The Catholic church has a long history of ostracizing and demonizing the LGBTQ+ community. Pope Francis seemed to be revolutionizing the Catholic church’s views on the community until saying the church cannot bless same-sex unions.

The Vatican has officially decreed that priests cannot bless same-sex unions.

Seemingly out of nowhere, The Vatican released a statement claiming that priests cannot bless same-sex unions. The announcement further claims that homosexuality is a sin and that God cannot bless sin. Furthermore, the decree from The Vatican determined that sexual orientation is a choice, which is archaic and hurtful thinking.

The Vatican’s claim that sexual orientation is a choice has been debunked.

The decree from The Vatican claims that by blessing same-sex unions, The Vatican would be blessing a “choice and a way of life that cannot be recognized as objectively ordered.”

Some try to claim that homosexuality is a choice yet that has been scientifically debunked. There are wide studies that show that genetics are likely at play when it comes to determining someone’s sexual orientation. The “gay gene” has been observed when studying brothers of differing sexual orientations.

The announcement brought up some of The Vatican’s long-discussed hypocrisy.

In 2019, it was reported that The Vatican invested heavily into the Elton John biopic “Rocketman.” The movie follows the life of Elton John and his journey through the music industry while coming to terms with his sexual orientation. The movie shows John struggling to be who he is very early in his career and the damage not having a proper support system could cause.

The Vatican’s decree goes against Pope Francis’ own comments from last year.

Last year, Pope Francis caught the world’s attention when he was caught on camera in a documentary. The pope spoke on same-sex unions and endorsed them.

“Homosexual people have the right to be in a family. They are children of God and have a right to a family,” Pope Francis said in a documentary. “Nobody should be thrown out or be made miserable over it. What we have to have is a civil union law—that way, they are legally covered. I supported that.”

Some clerics in the Catholic Church are pushing back against the latest decree and saying they will bless same-sex unions.

READ: Pope Francis Says That Women Are Now Allowed to Read Scripture During Mass and People Have Conflicting Emotions

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On February 8th Pope Francis signed a health ordinance written by Cardinal Giuseppe Bertello. The ordinance threatened to “interrupt employment” of anyone who refuses the vaccine without a valid medical reason.

The decree cited a 2011 law that says employees will face “varying degrees of consequences that could lead to dismissal” if they do not take proper safety precautions.

They also added that those who are unable to get vaccinated for legitimate reasons will be transferred to a position that does not interact with the public as much.

Although many were surprised by the decree, the message is line with Pope Francis’s longtime stance towards vaccines. Last month, Pope Francis told that Italian press that choosing to vaccinate is “an ethical choice”.

“[Without vaccines], you are gambling with your health, with your life, but you are also gambling with the lives of others,” he said. Pope Francis received his vaccine in January.

The news quickly caused an uproar on social media, with many finding the decree to be overly harsh.

Wait until the next stage, where those who choose not to or can't have the 'vaccine' will be excluded from society. Already happening in Israel, the Vatican and Indonesia.

— Lynn Brittney (@LynnBrittney2) February 18, 2021

Many social media users finding the decree to be overly-controlling and contrary to Pope Francis’s general message of grace and mercy, and the right to individual freedom.

Of course, some people became worried about the implications of this requirement, their minds conjuring up images of dystopic futures. “Wait until the next stage, where those who choose not to or can’t have the ‘vaccine’ will be excluded from society,” wrote one frightened Twitter user. “Already happening in Israel, the Vatican and Indonesia.”

Some people, however, seemed to not have paid attention in social studies.

For example, controversial GOP Congressman Madison Cawthorn of North Carolina tweeted out that the Pope’s decree “doesn’t sound legal”.

“This doesn’t sound legal…” he tweeted. “One shouldn’t be forced against their will to be vaccinated. The vaccination is there for those who want it, and are in need of it due to medical vulnerabilities.”

While this may be a righteous philosophy, the Pope is, indeed, allowed to do this. As historian John Marshall told Cawthorn: “Sir, you are aware the Vatican is a sovereign city state, governed by an absolute monarch?” Marshall tweeted. “It’s not governed by American law…”

Still, the backlash prompted Vatican officials to amend their stance on mandatory vaccinations.

Cardinal Bertello’s office released a statement on Thursday night saying that “alternative solutions” would be given for those who don’t want a vaccine. Bertello’s office wrote that the decree had been “intended to allow a flexible and proportionate response to the balance between the health protection of the community and the freedom of individual choice”.

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