Pope Francis has called for an end to laws criminalizing homosexuality.
Speaking to the Associated Press, the leader of the Catholic Church said although being homosexual is a sin, it is not a crime.
"Being homosexual isn’t a crime.”
“It's not a crime. Yes, but it's a sin,” he said. "Fine, but first let's distinguish between a sin and a crime."
"It's also a sin to lack charity with one another," the Pope added.
Pope Francis urged the Catholic church to work to put an end to discrimination against homosexuals, saying, "It must do this. It must do this,” and describing criminal restrictions on homosexuality as "unjust."
While speaking to AFP at the Vatican City, Pope Francis said, "We are all children of God, and God loves us as we are and for the strength that each of us fights for our dignity," he said, adding that religious leaders in the church "must" work to end laws discriminating against homosexuals.
Francis accepted that Catholic bishops in some parts of the world support laws that criminalize homosexuality or discriminate against the LGBTQ community, and he referred to the issue in terms of “sin.”
But he said such attitudes arise from cultural backgrounds, adding that bishops in particular should undergo a process of change to appreciate the dignity of everyone.
“These bishops have to have a process of conversion,” adding that they should apply “tenderness, please, as God has for each one of us.”
Francis is the first Pope to make comments about such laws.
However, his comments are consistent with his general approach to the LGBTQ community and belief that the Catholic Church should not discriminate, but welcome everyone.
Pope Francis' comments came ahead of his trip to Africa, where there are tight laws against homosexuality.
There was no evidence that Francis spoke out against such legislation now because his more conservative predecessor, Pope Benedict XVI, recently passed away, as the subject had never come up in an interview.
A timeline of the life of Pope Francis.
Pope Francis was born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in 1936 in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and got involved in the Catholic Church after recovering from a severe illness.
Francis has not changed the Catholic teaching, which holds that gay people must be treated with respect, while homosexual acts are “intrinsically disordered.”
However, Francis has made reaching out to the LGBTQ community a hallmark of his papacy.
In 2013, when he was asked about a purportedly gay priest, he made the famous declaration, “Who am I to judge?”
and has continued to minister frequently and publicly to the gay and trans community.
As archbishop of Buenos Aires, he supported granting legal protections to same-sex couples as an alternative to endorsing gay marriage, which Catholic doctrine forbids.
Despite such outreach, the Catholic LGBTQ community criticized Pope Francis for a 2021 decree from the Vatican’s doctrine office that announced that the church cannot bless same-sex unions.
The Vatican refused to endorse a U.N. declaration in 2008, that called for homosexuality to be decriminalized, arguing that the text went beyond the original scope.
A statement by the Vatican at the time, urged countries to avoid “unjust discrimination” against homosexual people and stop penalties against them.
Gay laws.
Many countries around the globe have laws that criminalize homosexuality.
According to the Human Dignity Trust, a charity, which works to end such laws, there are laws banning private, consensual, same-sex activity in 67 countries of the world, 11 of which can or do implement the death penalty.
Experts say even in countries where the laws are not enforced; they still contribute to harassment, stigmatization, and violence against the LGBTQ community.
Nigeria has tightened its laws against homosexuality. The legislation, signed into law by the president unannounced, bans same-sex marriages, gay groups, and shows of same-sex public affection.
The new law recommends prison terms of up to 10 years for anyone who participates in gay clubs or organizations and for same-sex couples who publicly show affection.
"Any person who registers, operates or participates in gay clubs, societies, and organizations or directly or indirectly makes public show of same-sex amorous relationship in Nigeria commits an offense and shall each be liable on conviction to a term of 10 years in prison," the Same-Sex Marriage Prohibition Act says.
Gay rights activists had expressed concerns about the tightening of the laws.
Religion. Lifestyle.
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