海角大神

Pope Francis criticized laws that criminalize homosexuality as 鈥渦njust,鈥� saying God loves all his children just as they are, and called on Catholic bishops who support the laws to welcome LGBTQ people into the church.

鈥淏eing homosexual isn鈥檛 a crime,鈥� Francis said during an exclusive interview Tuesday with The Associated Press.

Francis acknowledged that Catholic bishops in some parts of the world support laws that criminalize homosexuality or discriminate against the LGBTQ community, and he referred to the issue in terms of 鈥渟in.鈥� But he attributed such attitudes to cultural backgrounds and said bishops in particular need to undergo a process of change to recognize the dignity of everyone.

鈥淭hese bishops have to have a process of conversion,鈥� he said, adding that they should apply 鈥渢enderness, please, as God has for each one of us.鈥�

Francis鈥� comments are the first uttered by a pope about such laws, but they are consistent with his overall approach to the LGBTQ community and belief that the Catholic Church should welcome everyone and not discriminate.

Some 67 countries or jurisdictions worldwide criminalize consensual same-sex sexual activity, 11 of which can or do impose the death penalty, according to The Human Dignity Trust, which works to end such laws. Experts say even where the laws are not enforced, they contribute to harassment, stigmatization, and violence against LGBTQ people.

In the U.S., more than a dozen states still have anti-sodomy laws on the books, despite a 2003 Supreme Court ruling declaring them unconstitutional. Gay rights advocates say the antiquated laws are used to harass homosexuals and point to new legislation, such as the 鈥淒on鈥檛 say gay鈥� law in Florida, which forbids instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity in kindergarten through third grade, as evidence of continued efforts to marginalize LGBTQ people.

The United Nations has repeatedly called for an end to laws criminalizing homosexuality outright, saying they violate rights to privacy and freedom from discrimination and are a breach of countries鈥� obligations under international law to protect the human rights of all people, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity.

Declaring such laws 鈥渦njust,鈥� Francis said the Catholic Church can and should work to put an end to them. 鈥淚t must do this. It must do this,鈥� he said.

Francis quoted the Catechism of the Catholic Church in saying gay people must be welcomed and respected, and should not be marginalized or discriminated against.

鈥淲e are all children of God, and God loves us as we are and for the strength that each of us fights for our dignity,鈥� Francis said, speaking to the AP in the Vatican hotel where he lives.

Francis鈥� remarks come ahead of a trip to Africa, where such laws are common as they are in the Middle East. Many dates from British colonial times or are inspired by Islamic law. Some Catholic bishops have strongly upheld them as consistent with Vatican teaching, while others have called for them to be overturned as a violation of basic human dignity.

In 2019, Francis had been expected to issue a statement opposing the criminalization of homosexuality during a meeting with human rights groups that conducted research into the effects of such laws and so-called 鈥渃onversion therapies.鈥�

In the end, after word of the audience leaked, the pope didn鈥檛 meet with the groups. Instead, the Vatican No. 2 did and reaffirmed 鈥渢he dignity of every human person and against every form of violence.鈥�

There was no indication that Francis spoke out about such laws now because his more conservative predecessor, Pope Benedict XVI, recently died. The issue had never been raised in an interview, but Francis willingly responded, citing even the statistics about the number of countries where homosexuality is criminalized.

On January 25th, Francis said there needed to be a distinction between a crime and a sin with regard to homosexuality.

鈥淚t鈥檚 not a crime. Yes, but it鈥檚 a sin,鈥� he said. 鈥淔ine, but first let鈥檚 distinguish between a sin and a crime.鈥�

鈥淚t鈥檚 also a sin to lack charity with one another,鈥� he added.

Catholic teaching holds that while gay people must be treated with respect, homosexual acts are 鈥渋ntrinsically disordered.鈥� Francis has not changed that teaching, but he has made reaching out to the LGBTQ community a hallmark of his papacy.

Starting with his famous 2013 declaration, 鈥淲ho am I to judge?鈥� 鈥� when he was asked about a purportedly gay priest 鈥� Francis has gone on to minister repeatedly and publicly to the gay and trans community. As archbishop of Buenos Aires, he favored granting legal protections to same-sex couples as an alternative to endorsing gay marriage, which Catholic doctrine forbids.

Despite such outreach, Francis was criticized by the Catholic LGBTQ community for a 2021 decree from the Vatican鈥檚 doctrine office that said the church cannot bless same-sex unions.

In 2008, the Vatican declined to sign onto a U.N. declaration that called for the decriminalization of homosexuality, complaining the text went beyond the original scope. In a statement at the time, the Vatican urged countries to avoid 鈥渦njust discrimination鈥� against gay people and end penalties against them.

This story was reported by The Associated Press.聽