# My Email to the Pope. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 8, 2005, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-email-to-the-pope/320612 "2005-09-08T02:41:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Jim\_B](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jim_b/32/4338_2.png) [@Jim\_B](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jim_B)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2005, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-email-to-the-pope/320612/1 "2005-09-08T02:41:49Z")
A little while back I sent the following email to the new pope: > [@](#): > > _…_ > Sent : Sunday, April 24, 2005 9:50 PM > To : benedictxvi@vatican.va > _…_ > Subject : Gay Rights. > > Your Holiness: > > I was wondering what your position is on laws that protect gays against discrimination (I think I know what your views are on gays in general)? In my country, the USA, some people hold that, although they think homosexuality is a sin, laws that protect gays, esp. against discrimination in the work place, are important for fundamental fairness. (By the way, I was raised a Catholic.) > > Thanking you in advance for your response, > > _etc._ As you can see, I sent it in April. And I still haven’t received a reply yet. Should I feel a little insulted. I know the pope probably receives alot of email, and can’t reply to all of it. But what decides whether he will reply to an email or not. And why hasn’t he replied to mine yet. (If he does ever reply, I might place an update in this thread.) 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2005, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-email-to-the-pope/320612/2 "2005-09-08T02:48:30Z")
[QUOTE=Jim B.] But what decides whether he will reply to an email or not. And why hasn’t he replied to mine yet. [QUOTE] Such are things that we are not meant to know, my son. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2005, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-email-to-the-pope/320612/3 "2005-09-08T02:49:36Z")
But seriously, I think he just draws a couple out of his big hat every morning. ---
**Author:** ![Cunctator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/43a26b/32.png) [@Cunctator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cunctator)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2005, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-email-to-the-pope/320612/4 "2005-09-08T02:55:16Z")
I doubt that the Pope gets a lot of time to reply to individuals’ emails. If you want a swift reply you’d be better off approaching someone local. In this case if he did he’d probably just refer you to the [Catechism of the Catholic Church:](http://www.christusrex.org/www1/CDHN/ccc.html) Para 1935 The equality of men rests essentially on their dignity as persons and the rights that flow from it: Every form of social or cultural discrimination in fundamental personal rights on the grounds of sex, race, color, social conditions, language, or religion must be curbed and eradicated as incompatible with God’s design. Para 2358: The number of men and women who have deep-seated homosexual tendencies is not negligible. [They do not choose their homosexual condition; for most of them it is a trial.] This inclination, which is objectively disordered, constitutes for most of them a trial. They must be accepted with respect, compassion, and sensitivity. Every sign of unjust discrimination in their regard should be avoided. ---
**Author:** ![Kythereia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e8c25b/32.png) [@Kythereia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kythereia)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2005, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-email-to-the-pope/320612/5 "2005-09-08T03:18:19Z")
Well, heh. So… you’re officially excommunicated if you decide to join up with the Protestants, but discrimination against other religions is a bad thing? [/$0.02] ---
**Author:** ![Hung\_Mung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a88e4f/32.png) [@Hung\_Mung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hung_Mung)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2005, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-email-to-the-pope/320612/6 "2005-09-08T03:58:05Z")
> [@Cunctator](#): > > /snip/ must be accepted with respect, compassion, and sensitivity. Every sign of unjust discrimination in their regard should be avoided. So…what constitutes unjust discrimination? Or, rather, just discrimination? Maybe if it’s “just discrimination” and not “discrimination along with outright violence,” that’s okay. Gotta love that wacky church. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2005, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-email-to-the-pope/320612/7 "2005-09-08T04:02:02Z")
> [@Hung Mung](#): > > So…what constitutes unjust discrimination? Or, rather, just discrimination? Well, when I look for someone to marry, I’m probably gonna stick with heterosexuals. Is that unjust of me? ---
**Author:** ![matt\_mcl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@matt\_mcl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt_mcl)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2005, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-email-to-the-pope/320612/8 "2005-09-08T14:38:13Z")
> [@](#): > > The number of men and women who have deep-seated homosexual tendencies is not negligible. [They do not choose their homosexual condition; for most of them it is a trial.] I’ll say. The smoke at Mado is _murder_ on the complexion, and the former tricks are thick on the ground. But nobody said being enchawnted would be easy… _sigh_ ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2005, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-email-to-the-pope/320612/9 "2005-09-08T14:52:25Z")
I wrote to the previous Pope, when he said something nasty about gays or atheists, I don’t even remember. I think my letter consisted of, “_Ohhhh_—you old _Pope_, you!” _That_ got him told.