"I think the pope knows more about gay people than most gay people do"

The Australian same-sex attracted Catholic, John Heard (Dreadnought), voiced his opinion publicly on "Speaking in Tongues" on Monday (Jan. 9, 2006) where he was interviewed along with fellow Catholic blogger, Fr. Bob Maguire, reports Credo on his blog, Credibility, in a post, "Speaking in tongues ... but understood by all" (1/9/06). When asked by host of the show, John Safran, how he, as a same-sex attracted Catholic, can come to receive communion while the Rainbow Sash Movement cannot, John Heard gave a refreshingly blunt response:

Am I allowed to swear?

Safran: Yeah.

Okay, the difference is wearing a Rainbow Sash means that you approach the altar where Catholics believe Christ is truly present on the altar, the Eucharist is Christ...

Safran: Yes.

...You approach your God, instead of in a position of radical humility and submission and putting everything about selfish humanity aside and approaching God in that way, putting on a sash says "F__k the Church, y'know - look at me." That's why anybody who approached the altar with some sort of protest banner across their chest and drew attention to themselves in the middle of a sacramental ritual would be turned away as well. It's not discrimination against gay people, it's just discrimination against protest in a Cathedral.

You can read the rest of Credo's report for yourself on the site linked above. But, as Credo says, one thing's for sure:

I think John's going to find himself fairly busy after tonight. I expect that there'll be a minor war in his comboxes after he said this money quote:

I think the pope knows more about gay people than most gay people do.

Watch that sizzle...

[Thanks to Credo and a hat tip to Christopher]