My Response To Monsignor Charles Pope's Article: "Pete Buttigieg Is Wrong: Homosexual Acts Cannot Lead You Closer To God"

'In recent remarks, Pete Buttigieg, Democratic presidential candidate and mayor of South Bend, Indiana, remarked that his same-sex "marriage" to Chasten Glezman has brought him closer to God. His remarks were directed toward Vice President Mike Pence, who is on record as opposing such "marriages."' Buttigieg said:

"Being married to Chasten has made me a better human being because it has made me more compassionate, more understanding, more self-aware and more decent. My marriage to Chasten has made me a better man. And yes, Mr. Vice President, it has moved me closer to God."

'This raises a question: To what god has he moved closer? Respectfully and sincerely, Mr. Buttigieg, it cannot be the God who has revealed Himself in the Scriptures and through the Church. God is not in the habit of speaking out of both sides of his mouth. He does not contradict himself by altering, let alone reversing (as you claim) his teachings.'

I am with the Monsignor so far.

At every stage of scriptural revelation, from Genesis through the New Testament, God has spoken of homosexual acts as sinful and disordered. He also condemns other forms of illicit sexual union such as fornication and adultery. Jesus even condemns the entertaining of lustful thoughts. I have written before of the biblical record on these teachings ("Do Not Be Deceived: God Forbids Homosexual Acts").

I am completely on board with all of this. And I trust the Lord on this. After all, He is our Father. And like any loving and good parent, He knows what is good and what is not for His children. I have read the Monsignor's other article on what Sacred Scripture has to say about the moral nature of homosexual behavior. In fact, I have read the relevant Bible passages on this topic. I know the appropriate passages by heart.

'Some point out that Jesus is never recorded in Scripture as condemning homosexual acts. That may be true - but he is not recorded as condemning rape, either. An argument based on silence is weak at best and erroneous at worst. Further, Jesus said to his apostles "He who hears you hears me" - and the apostles unambiguously describe homosexual acts as sinful. These biblical texts are not ambiguous, and they are consistent across every biblical era. They support the Church's proper conclusion as stated in the Catechism of the Catholic Church:

Basing itself on Sacred Scripture, which presents homosexual acts as acts of grave depravity, [Genesis 19:1-29; Romans 1:18ff; 1 Corinthians 6:9-10; 1 Timothy 1:10; inter al.] tradition has always declared that homosexual acts are intrinsically disordered. They are contrary to the natural law. They close the sexual act to the gift of life. They do not proceed from a genuine affective and sexual complementarity. Under no circumstances can they be approved (2357).

There are too many people today who think they have a perfect right to simply reinvent God, ignoring what he has plainly revealed. This refashioned God, amazingly, just happens to agree with them about everything! We used to call this practice of creating one's own god and worshipping it "idolatry." In this age of euphemisms and double-speak, we prefer terms such as "the god of my own understanding," or "the god I know," or "the god within." But let's be honest. Imaginings are just that. They are not real. We are dealing here with fake gods, not the real God, who has revealed himself and his teachings in sacred Revelation.

Normally, I would say this observation by the Monsignor is spot on. However, Buttigieg's story is a little more complicated than this. I strongly advise people to watch the 2020 Candidate Café video with Buttigieg in it. In the video, Buttigieg explains that for a long time, even he thought experiencing homosexual inclinations and being a Christian were completely at odds with each other. But when he finally came out as gay at the age of 33, one of the people he came out as gay to was the pastor of his church in South Bend, Indiana. Unfortunately, this priest affirmed Buttigieg's homosexual attractions as compatible with God's plan and design for humanity.

So in other words, even when Buttigieg was in the process of coming out as gay, he had doubts that his homosexual tendencies were compatible with God's will and law. Buttigieg is not the only one who needs our prayers. The priest who affirmed Buttigieg's sexual orientation as compatible with God's design and law needs our intercession, too.

And as per our Lord's instructions on fraternal correction, I have decided that the time for reaching out to Buttigieg to correct him in love has long since passed. At this point, trying to reason with Secretary Buttigieg or talking to him in the hopes of getting him to see the light would be a futile effort. We might have a dozen arguments lined up to help him see that he is persisting in serious sin, but at this point, we would talk until we are blue in the face, and Buttigieg would still be unmoved and attached to his sin.

Praying a lot on his behalf in the hopes of saving Secretary Buttigieg's soul is the most prudent course of action we have left. I pray for him and his "husband," Chasten daily.

