Pastor Nick Coleman

Nick Coleman published another screed yesterday. I have said before that I usually leave fisking his columns to others who do it better. Shoot - usually I don't even read his rantings because I recognize them to be the rantings of a bitter old man. However yesterdays screed needs to be addressed.

John Nienstedt, Coadjutor Archbishop of the Catholic Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis, has been quoted as saying he believes homosexuality is the result of some kind of childhood trauma. Today, he is inflicting trauma of his own.
That's the opinion of many Catholic friends and relatives of gay and lesbian people in the Twin Cities. They say they have been wounded and angered by comments Nienstedt made about homosexuals in the Nov. 15 edition of The Catholic Spirit, the official newspaper of the archdiocese.

How's that for irony....Comrade Coleman publishes his opinion multiple times a week in a newspaper. When we "wing-nuts" complain to the Star Tribune about something that he has said in his opinion piece, we are out of line. Yet here he is complaining about the Archbishop prining an opinion in his own paper? How does that work Comrade????

Next Nicky goes into doctrine.

"Those who actively encourage or promote homosexual acts or such activity within a homosexual lifestyle formally cooperate in a grave evil," wrote Nienstedt, who is scheduled to succeed retiring Archbishop Harry Flynn in May. "If they do so knowingly and willingly, [they] are guilty of mortal sin."
Nienstedt went on to set three conditions for such church members to receive communion: They must experience a "conversion of heart," express "sorrow for their action" and receive absolution from a priest...
The catechism, in my reading, says homosexual acts cannot be approved but does not label them a "grave evil." Homosexuals, like all baptized persons, are "called to chastity." But somehow, the sins of homosexuals always get denounced before the sins of straight people. And if gays must be accepted with compassion and respect, those qualities seem notably missing from Nienstedt's statement.

First off Nick, gays have to accept doctrinal teaching in order to be accepted with "compassion and respect", not the other way around! All sinners - all mankind have to do so. That is the gist of ANY religious teaching!

Now I can not speak to the Catholic Catechism as I am not a Catholic. However, I have enough Catholics in my life that I have been exposed to enough to know that Nickolae is wrong again! Nick obviously has not read his Old Testament or if he has he conveniently skipped over this passage.

If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood [shall be] upon them.

That is Leviticus chapter 20 verse 13 and the emphasis is mine. Merriam Websters Dictionary defines abomination as "worthy of or causing disgust or hatred". A sin "worthy of or causing disgust or hatred" is considered to be a grave evil which the Archbishop says homosexuality is IS. Doctrinally, there is nothing out of line in what the Archbishop said!

Nick Coleman professes to be a Christian. His scorn for all things conservative speak volumes about him and his faith. For he has no love for his fellow man - at least not those who have a conservative world view. That much is obvious. Ephesians 4:15 (speak the truth in love) obviously has no meaning to Mr. Coleman. Then again Nick Coleman also professes to be an objective journalist. Given what we know about Mr. Coleman's journalistic objectivity (or lack thereof) maybe there is some insight into his faith as well.