Lauren Boebert hit out at unsubstantiated claims that she was in a romantic relationship with a pro-Trump country singer following her divorce from her longtime husband. The hard-right congresswoman told The Daily Beast that there was "absolutely nothing romantic" between her and Christian strummer Sean Feucht, nor had there ever been. "How can I be with a man with better hair than me?" she quipped, referring to Mr Feucht's chest-length mane of blond curls. For his part, Mr Feucht called the claims "false and defamatory", threatening to sue anyone making the accusation. Ms Boebert, a staunch conservative and outspoken Christian who represents Colorado in the US House of Representatives, filed for divorce from her husband Jayson Boebert last week after more than 15 years together. Rumours immediately began circulating on Twitter that she had begun romancing Mr Feucht, but those peddling the claim gave no evidence to support it. Asked for comment on Monday, Ms Boebert said: "“There is absolutely nothing romantic between Sean Feucht and I, nor has there been. "He is a wonderful friend, and he and I have done a lot of events together. His wife is wonderful, and we have had worship in the [US Capitol] rotunda... "I have been very, very transparent with my personal life since I started campaigning. And I think there are a lot of politicians who are not transparent. "They just give the sweet, pretty pieces of their life – and I have been raw in the details of my upbringing and what I have been through, and the challenges my husband and I have faced over the years." Since 2020, Mr Feucht has campaigned vigorously against Covid lockdown measures, leading a protest movement called Let Us Worship and running as a Republican for one of California's seats in the US House. He is a strong supporter of former president Donald Trump, whom he believes has been unfairly persecuted and who once signed an American flag guitar for him. According to the Beast, Ms Boebert also blamed the rumours on "the Left" and said there were no skeletons in her closet. Read More GOP Rep Clay Higgins filmed shoving activist who questioned Lauren Boebert’s divorce Lauren Boebert denies claim husband flew into rage after being served divorce papers E Jean Carroll targets Trump again after his derogatory CNN town hall smears E Jean Carroll targets Trump again after his derogatory CNN town hall smears Nebraska senators shield sick colleague brought from hospital to pass abortion ban Pride events cancelled across Florida due to ‘climate of fear’ after anti-LGBT+ laws

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Pope Francis has opened the door for the first time to blessing same-sex unions in a cautious step away from the Catholic Church’s traditional attitude towards gay couples. Maintaining that the Church would crucially not recognise gay marriage, the Pope made his opinion known in answer to doctrinal questions from five conservative cardinals who challenged him to affirm teaching on homosexuality. His statement comes ahead of major Vatican meeting where LGBT+ Catholics are on the agenda, and at a time when several progressive priests in a number of countries have begun blessing same-sex couples in defiance of conservative archbishops. The Catholic Church considers homosexuality “intrinsically disordered” and the Pope has long opposed gay marriage, claiming marriage can only happen between a man and woman. However, his remarks could signal a change in trajectory with the potential for blessings of unions distinct from marriage. In a letter, published yesterday, he said: “We cannot be judges who only deny, push back, exclude.” Pope Francis was sent the set of formal questions known as “dubia“ or doubts ahead of the Vatican synod, which will begin on Wednesday to decide the future direction of the Church and the inclusion of LGBT+ Catholics. The Vatican subsequently published a letter Francis wrote to the cardinals on 11 July, where he suggested that such blessings could be considered if they didn’t confuse the blessing with marriage. Francis in his seven-point response said the Church was very clear that marriages could be only between a man and a woman and that the Church should avoid any other ritual that contradicted his teaching. He said "pastoral charity should permeate all our decisions and attitudes", adding that "we cannot be judges who only deny, reject and exclude". "For this reason, pastoral prudence must adequately discern whether there are forms of benediction, requested by one or more persons, that do not transmit a mistaken conception of marriage," he wrote. "Because when a benediction is requested, it is expressing a request for help from God, a plea to be able to live better, a trust in a father who can help us to live better." He noted that there are situations that are objectively "not morally acceptable". The Church teaches that same-sex attraction is not sinful but homosexual acts are. The pope's response marks a reversal from the Vatican's current official position. In 2021 the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith said flat-out that the Church couldn't bless gay unions because "God cannot bless sin". New Ways Ministry, which advocates LGBT+ Catholics, said the letter "significantly advances" efforts to make the community welcomed in the Church and is "one big straw towards breaking the camel's back". Francis DeBernardo, executive director of the ministry, in a statement, said the pope's words implied "that the church does indeed recognise that holy love can exist between same-gender couples, and the love of these couples mirrors the love of God". With agency inputs Read More Catholic priests have held a ceremony blessing same-sex couples in defiance of a German archbishop 5 conservative cardinals challenge pope to affirm church teaching on gays and women ahead of meeting Women's voices and votes loom large as pope opens Vatican meeting on church's future Things to know about the Vatican's big meeting on the future of the Catholic Church Clergy abuse survivors propose new 'zero tolerance' law following outcry over Vatican appointment 5 conservative cardinals challenge pope to affirm church teaching on gays and women ahead of meeting

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