Irish Ministers have joined the many members of the public and celebrities who have come out to condemn US Bishop Thomas Tobin’s comments on LGBT+ Pride.
Tobin had shared on social media that Catholics should not support or attend Pride month events as they “promote a culture and encourage activities that are contrary to Catholic faith and morals”. A further kick in the teeth was the hypocrisy of the addition that Pride events “are especially harmful to children”.
https://twitter.com/ThomasJTobin1/status/1134784500372770817
There was immediate backlash, with actress Mia Farrow pointing out the track record of the Catholic Church in regards to things being “harmful for children”.
Kids are in far more danger at a catholic church than at a gay pride gathering.
— Mia Farrow ?️? ???? (@MiaFarrow) June 2, 2019
Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan, who recently signed an exclusion order blocking the homophobic religious fundamentalist Pastor Steven Anderson from visiting Ireland in the ‘interests of public policy’, shared “so dispiriting but alas not surprising. Complete absence of tolerance, understanding and compassion.”
So dispiriting but alas not surprising. Complete Absence of tolerance, understanding & compassion. So sad & disappointing…. https://t.co/KEdFOdQZT4
— Charlie Flanagan (@CharlieFlanagan) June 1, 2019
Regina Doherty TD shared, “I think this is so sad and probably the most unchristian thing to do – to isolate and discriminate. Not on.”
I think this is so so sad and probably THE most unchristian thing to do – to isolate and discriminate. NOT ON ? https://t.co/C6LBu2157n
— Regina Doherty (@ReginaDo) June 1, 2019
Minister for Culture, Josepha Madigan, commented, “Not the God I know.”
Not the God I know. Disgraceful. ⁉️ https://t.co/zd4O4mRNkN
— Josepha Madigan ⚖️✨ (@josephamadigan) June 1, 2019
Further afield, Oscar winning actress, Patricia Arquette, shared, “Shame on you. LGBT kids are thrown out on the streets and abandoned because of poisonous thinking like yours.”
https://twitter.com/PattyArquette/status/1135147744035840001
In response to those who have come out to condemn him, Tobin says he’s standing by what he said but regrets that his comments “have turned out to be so controversial in our community, and offensive to some, especially the gay community.”
Point out his absolute hypocrisy, the New York Daily News shared the story that Tobin admitted to not acting when informed of past instances of child sexual abuse.
Bishop Thomas Tobin of the Roman Catholic Diocese in Providence, R.I. knew about incidents of child sexual abuse, but did nothing, he previously admitted.
That didn’t stop him from calling LGBTQ Pride Month “harmful for children.”https://t.co/lXdJMap7bM
— New York Daily News (@NYDailyNews) June 2, 2019
Having the opposite affect of what Tobin intended, his homophobic comments have only proved more so the absolute necessity for the LGBT+ community to hold Pride events.
© 2019 GCN (Gay Community News). All rights reserved.
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