The Pope has made an unprecedented attack on the human rights policies of Gordon Brown's Government, claiming that they threaten religious freedom and urging Catholic bishops to fight back with "missionary zeal". Pope Benedict XVI said that new equality legislation was unjust and violated natural law. He urged the 35 Catholic bishops from England and Wales, in Rome on a five-yearly "ad limina" visit, to make a united stand against the Equality Bill currently going through Parliament. He claimed the proposed new laws threatened "long-standing British traditions" of freedom of speech.
The Pope has made an unprecedented attack on the human rights policies of Gordon Brown's Government, claiming that they threaten religious freedom and urging Catholic bishops to fight back with "missionary zeal".
Pope Benedict XVI said that new equality legislation was unjust and violated natural law.
He urged the 35 Catholic bishops from England and Wales, in Rome on a five-yearly "ad limina" visit, to make a united stand against the Equality Bill currently going through Parliament.
He claimed the proposed new laws threatened "long-standing British traditions" of freedom of speech.
Benedict XVI says legislation safeguarding rights of same-sex couples violates 'natural law'Pope Benedict XVI has condemned British equality legislation for running contrary to "natural law" as he confirmed his first visit to the UK later this year.In a letter addressed to the Catholic bishops of England and Wales, the pope praised Britain's "firm commitment to equality of opportunity for all".However, he criticised UK legislation for creating "limitations on the freedom of religious communities to act in accordance with their beliefs". It is thought his comments relate to laws that came in last year preventing adoption agencies from discriminating against gay couples and also Harriet Harman's equality bill, currently going through parliament.
Pope Benedict XVI has condemned British equality legislation for running contrary to "natural law" as he confirmed his first visit to the UK later this year.
In a letter addressed to the Catholic bishops of England and Wales, the pope praised Britain's "firm commitment to equality of opportunity for all".
However, he criticised UK legislation for creating "limitations on the freedom of religious communities to act in accordance with their beliefs". It is thought his comments relate to laws that came in last year preventing adoption agencies from discriminating against gay couples and also Harriet Harman's equality bill, currently going through parliament.
So forcing the Church to obey employment laws that forbid expressions of hatred and discrimination against minority groups is just the most horrid thing imaginable.
As my friend Roz says;-
Someone rightly pointed out that right-wing Christianist fundie homophobes don't regard themselves as obliged to follow the purity codes of the Old Testament about mixed-textile clothing, or diet, and that this is because Paul says Christians are exempt from those codes. This does not explain why they still feel entitled to adopt Old Testament punishments, of course, so it is not quite the knock-down argument that was claimed; it would seem to me that if you are using the New Testament to govern your own behaviour, and the Old Testament to govern other people's, there is a fundamental inconsistency people should be asked to address.