Revelation is an important word. The Scriptures are not our words about God; they are his Word to us. In them he says, in effect, "This is who I am. This is what I have set forth as true. Here is what I expect of you and what you are called to be. Whatever your thoughts are, make sure you confirm them to what I have revealed."

Buttigieg and those who share his views assert, in effect, that they are free to think what they want, to do what they please, and then to decide that God approves. Many even feel righteous as they do so. They do not recognize the immense pride they exhibit by casting aside millennia of teaching revealed by God himself, replacing it with their own views, and then slapping God's imprimatur on it. This is naked pride disguised as tolerance and modernity.

Again, I strongly advise the Monsignor and others who make assertions such as the ones in the above paragraph to watch the 2020 Candidate Café video with Buttigieg in it. He explains why he believes God approves of homosexual behavior. I am not in any way, shape, or form condoning Buttigieg's personal life choices. The video helped me understand why he believes what he does about God and homosexual acts. To me, Monsignor Pope comes across as too sharp and making hasty assumptions about why Buttigieg has chosen an active gay lifestyle in the above paragraph.

"Again, I must respectfully but firmly say that the god to whom Buttigieg is growing closer through his disordered behavior is not the God who has revealed Himself in the Scriptures. It is some other god, perhaps even a demon clothed in the garments of false compassion masquerading as a god. Pretending that God is happy with what he has consistently condemned as sinful is a fantasy. Thus, I respectfully and sincerely warn that his god is imaginary at best and a demon at worst."

I have no problem with calling out sin, especially serious sin. I am on the same side as Monsignor Pope. I want Secretary Buttigieg to be saved and go to Heaven as much as the Monsignor does. My only caveat is Monsignor's words and tone. To me, there is another, more gentle way of making it clear that Buttigieg is in a state of serious sin without suggesting it is a demon or even Satan that Secretary Buttigieg serves and worships. The reason I object to suggesting that Buttigieg's god is Satan or a demon is because such rhetoric will probably close him off to Christ. At that point, one will have done the Devil's work for him. And we don't want that, now do we?

So instead of explicitly suggesting that Secretary Buttigieg worships and serves the Evil One, I would say that Buttigieg is in serious sin and error and is in need of God's forgiveness and mercy.

Even though I cannot judge people's hearts and the state of their souls, I know something about Secretary Buttigieg's faith life that the Monsignor may or may not know.

In the summer of 2020, Buttigieg spoke to the House of Deputies of the Episcopal Church on Zoom. The Deputies asked him lots of questions from how his faith affects his vocation as a politician to how his two dogs are doing and everything in between. The last question they asked him was, "How can we pray for you and your ministry?"

Buttigieg remarked that the question was a great one to end on and answered that he needed prayer intentions for discernment and guidance. This answer is one of humility, not one of pride and arrogance. His request is a humble one.

Humility is a fruit of God while arrogance and pride are fruits of Satan.

Furthermore, Buttigieg's answer tells us two things about him and his relationship with God.

One, this answer tells us Buttigieg recognizes that he needs God's assistance and guidance.

Two, this answer tells us that Buttigieg trusts God to some degree.

Using the approach that Bishop Barber, the bishop of my diocese, used in his bishop's column in the diocesan newspaper from when President Biden was inaugurated, I offer a more balanced assessment of Buttigieg's faith life, based on what I know about Buttigieg and his faith.

First, let's start with what Buttigieg does right when it comes to living a good Christian life.

1) Secretary Buttigieg goes to church on Sundays

Does going to church on Sundays sound like the actions of a follower of Jesus Christ or the actions of one who serves and worships an idol "the god within," "the god of self," "the god of my own understanding," "the god I know," a demon, or even Satan himself?

2) Secretary Buttigieg makes an effort to apply Sacred Scripture to his life.

Does making an effort to apply Scriptural values and practices to one's life sound like the actions of a Christian or the actions of one who serves and worships an idol, "the god within," "the god of self," "the god of my own understanding," "the god I know," a demon, or even Satan himself?

3) Secretary Buttigieg seeks public office as a means to make the lives of others better and to make a gift of himself to others. He has expressed that he has found serving others to be very meaningful and satisfying.

Does using one's line of work to make a gift of oneself to others and improve the lives of others sound like the actions of a disciple of Jesus Christ or the actions of one who serves and worships an idol, "the god within," "the god of self," "the god of my own understanding," "the god I know," a demon, or even Satan himself?

