Catholic Support for Queer Equality: No Surprise!

At Religion Dispatches, Paul Gorrell says nobody should be surprised that Catholics collectively favour LGBT equality. He writes about the recent study by the Public Religion Research Institute (PRRI), which shows that Catholics do so in greater numbers than the population at large, and are increasing that support, and observes that

..on every LGBT rights question, including DADT and job discrimination, a high percentage of the Catholic population supports the move toward full participation of LGBT individuals and the necessary legal protections to create the environment for that participation.

Perhaps most surprising, 70% of Catholics surveyed believe that the words of their priests in sermons can contribute to the suicides of LGBT teenagers. In other words, Catholics understand that orthodoxy from the pulpit has consequences and they’re concerned with both the means and the ends when it comes to LGBT rights.

The Catholic support for equality is more in keeping with Catholic tradition and orthodoxy than the prejudice that so scandalously contributes to youth suicides. Gorrell lists 5 reasons why this support should not come as a surprise:

1. Catholics have an underlying commitment to social justice built upon a prominent liberal notion that we are meant to serve each other and pay attention to those who suffer most within our society.
2. Catholics love ritual.
3. Catholics believe in both individuality and community.
4. Catholics are highly skeptical of the sexual teaching of their Church.
5. The pedophilia crisis undermines any teaching which denies LGBT rights.

Read the full post at Religion Dispatches