The consequences of enforcing doctrine at all costs

I’ve now watched the Catholic trailer below called Wonderfully Made, LBGTQ+ R(eligion) over ten times with no less tears than the first time I watched it.  My ultra-conservative background in the Anglican Church of Nigeria and then in conservative trad Catholic circles awakened my eyes to the damage that can be done when Church teaching is forcefully applied to the point of pushing people into suicide and lasting spiritual and psychological harm. I am not an advocate for dismissing Church teaching either but living within it to the best of our ability without lasting harm.  For most people who are incapable of life-long celibacy without incurring lasting harm, this would include being married to a life-long monogamous spouse.

As a pediatric specialty therapist, I spoke of the connections and increased occurrences between neurodiverse people and LBGTQIA+ people.  Science shows that the LBGTQIA+ experiences are three to six times more likely in neurodiverse populations than they are in the general population, like for Autistic people verses neurotypical people.

People in special populations are not a “one-size-fits-all.”  When blanket demands are forcefully placed on those who are incapable of “living up” to Catholic standards, it potentially and almost always leads to harming human dignity and the sanctity of life.  An example is forced celibacy to the point of damage and death. Please watch the video and then read the ending below.

In a previous comment on my last post, a man kept arguing with me about homosexuality when this has nothing to do with my advocacy. I am advocating for the lives and human dignity of LBGTQIA+ people who have been damaged and even killed by the hands of Church over forced Church teaching. I am speaking of  those who are incapable of living up to the standard without experiencing long term damage.  Yet, these protesters on my posts still think the lives and human dignity of LBGTQIA+ people are up for debate, even LBGTQIA+ children.  Take a look at the comments in the previous four posts. This kind of hatred has been fueled by parts of the Church, politics, and other entities for decades. Until this stops, our LBGTQIA+ brothers and sisters will not be safe, certainly not in parts of the Church.

Father Massingale, who is the Black priest in the video above, had an email conversation with me a few days ago.  He is an advocate for LBGTQIA+ inclusion as I am.  We dialoged about the acceptance and love of LBGTQIA+ people being in alignment with the commandment to love our neighbor, not against it.  Each person who walks the earth bears God’s image.  As Father James Martin in the video also says, when we persecute the LBGTQIA+ person, we persecute Christ.