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Anger after pope condemns gay-friendly laws
http://www.france24.com ^ | 02 February 2010 | www.france24.com

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.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Front Page News; News/Current Events; United Kingdom
KEYWORDS: deviance; gay; homosexualagenda; pope; sin; vatican
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To: ArrogantBustard

lol


41 posted on 02/02/2010 12:15:30 PM PST by bronxville
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To: Maelstorm
"A visit in which he has already indicated he will attack equal rights and promote discrimination."

Anyone as rabid as Terry Sanderson is going to go bonkers anytime the Pope does his job which is to point out the truth.

Equal rights for sadistic child sex abusers?

42 posted on 02/02/2010 12:18:10 PM PST by Slyfox
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To: Pyro7480

Good pick-up - took your clue and saw the flag. I would say Scottish Presbyterian of the Ian Paisley ilk.


43 posted on 02/02/2010 12:18:25 PM PST by bronxville
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To: ArrogantBustard

Well, I am not a scholar or a lawyer, just a regular person and I am as accurate as I can be.


44 posted on 02/02/2010 12:24:47 PM PST by homegroan (ILLIGITIMA NON CARBORUNDUM!!)
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Comment #45 Removed by Moderator

Comment #46 Removed by Moderator

To: bethybabes69

Are gay friendly laws good or bad for society?


47 posted on 02/02/2010 12:29:47 PM PST by RoadGumby (For God so loved the world)
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To: homegroan
Well, I am not a scholar or a lawyer

Neither am I ...

But I have been burned a few times, and try to learn from my mistakes. I also try to learn from other folks' mistakes. So I'm just passing on something I've learnt the hard way. I hope you find it useful. ;'}

48 posted on 02/02/2010 12:31:04 PM PST by ArrogantBustard (Western Civilization is Aborting, Buggering, and Contracepting itself out of existence.)
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To: Pyro7480
Yes, I'm British. Got no problem with the Pope coming, just when He starts bleating on about His opinion on British Law, and got no problem with Tatchell neither, He can live how He pleases, it's His choice for His soul.
My point is, I want none of their opinions to legislate against Me.
49 posted on 02/02/2010 12:33:23 PM PST by bethybabes69 (Between you, and whatever you call God, there is no authority, only an illusion of it.)
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To: bronxville

Do you think Catholics aren’t Christian?

Catholics are just like protestants, some are Christian and some aren’t.


50 posted on 02/02/2010 12:33:42 PM PST by freedomfiter2
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To: bethybabes69
My point is, I want none of their opinions to legislate against Me.

So you're a "libertarian" of some sort? How do you want the law to work in your country?

51 posted on 02/02/2010 12:37:04 PM PST by Pyro7480 ("If you know how not to pray, take Joseph as your master, and you will not go astray." - St. Teresa)
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To: bethybabes69

Catholics do not kneel in worship before the Pope.


52 posted on 02/02/2010 12:38:15 PM PST by Pyro7480 ("If you know how not to pray, take Joseph as your master, and you will not go astray." - St. Teresa)
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To: Slyfox
Funny how the gay activists are quiet when the Muslims march in the streets, call for the imposition of Sharia law universally in Britain and the president of Iran says there are no gays in Iran. I wonder if the activist gays for all their bluster, are really cowards?

I wonder how the British Govt would react if the radical Muslims decapitated a gay activist in public? Would they consider it discrimination against gays or an acceptable religious expression of the Muslim community?

53 posted on 02/02/2010 12:38:54 PM PST by 30 Govt. (buck Ofama)
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To: Pyro7480
That seems to be epidemic here of late.
And I am not even Catholic...
54 posted on 02/02/2010 12:41:14 PM PST by ejonesie22
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To: RoadGumby
They are neither til they are broken, they are just words.
I'm not interested in the greater good of communal society, I leave that thinking to the Communists.
Laws are irrelevant unless one transgresses them. I won't attack gay/ethnic/tall/small/fat/Religious or whatever people. I forgive people who transgress me, and hate no-one.
If I point out fact, and it stings someone, maybe those people have an open sore.
55 posted on 02/02/2010 12:42:07 PM PST by bethybabes69 (Between you, and whatever you call God, there is no authority, only an illusion of it.)
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To: bethybabes69
is He invited to speak 'carte blanche' about Religion in the USA?

The Holy Father was here for a week, in 2008, and he did, indeed, have carte blanche to speak about religion.

56 posted on 02/02/2010 12:45:30 PM PST by Trailerpark Badass (One good thing about music, when it hits you feel no pain.)
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To: 30 Govt.
I wonder how the British Govt would react if the radical Muslims decapitated a gay activist in public? Would they consider it discrimination against gays or an acceptable religious expression of the Muslim community?

They'd let them do it, then create a new Czar and Govt Dept, a mass of statute to allegedly protect us from them doing it again, but we the people would pay for it all, and it probably wouldn't work.
57 posted on 02/02/2010 12:45:51 PM PST by bethybabes69 (Between you, and whatever you call God, there is no authority, only an illusion of it.)
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To: bethybabes69
One day you will certainly know that God is NO illusion...I hope this realization doesnt come to late for you though. As much as your types do anger me, the chief emotion that I feel is pitty. I pitty the life lived apart from Christ because in time (here and in eternity)all men and women, whether they chose to believe or not will bow a knee and confess the Lordship of Christ.
58 posted on 02/02/2010 12:46:54 PM PST by TheGunny
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To: bethybabes69

You better watch what you say.

You know there’s a giant computer under the Vatican with the names of every protestant in it.

And it if you keep on talking, they’re going to send albino monk assassins to take you out.


59 posted on 02/02/2010 12:48:34 PM PST by PanzerKardinal (Don't give up any of your rights. They were purchased for you by blood!)
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To: Pyro7480
So you're a "libertarian" of some sort? How do you want the law to work in your country

Nope, I'm not a pigeon that lives in a box, I'm just me.
I have beliefs that says no Man has Religious authority between Me and My Heavenly Father through Jesus Christ, just as Scripture tells me, in plain text.

Which Law, legal statute courtesy of Rome? Or Common Law from my DNA, as in that I will not cause harm, loss or injury?
60 posted on 02/02/2010 12:50:33 PM PST by bethybabes69 (Between you, and whatever you call God, there is no authority, only an illusion of it.)
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