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Vatican Blasts Trans Surgery, Surogacy, Etc

Evangelicalhumanist

"Truth" isn't a thing...
Premium Member
In its most eagerly anticipated section, the Vatican repeated its rejection of “gender theory,” or the idea that one’s biological sex can change. It said God created man and woman as biologically different, separate beings, and said people must not tinker with that or try to “make oneself God.”
Just a shame that God didn't apparently produce ALL humans with the binary male or female makeup then, so a failure by God? o_O
Or perhaps a failure of Church teaching?

In my view, the (un-evidenced) supposition of a "soul" as part of human nature is the cause of much poor philosophy among theologians. The problem is encountered when we ask the question: "What is the self?"

Is it the same as the "soul?"​
Are both of them simply ways of describing, or referring to, the mind?​
Does "mind" simply refer to the thinking side of a human being, or to something more?​

It would be great if we could simply define these terms from the outset, but this is not possible because what is meant by "mind" or "self" is only revealed in the course of examing theories about how minds and bodies are related. There are three broad possibilities:

That minds are unreal; there are only bodies,​
That bodies are unreal; there are only minds,​
That there exist both bodies and minds, distinct from one another, but linked together in some way.​

These 3 are, of course, materialism, idealism, and dualism, the latter of which has rather dominated western thinking. I am not familiar enough with eastern thought to say much, except I think that it is rather dominated by idealism.

But all of this leaves no room, in my opinion, for a "soul" which doesn't seem to mean very much at all. If memories are stored within brain tissues, then the soul cannot carry memories sans body, and what is mind without memory?

To sum up (leaving out a lot of very abstruse philosophy) if dualism is a correct-ish theory, then it is possible, though perhaps not likely, that mind and body can sometimes be out-of-alignment. And yet, because they are distinct but linked together somehow, then it seems to me that the person they are together is still a "whole person. I like to think of Jack Russell Terriers, small dogs who appear to think they are very large. I think it quite possible that a person can possess the physical features of a male, and a mind that feels itself to be female. And I would assign to that person the same "whole dignity" that the Church is playing with in this document.
 

Mock Turtle

Oh my, did I say that!
Premium Member
Or perhaps a failure of Church teaching?

In my view, the (un-evidenced) supposition of a "soul" as part of human nature is the cause of much poor philosophy among theologians. The problem is encountered when we ask the question: "What is the self?"

Is it the same as the "soul?"​
Are both of them simply ways of describing, or referring to, the mind?​
Does "mind" simply refer to the thinking side of a human being, or to something more?​

It would be great if we could simply define these terms from the outset, but this is not possible because what is meant by "mind" or "self" is only revealed in the course of examing theories about how minds and bodies are related. There are three broad possibilities:

That minds are unreal; there are only bodies,​
That bodies are unreal; there are only minds,​
That there exist both bodies and minds, distinct from one another, but linked together in some way.​

These 3 are, of course, materialism, idealism, and dualism, the latter of which has rather dominated western thinking. I am not familiar enough with eastern thought to say much, except I think that it is rather dominated by idealism.

But all of this leaves no room, in my opinion, for a "soul" which doesn't seem to mean very much at all. If memories are stored within brain tissues, then the soul cannot carry memories sans body, and what is mind without memory?

To sum up (leaving out a lot of very abstruse philosophy) if dualism is a correct-ish theory, then it is possible, though perhaps not likely, that mind and body can sometimes be out-of-alignment. And yet, because they are distinct but linked together somehow, then it seems to me that the person they are together is still a "whole person. I like to think of Jack Russell Terriers, small dogs who appear to think they are very large. I think it quite possible that a person can possess the physical features of a male,r and a mind that feels itself to be female. And I would assign to that person the same "whole dignity" that the Church is playing with in this document.
Presumably you did understand why I said what I did - that the words ascribed to God don't apparently tally with the reality He created?
 

