I’m very sorry that the Pope “…did not intend to insult gays”.

Is he in denial about the considerable number of homosexuals within the priesthood? Maybe he should ask them for more information.

Science as we understand it today is not about "triumphing over nature". Rather, we seek to see nature objectively as it is, not as we would like it to be. Homosexuals exist. That is a fact. Their existence is not in contradition to some natural law. As scientists, we seek to understand why homosexuality exists rather than to impose our beliefs upon it. Nothing that exists in this universe violates natural law.

If the pope and the Catholic church were truly concerned about our existence in this planet's ecology then they would act to stop the most fundamental and important driver of climate change, resource depletion and habitat loss which is POPULATION GROWTH of the human species.

The study of ecology is all about populations of species, their interactions and the ability of the enviroment to support them. Thinking ecology while ignoring population size is like trying to speak English without using words!

Of course, the Pope's understanding of ecology is attenuated by his intellectual confinement within the straitjacket of theist belief:

<< Human bodies, having been created by God, are evidence for an authentic sexual morality >>

Which is an utterly meaningless statement if one doesn't believe in God or creationism.

However, even if one is credulous enough to believe in that nonsense, the Pope's argument is internally contradictory. "Homosexuality" is evident throughout the animal kingdom - if one accepts that God "created" animals, why then did he create homosexuality? Even the ecological aspect is rubbish - the greatest danger facing humanity in ecological terms is the exponential increase of the planet's human population. Surely sexual activities and orientations that don't involve reproduction are to be welcomed from an ecological perspective?

Exactly how does the Catholic church's stance on contraception and homosexuality encourage humans to limit the inevitable negative consequences to the environment of an exponentially increasing world population?

I wonder how the Pope, who appears to be saying that homosexuality is against nature, rationalises the fact that there are many species of animal that have members who are attracted to the same sex. Seems nature might be proving him wring!

I wonder how the Pope, who appears to be saying that homosexuality is against nature, rationalises the fact that there are many species of animal that have members who are attracted to the same sex. Seems nature might be proving him wrong!