President Biden
NBC
President Biden continues to face criticism as a “cafeteria Catholic” for selectively following Catholic teachings. The Archbishop of Washington D.C. labeled Biden as such for his support of policies like abortion access and same-sex marriage that conflict with Church stances.
Biden’s administration
NBC
Critics were further inflamed when Biden’s administration declared Easter Sunday as “Transgender Day of Visibility” and prohibited religiously themed egg designs in a White House Easter art event, which the Trump campaign decried as an “assault on the Christian faith.”
Cafeteria Catholic
NBC
“Like a number of Catholics, he picks and chooses dimensions of the faith to highlight while ignoring or even contradicting other parts,” Archbishop Wilton Gregory said, calling Biden a “cafeteria Catholic.”
True Catholic
NBC
As a Catholic who holds positions disputed by traditional Church doctrine, Biden has been viewed by some as not a true Catholic.
Chooses to ignore
MSNBC
“There are things that he chooses to ignore or he uses the current situation as a political pawn rather than saying, look: ‘my church believes this, I’m a good Catholic, I would like to believe this,’” Gregory said.
Appalling
NBC
“It is appalling and insulting that Joe Biden’s White House prohibited children from submitting religious egg designs for their Easter Art Event, and formally proclaimed Easter Sunday as ‘Trans Day of Visibility’,” the Trump campaign stated. “Sadly, these are just two more examples of the Biden Administration’s years-long assault on the Christian faith.”
Failing campaign
NBC
“We call on Biden’s failing campaign and White House to issue an apology to the millions of Catholics and Christians across America who believe tomorrow is for one celebration only — the resurrection of Jesus Christ,” said Karoline Leavitt, the National Press Secretary for Trump.
Transgender surgery defies God
Youtube
In stark contrast to the Democrat Party agenda, the Vatican recently released a statement asserting that individuals who undergo gender-affirming surgery are going against the natural order established by God. This declaration, titled “Infinite Dignity,” was approved by Pope Francis after five years of development.
Role of God
Youtube
The statement emphasizes the belief that humans should not attempt to change the biological distinctions between men and women, as doing so would be seen as trying to take on the role of God.
Transgender rights
pixabay
Amid a contentious societal discussion on transgender rights, particularly regarding the participation of trans women in women’s sports and spaces designated for women, a recent report has brought these issues to the forefront.
Criticism
pixabay
Some companies and brands that have shown support for the LGBTQ+ community have faced severe criticism, like Bud Light, a beer brand that found itself embroiled in a social media uproar in 2023.
Catholic Church
Youtube
The Catholic Church has also faced internal divisions on these matters. For instance, former American Bishop Joseph Strickland, who expressed views favoring traditional marriage and criticized gender transition, was dismissed by the Pope, who has been striving to foster a more inclusive environment for LGBTQ+ individuals within the church.
Transgender surgery
pixabay
The Catholic Church views transgender surgery as going against the natural order established by God, categorizing it alongside abortion and euthanasia as practices that deviate from God’s intended plan.
God’s design
pixabay
The report equates transgender surgery to an attempt to override God’s design and interfere with the inherent human dignity bestowed by God, likening it to playing God during a “sex-change intervention” on the operating table.
Corrective surgery
pixabay
While the declaration allows for corrective surgery for “genital abnormalities” that can be medically addressed, it maintains a stance against altering one’s sex through surgery.
Outdated
pixabay
Groups within the LGBTQ+ community that identify as Catholic have strongly criticized the document, labeling it as outdated and contradicting the fundamental principle of acknowledging the inherent worth and value of every individual as children of God.
Violence and discrimination
Youtube
These groups have raised concerns that the document may exacerbate instances of violence and discrimination against transgender individuals.
Gender-diverse people
Youtube
“While it lays out a wonderful rationale for why each human being, regardless of condition in life, must be respected, honored, and loved, it does not apply this principle to gender-diverse people,” said Francis DeBernardo of New Ways Ministry, which advocates for LGBTQ+ Catholics.
Progressive stance
Youtube
While the document displayed a more progressive stance on certain issues, such as affirming that homosexuality is not a criminal offense and condemning countries that treat it as such due to its violation of human dignity, it also addressed other threats to human dignity like poverty, war, human trafficking, and forced migration.
Against surrogacy
pixabay
In addition to criticizing transgender surgeries, the church also took a firm stance against surrogacy. The Vatican emphasized that every child has the right to be born through natural means and to receive the gift of life with dignity, highlighting that the desire to have a child should not overshadow the child’s own dignity as the recipient of life’s gift.