Shadow Wolf

Certified People sTabber & Business Owner
Excerpted...
VATICAN CITY (AP) — The Vatican on Monday declared gender-affirming surgery and surrogacy as grave violations of human dignity, putting them on par with abortion and euthanasia as practices that it said reject God’s plan for human life.


Considering that the Pope seeks some control over
non-Catholics, I say that he & Catholicism are
the real threats to human dignity.
BTW, Michigan (where Revoltistan is) just legalized
surrogacy. So **** you & your Supreme Court, Mr Pope,
This being the same Vatican who crapped on Galileo for nit conforming to their crap, slash, being correct over their idiocy.
 

Heyo

Veteran Member
Dissent too much, & you get excommunicated.
Nah, that was hundreds of years ago. Today, they are just happy when some of the dissenters don't leave by themselves. There really is only one thing that gets you expelled: not paying your taxes/tithes. Priorities.
 

Debater Slayer

Vipassana
Staff member
Premium Member
Wow, y'all are letting the anti-Catholicism flow in this thread. This really doesn't matter unless you're a Catholic. I was and I left over my disagreements with its teachings. You're not going to see me blow a gasket because they still uphold those teachings. This literally is nothing new. Surrogacy, IVF and sex changes have never been permissable under Catholic teaching. I realize there wasn't a specific teaching about transgender/transsexual people but you couldn't seriously expect them to approve of it.

Since Catholicism still heavily involves proselytizing and has legal influence in some countries by way of conservative Catholic politicians and lawmakers, I think it is perfectly reasonable and even necessary for non-Catholics to weigh in on Church policies and positions that can impact or have already impacted their lives.

Any religious organization that encourages missionary work or preaching is essentially implying that its doctrine and teachings are suitable for others, that they should spread, and that, effectively, as many people as possible should base their decisions around both. Such decisions often include voting on policies and laws whose reach extends far beyond Catholics only.

I think the argument that the Church's teachings only apply to Catholics and that non-Catholics have no business criticizing said teachings is undermined by 1) the Church's continued support for proselytizing, and 2) the fact that some Catholic politicians and lawmakers base some of their decisions that affect non-Catholics around Catholic teachings or the positions of the Church.

I don't care what the Church states about doctrinal issues that only concern or affect Catholics, but I do care when some of the Church's positions influence discriminatory or hostile social attitudes and laws that deny non-Catholics some of their rights and freedoms.
 

Colt

Well-Known Member
Excerpted...
VATICAN CITY (AP) — The Vatican on Monday declared gender-affirming surgery and surrogacy as grave violations of human dignity, putting them on par with abortion and euthanasia as practices that it said reject God’s plan for human life.


Considering that the Pope seeks some control over
non-Catholics, I say that he & Catholicism are
the real threats to human dignity.
BTW, Michigan (where Revoltistan is) just legalized
surrogacy. So **** you & your Supreme Court, Mr Pope,
Salinity has returned to the church!
 

ppp

Well-Known Member
Salinity has returned to the church!
They have always been a salty lot. Or is that Lot's wife? They’ve been fishing for souls in much saltier seas. The stoup can now be used to preserve fish as well as faith. The choir can be heard singing A Might Fortress in our Cod, while the priests play brine the cucumber. Blessed are the Saltshakers. I guess that Aquinas is actually a man of only one season.

It is a miracle!! I'm cured!
 

ppp

Well-Known Member
Excerpted...
VATICAN CITY (AP) — The Vatican on Monday declared gender-affirming surgery and surrogacy as grave violations of human dignity, putting them on par with abortion and euthanasia as practices that it said reject God’s plan for human life.


Considering that the Pope seeks some control over
non-Catholics, I say that he & Catholicism are
the real threats to human dignity.
BTW, Michigan (where Revoltistan is) just legalized
surrogacy. So **** you & your Supreme Court, Mr Pope,
By their bitter little poisonous fruits ye shall know them. It's a rotten tree that drops rotten apples.
 
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