Tuesday, 23 Dec, 2008 Current Events

This Monday Pope Benedict XVI raised a wave of disputes, saying that saving the world from homosexual and transsexual behavior is just as important as saving the rainforest from deforestation. In his message the pope addressed to the central administration of Vatican, Curia, saying: The tropical forests do deserve our protection. But man, as a creature, does not deserve any less."

He spoke aggressively against gender theories, saying that they "lead towards the definitive emancipation of man from creation and the creator". Thus it may be understood that those who are not heterosexual represent a threat to the humanity. The pope misinterpreted science, saying that the church must protect not only the earth, water and air but also it should defend the human person against its own obliteration.

"What's needed is something like a 'human ecology,' understood in the right sense. It's not simply an outdated metaphysics if the church speaks of the nature of the human person as man and woman, and asks that this order of creation be respected," he said.

It is worth noting that the cultural and social definitions of sexuality, which were strongly attacked by the pope in his speech that criticized the gender theory, appear to be irrelevant if taking into consideration genetics and neuroscience. For instance, the genetic proof that sexual orientation is programmed before birth, is growing. Scientists also support the theory that homosexuality develops by natural selection.

The speech of Pope Benedict was highly criticized by gay groups. According to Aurelio Mancuso, the head of Arcigay, Italy's leading national gay rights organization, the pope's message is not backed by science. "A divine program for men and women is out of line with nature, where the roles are not so clear," he said.

The gay groups said the pope's speech represented an unfounded assault on homosexuality and especially on those who undergo sex change, reported The Guardian.

According to the Catholic Church, homosexuality does not represent a sin, but the acts of homosexuality are considered sins. The church is against gay marriages. This year a Vatican official stated that homosexuality represents "a deviation, an irregularity, a wound".

Today Father Federico Lombardi, a Vatican spokesman, outlined that the pope did not have the goal of attacking homosexuality or sex change. According to him, Pope Benedict wanted to talk generally about gender theories, which "overlook the fundamental difference in creation between men and women and focus instead on the role of cultural conditioning".