Pope Francis criticizes laws criminalizing homosexuality, calls for bishops to welcome LGBTQ people.
Pope Francis has recently commented on the criminalization of homosexuality in many countries around the world, saying that it is an “unjust” law. He believes that all of God’s children should be accepted and welcomed, regardless of sexual orientation. While some Catholic bishops have supported laws that criminalize homosexuality, the Pope believes that they must undergo a process of conversion to recognize the dignity of everyone.
Currently, there are 67 countries or jurisdictions worldwide that criminalize consensual same-sex sexual activity, 11 of which can or do impose the death penalty. In the United States, more than a dozen states still have anti-sodomy laws on the books, which are used to harass homosexuals. The United Nations has repeatedly called for an end to such laws, stating that they violate rights to privacy and freedom from discrimination.
Pope Francis quoted the Catechism of the Catholic Church, saying that gays must be welcomed and respected, and should not be marginalized or discriminated against. He believes that there should be a distinction between a crime and a sin with regard to homosexuality, and that “being homosexual is not a crime”. While Catholic teaching holds that homosexual acts are “intrinsically disordered”, Francis has made reaching out to the LGBTQ community a hallmark of his papacy.
In 2008, the Vatican declined to sign onto a U.N. declaration that called for the decriminalization of homosexuality, but urged countries to avoid “unjust discrimination” against gays and end penalties against them. Pope Francis’ recent comments on the criminalization of homosexuality have been a step in the right direction, as he has called for Catholic bishops to undergo a process of conversion to recognize the dignity of everyone. He believes that God loves all his children just as they are, and that the Church should work to put an end to laws that criminalize homosexuality.
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