Belgian Bishop Charged with Homophobia for Calling Homosexuals “Abnormal”

LifeSiteNews ^ | 6/28/07 | Elizabeth O’Brien

[wagglebee]

NAMUR, Belgium, June 28, 2007 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Bishop André-Mutien Léonard of Namur has been accused of the crime of “homophobia” for allegedly calling homosexuals “abnormal”.

During an April 3 interview with the weekly magazine Télé Moustique, Leonard said that his position on homosexuality agreed with Freud’s theory of blocked psychological development. Reported in the Belgium news agency Le Soir, the bishop referred to homosexuality, saying, “It is an imperfectly developed stage of human sexuality which contradicts its interior logic.”

According to the interviewer, he continued, "Homosexuals have encountered a block in their normal psychological development, which makes them abnormal.”

Le Soir reports that the bishop admitted he does not think his point of view to be retrograde. Rather, he considered the culture to be backwards. He stated, “The promotion of homosexuality through gay prides signifies the return to Gréco-Roman antiquity. To glorify homosexuality is a recession of twenty centuries.”

When asked about homosexual marriage, news agency 7Sur7 reports, Mgr Léonard stated that "Marriage is, by definition, the stable union between a man and a woman.” He recommended that when describing homosexual unions, another name be used: “anything you want but not marriage,” he exclaimed.

Religious Formation Agency CathBel published the Bishop’s clarification on the Télé Moustique interview. In this statement, the bishop said that he did not think that he used the term abnormal (which he avoids systematically) and asked the interviewer to provide him confirmation that he did use that term. The interviewer refused to do so. The bishop confirmed his opinion, however, that a “marriage” between two men or two women is not truly a marriage and that it is contrary to the family cell.
(see http://www.catho.be/newsletter/e-news_detail.asp?id_n=12386&...)

The accusation against the bishop was used this April in a European Parliament motion for a final resolution regarding “homophobia”. Calling for the “worldwide decriminalization of homosexuality,” the motion specifically referred to the bishop’s words, saying, “homosexuals are routinely targeted by religious leaders with discriminating language, such as that of the Bishop of Namur who on 4 April this year described homosexuality as ‘abnormal’ and stated that ‘homosexuality is an imperfectly developed stage of human sexuality.” The motion called for an end to discrimination against homosexuals.
(see http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=MOTION&am...).

According to the Belgian Anti-Discrimination Act of 2003, criminal “discrimination” can refer to, “gender, so-called race, colour, descent or national or ethnic origin, sexual preference, marital status, birth, wealth, age, religion or philosophy, present or future state of health, handicap or physical characteristic.” In addition, the complainant does not have to prove the act of discrimination, but rather, it is the responsibility of the accused to prove his innocence (see http://www.flemishrepublic.org/act.htm).

Similar accusations were made in 2004 against Swedish Pastor Ake Green. During one of his sermons, Green said, “What these people need, who live under the slavery of sexual immorality, is an abundant grace. It exists. Therefore we will encourage those who live in this manner to look at the grace of Jesus Christ. We cannot condemn these people. Jesus never belittled anyone. He offered them grace.” He was sentenced to one month in jail, but acquitted of the charges the following year.

See French-language coverage of the Bishop’s response to the accusation:

http://www.catho.be/newsletter/e-news_detail.asp?id_n=12386&...

See other French-language coverage:

http://www.lesoir.be/actualite/belgique/2007/04/04/article_l...

http://www.7sur7.be/hlns/cache/fr/det/art_424639.html?wt.bro...

See related LifeSiteNews coverage:

Homosexual Hate Crime Trial of Swedish Pastor an Opportunity for Evangelization
http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2005/nov/05111504.html

[wagglebee]

So now, following Church teaching is a crime.

[wagglebee]

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[wagglebee]

Ping

[Tax-chick]

following Church teaching is a crime

Stating Church teaching is a crime.

[wagglebee]

Thanks for correcting me!

[silverleaf]

Dig Up Freud and put him on trial too!