Does expressing that one finds serving others to be very meaningful and satisfying sound like the outlook of a Christian or the outlook of one who serves and worships an idol, "the god within," "the god of self," "the god of my own understanding," "the god I know," a demon, or even Satan himself?

4) Secretary Buttigieg sees his vocation as a politician and his military service as a way of dying to himself.

Does seeing one's professional vocation and military service as a way of dying to oneself sound like the outlook of one who has chosen to follow Jesus Christ or the outlook of one who serves and worships an idol, "the god within," "the god of self," "the god of my own understanding," "the god I know," a demon, or even Satan himself?

5) In his response to Franklin Graham, Secretary Buttigieg recognized that we all have sins to repent of. He was able to recognize his smaller sins and admit that he needs to repent of them.

Does recognizing that all of us have sins that we need to repent of sound like the words of a Christian or the words of one who serves and worships an idol, "the god within," "the god of self," "the god of my own understanding," "the god I know," a demon, or even Satan himself?

Does recognizing one's smaller, less serious sins and admitting that one needs to repent of them sound like the attitude of a Christian who realizes he or she is a sinner in need of God's mercy and forgiveness or the attitude of one who serves and worships an idol, "the god within," "the god of self," "the god of my own understanding," "the god I know," a demon, or even Satan himself?

6) Secretary Buttigieg asked for prayer intentions for discernment and guidance during a Zoom meeting with the House of Deputies of the Episcopal Church. By doing so, he recognized his need for God's assistance and guidance. He also showed that he does trust the God who has revealed Himself to us in Sacred Scripture to some degree by making that request.

Does asking for prayer intentions for guidance and discernment sound like the attitude of a Christian or the attitude of one who serves and worships an idol, "the god within," "the god of self," "the god of my own understanding," "the god I know," a demon, or even Satan himself?

Does recognizing that one needs God's grace, assistance, and guidance sound like the attitude of one who serves and worships the God of the Bible or the attitude of one who serves and worships an idol, "the god within," "the god of self," "the god of my own understanding," "the god I know," a demon, or even Satan himself?

Does displaying childlike trust in God, even if it's not complete trust, sound like the actions of a Christian or the actions of one who worships and serves the "god of self," " the god within," "the god I know," or "the god of my own understanding?"

7) Secretary Buttigieg bowed his head during the closing prayer while in faith-related Zoom meetings. He was the only one to respond "Amen" at the conclusion of the closing prayer.

Does bowing one's head while someone else is saying a prayer aloud sound like something a Christian would do? Or does bowing one's head while someone else is saying a prayer out loud sound like something one who worships and serves the "god of self," " the god within," "the god I know," or "the god of my own understanding," a demon or even the Devil would do?

Does responding with "Amen" at the conclusion of a prayer, even when the person is the only one who does so, sound like something a Christian would do? Or does responding with "Amen" at the conclusion of a prayer sound like something one "the god I know," or "the god of my own understanding," a demon or even the Devil would do?

8) Secretary Buttigieg strives to treat others the way he wants to be treated. He is usually kind, even to those who are mean to him.

Does striving to treat others the way one wants to be treated sound like the behavior of a Christian or the behavior one of one who worships and serves the "god of self," " the god within," "the god I know," or "the god of my own understanding," a demon or even the Devil? Does being kind, even to those who are mean to you, sound like the behavior of a Godly person or the behavior of one who worships and serves an imaginary god, the "god of self," " the god within," "the god I know," or "the god of my own understanding," a demon or even the Devil?

9) While he was Mayor of South Bend, Indiana, Secretary Buttigieg helped an ER doctor, his patient (a sick little Somalian boy who tried to take his own life), and the patient's mother at the local hospital in South Bend by translating for the mother who only spoke Arabic and the doctor.

Does helping someone who is sick, even a complete stranger, sound like the conduct of someone who is trying to love God and love their neighbor? Or does helping someone who sick, even a complete stranger sound like the conduct of one who worships and serves an idol, the "god of self," " the god within," "the god I know," or "the god of my own understanding," a demon or even the Devil?

Consider the following passage from St. Matthew's Gospel:

"When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit upon his glorious throne,

and all the nations will be assembled before him. And he will separate them one from another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.

He will place the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.

Then the king will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father. Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.

For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me,

naked and you clothed me, ill and you cared for me, in prison and you visited me.'

Then the righteous will answer him and say, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink?

When did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you?

When did we see you ill or in prison, and visit you?'

