Pope Francis said on Sunday that laws that criminalize LGBT people are sinful and unjust because God loves and accompanies those who share the same attraction.
Francis, who made the comments in response to questions from reporters on the plane back from a two-country trip to Africa, received full support for the comments from two other Christian leaders on the plane with him.
“The criminalization of homosexuality is a problem that cannot be ignored,” said Francis, who then cited unnamed statistics according to which 50 countries criminalize LGBT people “in one way or another” and about 10 others have laws including the death penalty for them.
Sixty-six UN member states continue to criminalize same-sex sexual relations, according to data from ILGA World – the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association. In some countries where same-sex relations are illegal, the punishment can include the death penalty.
“This is not true. People with homosexual tendencies are God’s children. God loves them. God is with them… to punish people like this is a sin. Criminalizing people with homosexual tendencies is an injustice ,” said Francis.
He notes that the Catholic Church’s catechism, or teaching book, says same-sex attraction is not a sin but homosexual acts are. It also says that LGBT people should not be marginalized.
Francis mentioned the now-famous phase that began after he became pope in 2013, when he could not judge people with same-sex tendencies who sought God. He also noted that when he visited Ireland in 2018 he said that parents cannot reject their LGBT children, but must remain a loving family.
The Pope made the trip to South Sudan, the second country on the tour, as a peace pilgrimage with the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby and Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland Iain Greenshields.
Both Christian leaders on the plane returned from there and participated in the Pope’s customary news conference with journalists, the first of any papal trip.
Both praised the Pope’s comments.
“I agree very much with every word that was said there,” Welby said, noting that the Anglican communion itself is divided on gay rights and that two resolutions against the criminalization of LGBT people “didn’t change many people’s minds”.
Welby added: “I will always quote from the Holy Father. He said it well and accurately”.
In voicing his support for Francis, Greenshields cited the Bible, saying:
“Nowhere in the reading of the four gospels do I see Jesus rejecting anyone. There is no place in the four gospels that I see other than Jesus showing love to everyone he meets and as Christians, that is the only expression we can do . give to man under any circumstances”.
Francis reiterated that the Catholic Church cannot allow the sacramental marriage of same-sex couples but he supports so-called civil union laws that provide legal protection to same-sex couples on issues such as pensions, inheritance and health care.
Source: Reuters
| Disclaimer: The opinions expressed here are those of the authors and do not reflect Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no legal or other responsibility for the accuracy of the content. Please report inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a priority. |
Featured Videos