[Tax-chick]

I was just adding nuance.

[aruanan]

Belgian Bishop Charged with Homophobia for Calling Homosexuals “Abnormal”

Any norm is a characteristic of the major part of a population; thus, it is the norm that mammals are quadrupeds. This automatically makes bipeds, aquatic, and flying mammals abnormal to the major part of the population. Since most of any human population is heterosexual, heterosexuality is the norm. It follows that other sexual orientations are abnormal. The major part of the population's mental acuity is "normal". At either end of the Bell curve lie the abnormal: the genius and what formerly has been called the metal defective. Presumably the genius end is more highly valued than the opposite end and has no negative connotation. Interesting, isn't it, how those complaining about the bishop choose to characterize themselves negatively in projecting onto the bishop a negative connotation of what should be merely a descriptive word?

[livius]

Remarkable that this was a Belgian bishop. The Belgians are extremely liberal - which is why their churches are nearly empty. But I guess perhaps not all of them are liberal.

[keat]

Faced with jail time, I expect him to waffle on this.

[Lauren BaRecall]

Reported in the Belgium news agency Le Soir, the bishop referred to homosexuality, saying, “It is an imperfectly developed stage of human sexuality which contradicts its interior logic.”

According to the interviewer, he continued, "Homosexuals have encountered a block in their normal psychological development, which makes them abnormal.”

Whether or not the Bishop used the term "abnormal," he is correct.

During one of his sermons, Green said, “What these people need, who live under the slavery of sexual immorality, is an abundant grace. It exists. Therefore we will encourage those who live in this manner to look at the grace of Jesus Christ. We cannot condemn these people. Jesus never belittled anyone. He offered them grace.”

The Pastor is also correct. Condemn the sin, not the sinner. (See also my FReeper page.)

The Merciful grace of God is EVERYTHING.

These "homophobia" laws are discriminatory against (primarily) Christians, and do nothing to serve the best interests of homosexuals. Health of body and soul is available to homosexuals through the grace of God, but few of them hear anything except the lie.

[ladyinred]

Oh my, this will become the norm sooner than we think.

[gidget7]

“The promotion of homosexuality through gay prides signifies the return to Gréco-Roman antiquity. To glorify homosexuality is a recession of twenty centuries.”

“homosexuals are routinely targeted by religious leaders with discriminating language, such as that of the Bishop of Namur who on 4 April this year described homosexuality as ‘abnormal’ and stated that ‘homosexuality is an imperfectly developed stage of human sexuality.”

Well I guess any rational adult would qualify for the same sentence/accusation, since all he stated was common sense! I have stated often, progressive is just a disguise, they regressive.

And what is this, “targeted by religious leaders”, every faith in the world from the beginning of time, to the present day knows homosexuality is an abomination, and yes abnormal. Leaders of faiths do not target anyone, they merely answer when asked, honestly. Homosexuals are targeting schools and Churches, that is a fact. This is not the only sin people of faith are called to stop engaging in. But it is the only one that insist on acceptance of the sin, even in Churches. This is why we need to insist there be no hate crimes laws enacted here.

[PeterPrinciple]

accused of the crime of “homophobia”

---

Notice that wording.................

[RobbyS]

You got it. The socialists and other secularists are out to stifle Christianity.

[annalex]

What is even more troubling, the European Union is pushing for criminalization of normative assessment of sexual deviance throughout Europe. If they get their way, a country otherwise uninfected with PC diktat, like Poland, will have to muzzle its priests as well.

[Pinkbell]

"In addition, the complainant does not have to prove the act of discrimination, but rather, it is the responsibility of the accused to prove his innocence"

Well, screw innocent until proven guilty then. The poor priest doesn't stand a chance.

I agree with the priest and the Swedish pastor, though. Unfortunately, the libs are afraid to state the truth under the god of PC.

[B Knotts]

The West defeated the Soviets, but have now become the Soviets.

[B Knotts]

By the way, I would ask everyone to pray for this courageous bishop.

[ardara]

This is why so many hate crime laws are so dangerous.