Pope Benedict has once again exploited a holiday meant to celebrate peace and the coming together of humanity to demonize a minority group. Check out the Pope's latest vitriolic battle in his war against the LGBT community after the jump.

We're right up there in the North Pole alongside Santa Claus, as far as Paul Scalia, son of vehement homophobe Justice Antonin Scalia, is concerned. Looks like the rotten apple doesn't fall far from the tree. 

Pope Benedict escalated his war against the international LGBT community on Monday with some of the strongest anti-gay (and, actually, anti-Christian) comments he's spewed since assuming the gold-laced frock.

Updated 9:50 a.m. (EST)

The Vatican isn't feeling wooed by those provocative United Colors of Benetton ads we told you about on Wednesday, specifically, the ad depicting Pope Benedict as a human capable of love (and, well, kissing an Imam). Details follow.

Marriage equality still remains out of reach for so many gay and lesbian couples across this country, and better-than-thou, holier-than-thou bigots bishops in Minnesota want to keep it that way. Read more about their plans after the jump.

Spreading the "Christian" values of hate, discrimination before an estimated crowd of 1.5 million, Pope Benedict told folks gathered for Spain's World Youth Day that only straight people open to God's love are worthy of marital bliss.

After a photo surfaced showing Father Andrés García Torres shirtless with a yummy Cubano piece of meat (and gay rumors instantly followed), the Spanish priest knew there was only one way he could prove his heterosexuality. Details follow.

Did you know that soothsaying was a province of Catholic archbishop's powers? Me neither. Unfortunately, on the same day the National Catholic Review published a scathing story begging U.S. bishops to get in line with tenets of the faith by starting to support marriage equality, New York Archbishop issued a tired "slippery slope" prediction. Details follow.

New York Archbishop Timothy Dolan, the state's resident homophobe in a robe, explained in great narrative why the Roman Catholic Church will never accept the marriage of same-sex couples. And yes, the guy ties in some odd parables about playing shortstop for the Yankees and whines about the law not allowing him to marry his mother. Follow the jump for the complete lunacy.

To raise money for its annual performance of The Passion of the Christ, a Spanish Catholic youth group has posed for and published a calendar depicting sacred rites in semi-nude compositions. 

The Bishop of Mallorca isn't thrilled about the fundraising effort.

"It turns Easter week into something banal," the bishopric writes in an admonition. "It does not respect Christian symbols and is insensitive to Catholic feelings."

The town's mayor disagrees. "The calender is very original," he said. "The pictures are artistic and the models show what they have."

Judge for yourself with a few more NSFW images from the calendar after the jump.

JoeMyGod points us to a quote from the Archbishop of Chicago Cardinal Francis George, who obviously boasts a dramatic lack in comprehension of world culture or history. Says Cardinal George (who is widely considered the leading contender for Pope should Benedick pursue a higher calling): 

"Everyone has a right to marry, but no one has the right to change the nature of marriage. Marriage is what it is and always has been, no matter what a Legislature decides to do; however, the public understanding of marriage will be negatively affected by passage of a bill that ignores the natural fact that sexual complementarity is at the core of marriage."

What has marriage always been, Cardinal? A simple college-level cultural anthropology course...

If you find yourself near Barcelona this weekend, help welcome the Pope to the country by joining the planned Queer Kiss Flashmob.

From the Guardian:

"Organisers have invited gays and lesbians from around Spain to congregate in Barcelona during the papal visit on Sunday to form what, on their Facebook page, they call a 'queer kissing flashmob'. The plan is for participants to meet at the city's gothic cathedral and start kissing as soon as the pope steps out of the building at 10am. 'No placards, no flags, no shouting and no slogans. Only kissing allowed,' the Facebook page reads. 'When Benedict XVI passes in front of us we will kiss, man-to-man and woman-to-woman,' Marylene Carole, one of the organisers, told the Spanish news...