Papal permissiveness for homosexuality?

Returning from his World Youth Day visit to Brazil, where he was treated like a rock star (The Telegraph, July 27, 2013), Pope Francis held a press conference where he “reaffirmed the Roman Catholic Church’s position that homosexual acts were sinful, but homosexual orientation was not” (BBC, July 29, 2013). “Pope Benedict XVI signed a document in 2005 that said men with deep-rooted homosexual tendencies should not be priests. But Pope Francis said gay clergymen should be forgiven and their sins forgotten” (ibid.). Cardinal Timothy Dolan later clarified the Catholic teaching, “Homosexuality is not a sin, homosexual acts are” (Catholic World News, July 31, 2013).

The new pope’s open rejection of papal excess has brought him great acclaim among the Catholic masses, especially in developing nations. Yet he appears more like a charismatic political figure speaking words to please various constituencies, rather than holding true to Scriptures that state that homosexuality is an evil practice and an abomination to God (Leviticus 18:22).

Bible prophecies warn that an end-time individual will speak “pompous words against the Most High, shall persecute the saints of the Most High, and shall intend to changes times and law” (Daniel 7:25). This is the religious “woman” (church) which will ride and direct the coming Beast (see Revelation 17). For more about the end-time Antichrist, be sure to watch our telecast on “Seven Signs of the Antichrist.”