And the king will say to them in reply, 'Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.'

Every Christian will recognize this passage. In fact, it is one of those passages that every Christian should know by heart. It is one of those passages that should be stamped on the heart and mind of every Christian. It's from Chapter 25 of St. Matthew's Gospel. In fact, Secretary Buttigieg quoted this passage often when he ran for President. He has said that this passage is one of his favorite Bible verses, along with the passage containing the Sermon on the Mount and the Beatitudes.

In the case when he translated for the doctor and the little boy's mother, Buttigieg's actions were in complete compliance to Christ's commands from Matthew 25, which I just quoted.

I'll go ahead and give you my answer: Yes, helping care for someone, and a complete stranger no less, who is sick definitely sounds like the actions of an individual who is striving to be a good Christian.

10) Also while he was the Mayor of South Bend, Secretary Buttigieg quietly helped a black constituent who was worried about her son's safety

Does quietly helping a constituent, regardless of the color of their skin, who is worried about the safety of a loved one sound like the actions of one who is sincerely and seriously trying to follow Christ or one who worships and serves an idol, a demon, or even Satan himself?

There are more examples of good Christian conduct that Secretary Buttigieg has exhibited in the time I have known of him that I could list, but I think ten items is sufficient for this post.

Attending church on Sundays, making an effort to apply Biblical values and practices to one's life, using one's career to make a gift of oneself to others and improve the lives of others, seeing one's line of work and military service as a way of dying to oneself, recognizing that all of us have sins to repent of, recognizing one's smaller, less serious sins and admitting the need to repent of them, asking for prayer intentions for discernment and guidance, recognizing that one needs God's grace, assistance, and guidance, displaying childlike trust in God, bowing one's head during a prayer, responding to a prayer with "Amen," helping care for individuals who are sick, quietly helping a constituent who is worried about the safety of a loved one, and striving to treat others the way one wants to be treated are all good signs. We Christians have hope.

Now, look's take a look at Buttigieg's shortcomings, errors, and sins.

1) Secretary Buttigieg persists in leading an active gay lifestyle.

According to God's holy law, is this moral or immoral? Is this sinful?

2) Secretary Buttigieg criticized Mike Pence's opposition to gay "marriage" without sufficient reason when he started to run for President. He displayed pride and self-righteousness in his criticism.

Are these things right or wrong?

3) Secretary Buttigieg is pro-abortion. As Mayor of South Bend, Indiana, he refused to let a pro-life women's pregnancy center move in next to an abortion clinic.

Is this right or wrong?

4) Secretary Buttigieg criticized Donald Trump for his infidelity to his wives while simultaneously ignoring the New Testament's multiple emphatic condemnations of homosexual acts. He also criticized Mike Pence for being "a cheerleader of the porn star presidency" while simultaneously ignoring the New Testament's multiple emphatic condemnations of homosexual acts.

Are these things right or wrong?

5) Secretary Buttigieg encouraged a nine-year-old boy who came out as gay at one of his presidential campaign rallies. I will note that I believe the Secretary's intent was to help the boy, not to lead the boy astray. Therefore, his intentions were good.

Is this right or wrong?

6) Secretary Buttigieg expressed that he wished that all Christian denominations, including the Catholic Church, would come to accept and approve of gay "marriage."

He also had no policy to protect religious freedom.

Is this right or wrong?

With this assessment, I must respectfully and firmly assert that while Secretary Buttigieg does continue to persist in serious sin and error in several areas of his life, he also strives to be a good Christian. And unlike the Monsignor, such an assertion is not making a definitive judgement on whether or not Buttigieg is drawing closer to God. I do not know the state of his soul or his heart. It is not my place to know such details. However, for all we know, God could very well be working on Secretary Buttigieg as I write this. After all, God works in mysterious ways. My assessment is based on my careful judgement of Buttigieg's words and actions in the time I have known of him.

Buttigieg continued:

And that's the thing I wish the Mike Pences of the world would understand; if you've got a problem with who I am, your problem is not with me. Your quarrel, sir, is with my creator. Speaking only for myself, I can tell you that if me being gay was a choice, it was a choice that was made far, far above my pay grade.

I will agree, Mr. Buttigieg, that you are "speaking only for [your]self," but you are wrong. God did not directly will to create you with same-sex attraction any more so than he directly willed people to be born prone to obesity or alcohol abuse. God allows each of us to be born with certain struggles, but he summons us to overcome them, not to "become" them. If a man is inclined to abusing alcohol, he should not call that a strength and take pride in it. Doing so would be harmful to himself and to others.

