A lot of public attention and criticism has been directed at Rev. Marcel Guarnizo, the Washington, D.C.-area priest who denied the Eucharist to a family member and bailed out in the middle of a deceased woman’s funeral last weekend. Naturally, folks are curious to know Fr. Marcel’s side of the story.
Washington Post blogger Mike Rosenwald sought out Guarnizo, in order to hear him out.
I wondered how old Guarnizo is. I wondered if he was a nice guy. I wondered whether he was a rigid man, or a forgiving one.
Unfortunately, Guarnizo isn’t talking.
Until Guarnizo comments, this is what the public has seen in the past: A hardline public figure who defames a doctor who performs abortions and, Rosenwald observes, “compares the doctor and the act of abortion to the crimes and criminals of Nazi Germany during the Holocaust.” Watch, and compare to what Jesus would do:
Methinks we won’t be hearing an apology from Guarnizo to the bereaved family and other funeralgoers anytime soon.
Steve,
First, I think this conversation in general started off the wrong way. The majority, although not all, the people on this site are gay/lesbian/bisexual/transgendered/queer. We don’t like to be told that we’re going to hell. We also don’t like to be told that we are sinners for the simple reason that we want to be with the one we love. If you are going to do so, please try to be a little more calm about it. Remember that we are people too. Also, remember that most of us (I’m young enough and have grown up in a supportive enough family to never have) experience/experienced discrimination and hatred from family, “friends” and religion.
Second, if you’re not trying to “save” us (and we do appreciate it), what is your goal? If it is to engage in dialogue, we’re totally fine with that, just try to keep it respectful. We can talk calmly about the Bible and religion or public reactions to LGBTQ issues. We’re totally fine with that. We can talk about politics too if you want. Let’s just try to do it without the name calling.
As for the liberal/conservative thing, let’s look at it this way. I have some health issues that I’ve had for years. I’m also lesbian. My core belief is in the fundamental and inherent dignity of all people and their right to a decent quality of life. I am a liberal because I would like to be able to get healthcare even with a precondition. I am a liberal because I would like to get married someday and have a family. I am a liberal because I think that war should always be a last resort but that we do have an obligation to protect innocent lives. I believe that conservatives make some valid points and should be listened to. I don’t believe that we should take all rights away from churches. I do believe in the separation of church and state. I absolutely do not believe that the faithful have nothing to contribute. The impression I have received from many conservatives is that I as a woman cannot control my own body or decide whether or not I want to have children. Also, that I must keep silent when lawmakers take away my right to live a life of my own choosing. I have heard conservatives declare that the LGBTQ community all should be killed or deported. I’m not saying that liberals are always right or always polite and respectful but I am saying that when confronted with someone who tells me that I deserve to suffer and die for who I love, I find that more offensive by far.
Let’s have a respectful conversation, alright. (I won’t be online again for hours. School…)
@steve poor troll… you are so ignorant to the LGBT community
Well said Emma. The ‘love the sinner, hate the sin’ argument does not fly. Period. End of story. It makes no sense. ‘But it’s in the Bible!’ So is the message that women are evil. So is the command that children must be killed for being unruly. So are many other ridiculous ‘rules’ that no one in their right mind would follow.
We want to be left alone, to date and marry who we want, and hold hands in public without worrying about getting beaten up. Transgender people have the right not to be brutally murdered walking around in public the way they are. There’s nothing sinful about that.
I don’t want to worry about getting fired for being a lesbian. When I’m old, I don’t want to worry about living on the street because I can’t find housing. I don’t want to end up poor because I was denied a pension as a result of my spouse being the wrong gender. If the government’s going to reward men and women for marrying, regardless of why they got married, it’s not too much to ask that the rest of us get the same benefits. It’s about equality and dignity.
Steve said “priya Lynn. No nasty and witty liberal response to my posting proving you wrong? WEAK.”.
Steve bitches about people being nasty and then bitches that I haven’t been nasty to him – make up your mind on what you’re going to whine about Steve, you can’t have it both ways. Steve in order to prove me wrong you’ll need a biblical passage that says god was mistaken, god was wrong, he didn’t mean it when he said animal sacrifice was a permanent covenant between you and him and that permanent covenant to do animal sacrifice is repealed. You can’t proved that because it isn’t there Steve. You haven’t proven me wrong, I’ve proven you wrong.
Steve said “You don’t know what you are talking about, like most liberals.”.
LOL, unlike you I’ve read your bible Steve. None of your excuses for breaking god’s permanent covenant to do animal sacrifices are in there. Cafeteria Catholics like you decided early on that one of god’s commandments didn’t appeal to them so they made up excuses to falsely claim it didn’t apply to them. Its your god’s covenent FOREVER Steve, what part of FOREVER don’t you understand?!
Nice try Steve, you fail again, one more strike and you’re out.
Steve said “As for being homophobic. I have no fear of or contempt for homosexuals.”.
LOL, your dishonesty couldn’t be more obvious, you have nothing but contempt for gays.
Steve said “I hate the sin, not the sinner.”.
There’s no such thing. Who we are is not divorced from what we do, what we do is a direct consequence of who we are. Who we are attracted to is a core feature of who a person is, if you hate that then you most assuredly hate the person – one can never be seperated from the other.
@Dennis…the pitifully confused.
I think I’ll go check out this other site, http://www.liberal_lies_exposed.com. Don’t bother responding, I won’t be around to see it. Buh-bye.
and the troll fap fap faps away?
Steve said, “I love women. I’ve been married to one for almost 18 years.”
That’s really not very impressive. I know plenty of gay guys who were married for many years, and then finally mustered the courage to live in accordance with their true natures. One of them was married for over twenty years and fathered six children. And then there are those who are still married while seeking homosex on the side. I know some gay guys who tell me they would seldom have sex if it were not for married men.
My age gives me a long timeline of observation: I remember some guys I know living as gay in their twenties, then they submitted to the social pressures to get married, and finally walked away years later. I even attended a few of the weddings.
Oh, and by the way, I’ve been with my husband for over thirty years.
That website doesn’t seem to exist. Was this supposed to be a joke? I can come up with links to actual websites that expose right wing lies. It’s deliciously ironic that people who call liberals liars keep using lies to try to prove it.
Awww and I thought we were getting somewhere… Was it that as soon as I stopped humoring troll-ness and asked him what he was really on about, he went away?