Vatican Opposes Gay Decriminalization

UPDATED: Additional coverage on the Vatican's temper tantrum can be found at Timesonline here.

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France, on behalf of of the European Union, will be introducing a proposed U.N. resolution calling on governments worldwide to de-criminalize homosexuality. Not surprisingly, Pope Benedict XVI and the other old bitter queens at the Vatican - who close their eyes to the sexual abuse of minors by clergy unless and until caught by the media or lawsuits - are having a cow and have indicated that the Vatican will oppose the resolution. Never mind that gays are imprisoned or even executed in some countries around the world. However, now that a number of groups are condemning the Vatican for its opposition to the resolution, Benedict, et al are crying like spoiled babies and trying to cast themselves as victims. Here are some highlights from Reuters on the controversy:

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VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Gay rights groups and newspaper editorials on Tuesday condemned the Vatican for its decision to oppose a proposed U.N. resolution calling on governments worldwide to de-criminalize homosexuality. The row erupted after the Vatican's permanent observer to the United Nations told a French Catholic news agency the Holy See would oppose the resolution, which France is due to propose later this month on behalf of the 27-member European Union.

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Archbishop Celestino Migliore said the Vatican opposed the resolution because it would "add new categories of those protected from discrimination" and could lead to reverse discrimination against traditional heterosexual marriage.

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A strongly worded editorial in Italy's mainstream La Stampa newspaper said the Vatican's reasoning was "grotesque." Pointing out that homosexuality was still punishable by death in some Islamic countries, the editorial said what the Vatican really feared was a "chain reaction in favor of legally recognized homosexual unions in countries, like Italy, where there is currently no legislation."

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On Tuesday the Paris government defended the resolution. "France's initiative ... is an initiative that is based on existing texts. The idea is not to create new rights. The idea is ... to make decriminalization possible," French Foreign Ministry spokesman Eric Chevallier said. Human rights groups say homosexuality is still punishable by law in more than 85 countries and by death in a number of them, including Afghanistan, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Sudan and Yemen.

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Grillini, the gay rights activist, said he feared what he called another "Holy Alliance" between the Vatican and Islamic states at the United Nations to oppose the proposed resolution.