Posted on 02/02/2010 11:28:51 AM PST by Maelstorm
Gay-rights campaigners and secularists called on Tuesday for protests during a visit to Britain by Pope Benedict XVI this year, after he condemned equality legislation seen as friendly to gays.
The 82-year-old pontiff, who made his comments in a letter to the bishops of England and Wales on Monday, is reportedly set to visit Britain in September, the first such trip in 28 years.
Human rights campaigner and gay activist Peter Tatchell said he saw the pope's letter as an attack on the legal rights granted to gay people and women.
"His ill-informed claim that our equality laws undermine religious freedom suggests that he supports the right of churches to discriminate in accordance with their religious ethos.
"He seems to be defending discrimination by religious institutions and demanding that they should be above the law."
In his comments on Monday the pope said that Britain "is well known for its firm commitment to equality of opportunity."
But he added "the effect of some of the legislation designed to achieve this goal has been to impose unjust limitations on the freedom of religious communities to act in accordance with their beliefs," he wrote.
"In some respects it actually violates the natural law upon which the equality of all human beings is grounded and by which it is guaranteed."
Observers said the pontiff was referring to legislation that took effect on January 1, 2009, preventing adoption agencies -- including Catholic ones -- from discriminating against gay couples.
The National Secular Society (NSS) reacted furiously to the pope's remarks.
Terry Sanderson, president of the National Secular Society, said: "The taxpayer in this country is going to be faced with a bill of some 20 million pounds for the visit of the pope.
"A visit in which he has already indicated he will attack equal rights and promote discrimination."
He said he would appeal to gay groups, feminist groups, family planning organisations, pro-choice groups, victim support groups and "anyone who feels under siege from the Vatican?s current militancy" to take part in the protests.
These gay activists fundamentally do not believe in religious freedom.
The Pope is against homosexuality and queers everywhere are offended.
If they can't, then what the heck is religious "ethos" for in the first place?...............
I thought this was scrappleface when I started reading this. Would anyone have thought 20 years ago that this anti-religious bigotry would be not only practiced but defended? What a damn post-modern time we live in. We need to bring back truth and meaning to society, so they realize what they are defending and attacking.
“they should both either shut up, or put up.”
What do you mean? Put up-what?
The Pope is right to condemn Labour’s attempt to force the Church to hire poofers.
You will now be the subject of many prayers, including mine, that God (and not any imagined one) will ‘trouble you’ such that you will come to realize that He is, that you will realize your need for Him as well as your need for salvation through His Son Jesus. Prayers up.
In a more secular slant, let me say that it is good you have the freedoms, BASED on Judeo-Christian values, to slander religion in general and Christianity in particular. May you not come to regret not supporting it if Sharia comes to town.
Why is this a surprise. I think probably his criticiam of HARRY POTTER is more problematic, especially after John-Paul II said he liked HARRY POTTER.
criticiam = criticism
Okay all gays and queers - go ahead and start your own damn church.
What did they expect?
What’s Christian about Catholicism, have I missed something? I believe in God and Jesus as His Son, not in Mary the Queen of the Universe, reincarnated, many times.
Yep, maybe.
Matthew 24 Tells Us About “the End”
Verse 10:
Many will be *Offended*
Will betray one another and will hate one another....
“Because lawlessness is increased, most people’s love will grow cold.
The WORD of GOD...
I can think of few things more foolish to a person’s eternal salvation that labeling the Pope “ill-informed.”
Then again, deviants like this shmuck pretty much have their future plans assured.
ok...but they are Catholic Priests, not pagan priets and the Pope IS the head of the global Catholic Church...
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