All I see here is way too much sharpness in the Monsignor's tone. I strongly advise the Monsignor to soften his tone.

Monsignor Pope spends way too little time acknowledging Secretary Buttigieg's experiences here and voicing some sensitivity and compassion for what the Transportation Secretary has been through as a result of experiencing homosexual attractions. By practically telling Buttigieg he is wrong without sufficient acknowledgment of his experiences and displaying some sensitivity and compassion for what the Secretary has been through due to his homosexual tendencies, Monsignor comes across as cold and grating.

Also, the Monsignor seems to be listening to respond, not listening to understand and that's a problem. By listening to respond, he is not actually getting what the Secretary is saying. This failure to listen to understand is why Monsignor Pope misrepresented what Secretary Buttigieg actually said. He misrepresented what Buttigieg said by taking "speaking only for myself" and attaching it to "if you've got a problem with who I am, your problem is not with me. Your quarrel, sir, is with my creator."

Please don't take different pieces of Buttigieg's above remarks and mash them together like that when they were not in that order to begin with. In fact, let's look at the actual sentence that begins with, "Speaking only for myself," and put the statements that come before "Speaking only for myself..." aside for a moment.

 "Speaking only for myself, I can tell you that if me being gay was a choice, it was a choice that was made far, far above my pay grade," is just a very articulate way of saying, "I didn't choose to experience homosexual desires. I didn’t choose to have a gay sexual orientation." 
And saying things this articulately is very consistent with Secretary's Buttigieg public-speaking style. 

There is nothing erroneous or dishonest about this statement. There is nothing inherently wrong with this statement. Buttigieg is not wrong, contrary to Monsignor's claims that he is.

We do not to get choose who we are attracted to. Who we are attracted to is out of our control. 

At the same time, I admire the Monsignor's passion for God's truth and his zeal for calling out sin. I know the Monsignor means well. I do agree that attributing one's disordered attractions and desires to God willing them is wrong.

Mr. Buttigieg, stop attributing what is disordered to God. Start calling on his grace to overcome it. We are all called to chastity. It is not easy for anyone, but by his grace it is possible for everyone. If I were to say that you and others with same-sex attraction should get a pass, I would be dishonoring you and discriminating against you unjustly by implying that you can't live what God, in His revealed Word, clearly sets forth for all. For this reason, the Catechism of the Catholic Church states:

The number of men and women who have deep-seated homosexual tendencies is not negligible. 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. These persons are called to fulfill God's will in their lives and, if they are Christians, to unite to the sacrifice of the Lord's Cross the difficulties they may encounter from their condition (2358).

The Catechism also recognizes the truth and dignity of those with same-sex attraction:

Homosexual persons are called to chastity. By the virtues of self-mastery that teach them inner freedom, at times by the support of disinterested friendship, by prayer and sacramental grace, they can and should gradually and resolutely approach Christian perfection (2359).

Once again, I am completely on board with the main message here. No one here is asking or expecting the Monsignor to dishonor and unjustly discriminate against Pete Buttigieg by saying he can't live in alignment with God's plan and laws. All I am asking the Monsignor to do is please, please, please be gentler in his tone and acknowledge the Secretary's experiences with more sensitivity and compassion. Please acknowledge and try to understand where the Transportation Secretary is coming from before you try to correct him. That is not too much to ask and it is not offensive to God to try to understand where someone else is coming from, even when their viewpoint is misguided and their behavior is immoral.

The Monsignor quotes Paragraph 2358 from the Catechism. I must emphasize the following statement: "They must be accepted with respect, compassion, and sensitivity."

Monsignor Pope's respect, compassion, and sensitivity towards Secretary Buttigieg is very lacking. The Monsignor could have at the very least expressed sympathy when the Transportation Secretary revealed that he would have done anything to not be gay at one point in his life. Saying that one would take a pill that could make one straight or even worse, one would cut out the part in one's body that made one gay with a knife, is not something people should have to hear another person say. No person should hate themselves because of an inclination they have, regardless of whether or not that inclination is disordered, unnatural, or immoral.

From what Buttigieg has said about his homosexual desires, it sounds like they are deep-seated. To suggest that there is something wrong with him is failing to tell the truth in love, because he made it clear that he did not choose to have homosexual desires. I'm sorry that he had a such hard time coming to terms with the reality that he experiences homosexual desires.

