Posted on 09/28/2015 3:18:26 PM PDT by NKP_Vet
Pope Francis said on Monday government officials have a "human right" to refuse to discharge a duty, such as issuing marriage licenses to homosexuals, if they feel it violates their conscience............
Although the Argentine-born pontiff delved into some of the United States' thorniest political debates during his visit, he never specifically referred to a controversy over same-sex marriages, which the Church firmly opposes.
On the flight back to Rome, he was asked if he supported individuals, including government officials, who refuse to abide by some laws, such as issuing marriage licenses to gays.
"Conscientious objection must enter into every juridical structure because it is a right," Francis said.
Earlier this month a county official in the state of Kentucky, Kim Davis, went to jail because she refused to issue a marriage licence to a gay couple following a Supreme Court decision to make homosexual marriage legal.
Davis's case has taken on national significance in the 2016 presidential campaign, with one Republican contender, Mike Huckabee, holding rallies in favor of Davis, a Apostolic Christian, who has since joined the Republican party.
"I can't have in mind all cases that can exist about conscientious objection but, yes, I can say that conscientious objection is a right that is a part of every human right," he said, speaking in Italian.
"And if someone does not allow others to be a conscientious objector, he denies a right," he added.
Francis said conscientious objection had to be respected in legal structures. "Otherwise we would end up in a situation where we select what is a right, saying: 'This right has merit, this one does not.'"
(Excerpt) Read more at newsmax.com ...
Is he running for office?
Good for the pope!
Well, well.....FINALLY!! Why didn’t he say it in CONGRESS where it might count??
“Conscientious Objection” is not the correct term. That is reserved for citizens who are being forced to perform duty that violates their conscience. The term for elected officials who refuse to comply with and implement unconstitutional, illegal and immoral commands from other officials who are operating outside their jurisdiction is “interposition.”
The Pope speaks to moral theology not left or right politics. Here he is talking about conscientious objection — a point of morality.
No doubt.
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