield in Rome contributed to this story.
SOURCE – (AP)
Politics
Trudeau GST Tax Holiday to Cost Taxpayers $6.3 Billion
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced a two-month GST break on some purchases and a one-time $250 rebate for all Canadians earning less than $150,000. The proposed GST break would last from December 14 to February 15.
The Liberals said it would cover various things, including children’s clothing and shoes, toys, diapers, restaurant meals, and beer and wine. It also refers to real and artificial Christmas trees, snack foods and beverages, and video game systems.
The move will cost taxpayers almost $4.7 billion, and the GST exemption will cost an additional $1.6 billion, totaling $6.3 Billion.
The federal government is now running a significant deficit. This raises the question of who will have to foot the $6.3 billion bill for today’s one-time payments. The government will have to borrow the money, and future taxpayers must either repay it or service the additional debt perpetually.
Critics argue that the GST credit is a collection of terrible ideas that will do little to lift Canada out of the long-term economic rut in which our economy is stuck.
Conservative Party Leader Pierre Poilievre responded Thursday to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s pledge of a “GST Holiday” for Canadians, calling it a “tax trick.”
Poilievre stated that the temporary exemption from the Goods and Services Tax on various ordinary commodities “would not make up for the permanent quadrupling carbon tax on heat, housing, food, and fuel.”
Bloc Québécois leader Yves-François Blanchet stated he is “against any idea of a prime minister who says, ‘I will give you money in order for you to consider voting for me.'”
According to the Canadian Federation of Independent Business, temporary sales tax holidays will only increase confusion and administrative burden for small business owners.
A temporary sales tax decrease would help boost demand in some industries, including restaurants, Canadians, and companies, which require sustainable tax relief during the slow post-holiday season.
The changes amid an inflation-driven affordability crisis have left many dissatisfied with the Trudeau government. A federal election is scheduled for before next October, although it might happen sooner if the minority government falls before then.
For months, the Conservatives have held a double-digit lead over the Liberals in public opinion polls, with Leader Pierre Poilievre promising to cut taxes and government spending to restore affordability.
High inflation has also pressured the Liberals to avoid proposing policies that would boost spending and raise fuel prices.
According to the Fraser Institute, The Trudeau government got one thing fundamentally right: Lowering the tax burden on Canadians has benefits. Unfortunately, the policy package it has proposed to deliver tax relief is completely wrong.
It lowers the incorrect taxes, moves taxes temporarily rather than lowering them, does little to improve economic incentives, and punishes future taxpayers. With the holiday season approaching, this attempt at a gift for Canadian taxpayers is the economic equivalent of a lump of coal in the stocking.
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Politics
Matt Gaetz Withdraws as Trump’s Pick for Attorney General
Congressman Matt Gaetz has withdrawn as President-elect Donald Trump’s candidate for Attorney General, citing concerns about a federal sex trafficking probe that cast doubt on his ability to be confirmed.
Gaetz resigned after failing to persuade the Senate to endorse his contentious candidacy. Shortly after Gaetz’s unexpected departure, the president-elect issued a statement applauding his former AG nominee’s choice to seek Senate confirmation.
“I greatly appreciate the recent efforts of Matt Gaetz in seeking approval to be Attorney General. He was doing very well but, at the same time, did not want to be a distraction for the Administration, for which he has much respect. Matt has a wonderful future, and I look forward to watching all the great things he will do!” the president-elect wrote on Truth Social.
Gaetz had earlier stated that he was retiring from his current seat in Congress and would not take the oath of office for the upcoming session, which begins in January. Now that he has withdrawn from consideration for AG, his future in Washington is uncertain.
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Concerned About Matt Gaetz’s Campaign, Senate Republicans Call for a House Ethics Investigation.
Politics
Eric Hovde Concedes The United States Senate Race To Tammy Baldwin.
(VOR News) – Eric Hovde, the Republican candidate for the United States Senate, has acknowledged that he was defeated by Tammy Baldwin, the Democratic candidate for the same seat on the ballot.
Baldwin acknowledged Hovde’s defeat and consented to it. Furthermore, he released a statement in which he contends that the election results are not only inaccurate, but also devoid of any factual foundation.
Eric Hovde experienced this two weeks after the election.
Baldwin emerged as the unofficial victor of the Senate campaign in Wisconsin, a race that was closely monitored by a significant number of individuals. Baldwin was awarded the title of victor on November 6th. Baldwin emerged victorious by a razor-thin margin.
According to the data provided by the Associated Press, Baldwin emerged victorious by a margin of 29,116 ballots, which is approximately equivalent to 0.9 percent of the total votes cast. Baldwin emerged victorious by a substantial margin, as indicated by the results.
Hovde issued his public apology subsequent to the conclusion of the canvassing of the results by the majority of county clerks throughout the state. This process will ultimately result in the results being recognized as official. Publication of Eric Hovde’s decision. Not only were the results announced at this time, but they were also proclaimed in an official capacity.
The exact phrase of the announcement, “Thank you for your support,” was included in a post by Eric Hovde on Monday and published on the social networking site X.
The public was notified of this announcement. The announcement was public on Monday. It has drawn a lot of attention. “It is time to begin moving on.”
In contrast, Eric Hovde’s film began with a somewhat less inclusive tone, which persisted throughout. He made this assumption without offering any evidence to back it up, and his claims that there were “many troubling issues” with absentee ballots tabulated late on election night were factually incorrect. His claims were not supported by empirical evidence.
His claims were unsupported by any proof. Not a single piece of evidence could possibly prove that his allegations were correct. He stated in the statement that “numerous supporters” had demanded that he challenge the election results. He acknowledged receiving the request.
Eric Hovde acknowledged receiving these demands.
In particular, Eric Hovde asserts, “However, a request for a recount would serve no purpose if it were not for a detailed review of all the ballots and their legitimacy, which will be difficult to obtain in the courts.”
Subsequently, you would recount the identical ballots, regardless of their authenticity. This is the reason, as elucidated in this article. This is the rationale for the current state of affairs.
Hovde and his campaign refrained from issuing any public statements subsequent to Baldwin’s disclosure that Eric Hovde had emerged victorious in the election, which transpired over a week after Baldwin’s initial announcement.
The previous week, he uploaded a video to social media platforms that expressed his “deeply concerned” sentiments regarding the election results in Milwaukee.
The election was conducted in Milwaukee. While the film was being screened, there was a discussion regarding the results of the election in Milwaukee. As the ballots were still being counted in the largest city in Wisconsin on the evening of the election, he expressed his “shock” at the sequence of events that had transpired.
Eric Hovde was emphasizing the occurrence of specific events.
In addition, he declared that ballots were still being tallied at the time of the election. Eric Hovde made this declaration during the voting period, while ballots were still being tabulated.
Baldwin’s team referenced her victory speech, which she delivered the week prior to the election, in response to a request for comment that was submitted on Monday.
In response to the campaign’s request, this action was implemented.
A representative of Baldwin’s team has verified that “Hovde has not called,” which is consistent with the information that was disclosed on Monday morning. The representative who provided these details has worked in a variety of capacities throughout their career.
SOURCE: WPR
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