What’s Wrong With the Vatican

A guest editorial at UK Gay News takes a look at the privileges afforded to and the constant meddling in secular matters by the Vatican and asks a valid question as to why is the Vatican afforded the status of a nation when no other religion is granted this right. The column also lays out a summary of the various activities of the Vatican to subordinate women and to demonize gays. It is worth a read and in my view demonstrates why diplomatic status for the Vatican ought to be dropped and why it should cease to have observer status at the United Nations. Here are a few highlights:

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This tiny State inhabited mainly by priests is extremely powerful and its “moral” crusades adversely affect the lives of millions of people in Europe and in the world. Officially part of the UN, its “observer-state” status means it engages in UN debates on a variety of issues ranging from favourites, such as birth control, abortion and homosexuality, to the environment, war and global trade. The Vatican has diplomatic relationships with almost all the countries in the world .

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No other religion has such a power in Europe and in the world, thus prompting the Economist to publish an investigation about the diplomatic service of the Vatican, questioning whether it deserves its special status in the UN (21/07/2007). The Catholic Church is an extremely profitable business. They own businesses such as hotels, restaurants, shops and private schools and they DON’T pay any tax! On top of this, the Vatican receives public money in many countries: in Italy about 1000 million Euros from taxes is destined to the Vatican every year (€930 million in 2006 )

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The Vatican wields considerable political and economic power. It uses its influence and privilege to impose an agenda on a variety of issues that affect our lives as European citizens, and limit our civil rights and our civil liberties.

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The issue of women’s rights and the Catholic Church goes way beyond the hierarchy of the church, where women are unable to ascend to priesthood as a result of their gender. . . . The Pope encourages us to view women as unequal to men, by consistently and publicly stating that the two genders are naturally different and that women are naturally inclined for domestic living.

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The Pope thinks being gay is an “objective disorder” and a “moral evil”. In many countries in the world you can still get the death penalty for being gay. Recently, a proposal to de-criminalise homosexuality was opposed by the Vatican in the UN because it would mean that States where same-sex unions are not recognized would be discriminated against and unfairly subjected to international pressure.

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We need to protect democracy and to champion human rights against those who wish to retain undemocratic influence and privilege. The Vatican has done this for years in the European Union, the United Nations and even in the UK parliament without anyone paying attention. Why?