Who, then, is the god to whom Peter Buttigieg says he is drawing closer through his same-sex "marriage"? Again, I must firmly assert that it is not the true God who has revealed himself to us in Sacred Revelation. It cannot be. God does not change. He does not say that something is sinful one day and holy the next. Ceremonial precepts and customs may change, but doctrine and moral truths cannot. The true God has firmly forbidden all illicit sexual union, all sexual intimacy outside of true Holy Matrimony. Fornication, adultery and homosexual acts are sinful, and this fact has not and cannot be changed. God has spoken these truths. They are part of our created nature. They cannot change because God, our creator, does not change.

And I must gently but firmly ask the Monsignor to please stop making that assertion. The Monsignor is only focusing on one fragment of the picture. The assessment I have made with the other factors suggests that Buttigieg is indeed striving to be a good Christian, even when he is in serious sin and error in several areas of his life.

We can judge a person's words and actions, but never their heart or the state of their soul.

This idol that Monsignor Pope suggests Buttigieg serves and worships does not value or display humility, which is something the Secretary has displayed on multiple occasions.

The real Jesus warned:

Many will come in my name, claiming, 'I am he,' and will deceive many (Mark 13:6).

For false Christs and false prophets shall rise, showing signs and wonders to seduce many, even if possible, the elect (Mark 13:22).

And St. Paul warned:

Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and encourage with every form of patient instruction. For the time will come when men will not tolerate sound doctrine, but with itching ears they will gather around themselves teachers to suit their own desires. So they will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths (2 Timothy 4:2-4).

Yes, myths and false gods abound in this age of the "designer god." Here is my advice to the wise: Avoid idolatry in all its forms and make sure you're not growing closer to a mythical, false god.

May the true God give us courage to announce and live the truth he has proclaimed once and for all.

I appreciate the Monsignor's warning. However, I gently and firmly repeat my request to Monsignor Pope: please stop asserting that Secretary Buttigieg is worshiping an idol, a demon, or Satan himself. Please stop asserting that the God Buttigieg serves and worships is not the true God who has revealed himself to us through Sacred Scripture and the Church. 

And the Monsignor's question about which god Buttigieg has been drawn closer to is unnecessary.

I'm sorry, but the Monsignor is dishonoring Buttigieg and unjustly discriminating against him by labeling him a fake Christian and a false prophet. Furthermore, he is doing so without taking the other important factors into account.

With all due respect to the Monsignor, I must firmly say that I would refrain from explicitly saying that Buttigieg's god is an idol at best or a demon at worst in the light of the new information if I were Monsignor Pope.

I know it's probably not intentional on Monsignor Pope's part. I really don't like criticizing members of the clergy, especially not one who is as experienced as the Monsignor. However, I couldn't stay silent about the Monsignor's tone and some of his assertions. It is my love for Secretary Buttigieg, Monsignor Pope, and the truth that compelled me to speak up and respond to the Monsignor's article.

Instead, I would approach this subject with Buttigieg by asking questions like "What is it you really want?," what makes you think God approves of gay "marriage" and homosexual acts?," and "How did you come to believe that?" instead of starting with grating and callous statements like "the god you're drawing closer to is not the God of the Bible," "you are wrong," "you are persisting in serious sin," etc. And I would actually listen attentively and carefully to what he has to say.

If you approach the subject with these questions, Secretary Buttigieg will be more likely to listen to you. By actually listening to him and showing him you understand where he's coming from with sensitivity and compassion, you'll be more likely to get him to hear the truth with openness and successfully plant a seed of conversion and repentance within him.

But if you start off by making harsh and insensitive statements like the ones the Monsignor made, you'll more likely turn Buttigieg off and do Satan's work for him, which we want to avoid. Saying "you're wrong" is unlikely to convince Buttigieg and change his mind.

However, I must repeat that we are way past the point of trying to correct Buttigieg (gently) through talking to him. All we can do now in the hopes of saving Secretary Buttigieg's soul is pray a lot on his behalf.

In conclusion, if the Monsignor really wants to avoid closing Secretary Buttigieg off to Christ and actually help the Secretary get to Heaven, I firmly and respectfully advise him to start acknowledging Buttigieg's experience with more sensitivity and compassion. I gently advise him to soften his tone.

I'm afraid that the Monsignor will only close Secretary Buttigieg off to Christ instead of bringing him any closer to Christ if he doesn't adjust the tone of his article and correct some of his assertions.