A confused Gene Robinson and a clear-thinking Pope Benedict

Episcopal Bishop, Gene Robinson was in London yesterday and throwing his weight around. He has been acting in a way that can only be described as self-righteous in the extreme. The fact that he does not seem bothered about splitting the Anglican communion in two casts serious doubt on whether he should be a bishop, regardless of his sexual orientation. I am a studied neutral on the question of homosexuality. But the pro-gay wing of the Anglican Church do seem to try very hard to alienate everyone who does not agree 100% with them. They are not asking for tolerance but whole hearted acceptance of their sexual proclivities.

As well as being self-righteous, Robinson is also ignorant. He said (BBC story here): "Pope Ratzinger may be the best thing that ever happened to the Episcopal Church. I find it so vile that they think they are going to end the child abuse scandal by throwing out homosexuals from seminaries. It is an act of violence that needs to be confronted." In fact, we know that no such instruction has yet been issued despite the fact that most cases of abuse were carried out by homosexuals. We hear that the instruction will be a good deal milder and demand only a proven track record of celibacy. That seems sensible given the enormous damage that the child abuse issue has inflicted on the church. Robinson's rhetoric sails very close to the wind of anti-Catholic bigotry, something I thought the Anglican Church had finally got out of its system. The best thing that Robinson could do for gay rights in retire to a hermitage and never open his mouth again.

Meanwhile, some more evidence that Pope Benedict won't be sitting in the box expected of him. As reported here by William Rees-Mogg in the Times, the Vatican has further distanced itself from Creationism and Intelligent Design. Personally, I think this is the way to go. I wish the ID movement well but I fear they are wrong and heading for a fall.

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