Pope Francis recently spoke out about an issue that is dear to the LGBTQ community. He said that laws that criminalize homosexuality are unjust and that God loves all his children.
He also said that homosexuality is a sin, while making a distinction between “sin” and “crime.”
Speaking during an exclusive interview with the Associated Press, the Pope called on all Catholic bishops and priests to welcome members of the gay community into their churches. He discouraged shunning LGBTQ community members.
The Pope acknowledged that many Catholic bishops and priests in various parts of the world support the criminalization of homosexuality and discriminate against members of the LGBTQ community.
He said church heads need to change their perspectives and treat everyone with dignity.
According to the Human Dignity Trust, over 65 countries worldwide have criminalized homosexuality, and 11 impose harsh punishments such as the death penalty. Even though the extremely harsh laws are not enforced in most countries, LGBTQ people go through harassment, violence, and stigmatization.
Over 12 states in the US still have anti-sodomy laws on the books, despite such laws being declared unconstitutional in 2003.
The United Nations has pushed for an end to the criminalization of homosexuality for a long time, saying that such laws violate citizens’ right to privacy and freedom from discrimination. The UN also says that countries with such laws breach their obligations under international law to protect people’s human rights regardless of gender identity or sexual orientation.
Pope Francis said such laws are “unjust” and insisted that the Catholic church join in the efforts to change the law.
In many African and Middle Eastern countries, laws against homosexuality are common, dating back to colonial times and, in the Middle East, are supported by Islamic law.
Although the Pope said homosexuality is not a crime, he did not change the Catholic church’s teaching that sex between people of the same sex is “intrinsically disordered.”
The welcoming of gay people into the Catholic church is a hallmark of Pope Francis’ papacy.