Catholic Cardinal in homophobic rant - shock!

Cardinal Javier Lozano Barragan, a leading Catholic cardinal and retired head of the Vatican's Council for Pastoral Assistance to Health Care Workers has today said that gay and trans people "will never enter the kingdom of heaven".

Now, I will be honest, and this is purely my own opinion, I don't give a damn what he thinks.

However, there are many people who respect and listen to the Catholic Church and that is where I therefore get angry about things such as this, because people like Cardinal Barragan get listened to and can sway opinion, although the Vatican is distancing themselves from Cardinal Barragan, they are on the whole as bad.

Cardinal Barragan went on to say; "People are not born homosexual, they become homosexual, for different reasons: education issues or because they did not develop their own identity during adolescence.

"It may not be their fault, but acting against nature and the dignity of the human body is an insult to God."

Now, for those who know me, will know I have known I was gay for years and years, in fact I recall at least from 7 years old that girls did not interest me as they did other school friends. So I really do disagree, because yes I was born gay (and am very proud of it).

Now slightly in his defence, he sometimes does talk a little sense, back in 2006, Cardinal Barragan reportedly said that condoms could be the lesser of two evils if one partner in a marriage was HIV+.

Now, although on its own that does sound awful, now see what the Pope himself said "don't use condoms - even to prevent the spread of Aids".

Not only is he ill informed but then he went on to say "the traditional teaching of the Church has proven to be the only failsafe way to prevent the spread of HIV/Aids".

Utter crap.

The Vatican have stepped in on the Cardinal Barragan comments and Father Federico Lombardi, a Vatican spokesman, has said that the official Vatican stance was that while homosexual acts are sinful, gay people have a disorder and should be treated with respect.

The Times have reported that it was "highly unusual" for the Catholic church to indirectly criticise a high-ranking Vatican official.

When all said and done though, the Catholic Church is sort of split on this, like any organisation there are individuals who have their own opinions, but they really do need to think what they are saying here, as their opinions are listened to and acted upon.

Safe sex should always be practised and I am afraid Cardinal Barragan and Father Lombardi gay people are gay, as Stonewall say "get over it".