An Encouraging Sign. The World Moves On.

[ProThaiExpat]

Cardinal: Vatican Fears Gay Suit

by The Associated Press

June 29, 2006 - 1:00 pm ET

(Vatican City) The Vatican is worried its opposition to same sex marriage, abortion and embryonic stem cell research could one day land it before an international court of justice, a senior Vatican official says.

Alfonso Cardinal Lopez Trujillo, who heads the Pontifical Council for the Family, reiterated traditional Roman Catholic Church positions and criticized some European countries, including Belgium, the Netherlands and France, for giving legal recognition to civil unions.

``We worry especially that, with current laws, speaking in defense of life and the rights of families is becoming in some societies sort of a crime against the state,'' Lopez Trujillo told the Roman Catholic newsmagazine Famiglia Cristiana for its issue scheduled to hit the stands Thursday.

``The church is at risk of being brought before some international court if the debate becomes any tenser, if the more radical requests get heard,'' the cardinal said, speaking ahead of the Roman Catholic church's World Meeting of Families in Valencia, Spain from July 1-9.

Lopez Trujillo did not comment further about any legal problems the Vatican could face but his words touched upon a concern among religious organizations everywhere: the right of religious freedom versus countries' anti-discrimination laws.

Chai Feldblum of Georgetown University's Law Center said the chances of the church being punished for stating its beliefs are slim to none, at least in the United States, though its stances could lead to Roman Catholic organizations losing state funding.

``I cannot fathom a religious organization being punished for speaking its belief against abortion or gay marriage,'' said Feldblum, a veteran gay rights advocate.

``What is illuminating is not the reality of the legal penalties they face but an acknowledgment that public morality is shifting under their feet,'' Feldblum said.

In recent years, the Netherlands, Belgium, Spain and Canada legalized same-sex marriage, while Britain and several other European countries now give such couples the right to form partnerships that entitle them to most of the same tax and pension rights as married couples _ laws the church is firmly against.

In the interview, Lopez Trujillo reiterated that under church rules, women who have abortions, the doctors and nurses who help them and the father, if he is going along with it, are excommunicated. The same goes for embryonic stem cell research.

``It's the same thing. Destroying the embryo is equivalent to abortion,'' Lopez Trujillo said.

He also criticized what he described as a movement to impose new human rights.

``It's happening for abortion, which is a crime, and instead it's becoming a right,'' the cardinal said.

He also compared gay marriage to ``absolute emptiness,'' saying the only possible couple is made up of a man and a woman.

Earlier this month, the Pontifical Council for the Family issued a 57-page document in which it said the traditional family has never been so threatened as in today's world. It also lashed out against contraception, abortion, in-vitro fertilization and same-sex marriage.

The Vatican's document did not break any new ground but marked the first sweeping comment on the issues during Pope Benedict's papacy.

[Thaiquila]

Editing error.

Edited June 29, 2006 by Thaiquila

[PeaceBlondie]

Indeed, the modern age is rushing past many traditional religions. In Chicago, surveys more than a decade ago showed that the more devout and active Catholic laity was in sharp disagreement with the official statements of the church regarding sex. Birth control is a lost cause already.

The Vatican's view of sex seems mired forever in the concept of making babies. If it doesn't make babies, it's a sin. They're stuck in the past. I think the parish priests know much better, but the cardinals and career theologians in Vatican City are out of touch.

Few organizations are more traditional than the Roman Catholic church. They can't bear to change course now, because admitting they'd been wrong all this time would seem to make the Pope "lose face." I think when Mama died, she still had a "Mr. Christopher medal" to guide her in her travels, since Christopher had been de-sainted.

[jdinasia]

actually I certainly hope that Religions get to keep their views ....

i don't agree with them ... but as I don't think the Church should be able to legislate OUR morality ... I also don't think we should be able to legislate theirs!

[Guest endure]

``We worry especially that, with current laws, speaking in defense of life and the rights of families is becoming in some societies sort of a crime against the state,'' Lopez Trujillo told the Roman Catholic newsmagazine Famiglia Cristiana for its issue scheduled to hit the stands Thursday.

The old 'rights of families' argument always makes me laugh. Where do they think that gays come from? Under the gooseberry bush?