Pope Says Homosexuality Is Not a Crime, Yet Fans Anti-LGBT Bigotry

Before Christian missionaries and colonial powers such has Britain spread across the globe taking their ignorant, 12th century understanding of sex and human sexuality with them, same sex relationships were found in nearly every culture and in some highly respected.  The missionaries and the colonial powers they served savagely stamped out this cultural acceptance and intituted anti-gay penal codes and often killed those who did not abide by what the missionaries labeled as "sin."  Without this religious based ignorance, bigotry and a misplaced understanding of human sexuality that labeled homosexuality a sin, homosexuality would never have become a crime.  The same phenomenon occurred as some forms of Islam spread, often backed by the sword.  The reality that this false labeling of homosexuality as sinful underlays all of the laws criminalizing homesexuality today is seemingly lost on Pope Francis who recently condemned laws criminalizing homosexuality in an interview, yet continues to cling to the view of same sex relations as a "sin," thus affirming the basis for all of the laws targeting LGBT individuals around the world.   Here are highlights on Francis' failure to face the root cause of such laws:

Pope Francis criticized laws that criminalize homosexuality as “unjust,” saying God loves all his children just as they are and called on Catholic bishops who support the laws to welcome LGBTQ people into the church.

“Being homosexual isn’t a crime,” Francis said during an interview Tuesday with The Associated Press.

Francis acknowledged that Catholic bishops in some parts of the world support laws that criminalize homosexuality or discriminate against the LGBTQ community, and he himself referred to the issue in terms of “sin.” But he attributed such attitudes to cultural backgrounds, and said bishops in particular need to undergo a process of change to recognize the dignity of everyone.

Some 67 countries or jurisdictions worldwide criminalize consensual same-sex sexual activity, 11 of which can or do impose the death penalty, according to The Human Dignity Trust, which works to end such laws. Experts say even where the laws are not enforced, they contribute to harassment, stigmatization and violence against LGBTQ people.

In the U.S., more than a dozen states still have anti-sodomy laws on the books, despite a 2003 Supreme Court ruling declaring them unconstitutional. Gay rights advocates say the antiquated laws are used to harass homosexuals, and point to new legislation, such as the “Don’t say gay” law in Florida, which forbids instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity in kindergarten through third grade, as evidence of continued efforts to marginalize LGBTQ people.

The United Nations has repeatedly called for an end to laws criminalizing homosexuality outright, saying they violate rights to privacy and freedom from discrimination and are a breach of countries’ obligations under international law to protect the human rights of all people, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity.

Declaring such laws “unjust,” Francis said the Catholic Church can and should work to put an end to them.

Such laws are common in Africa and the Middle East and date from British colonial times or are inspired by Islamic law. Some Catholic bishops have strongly upheld them as consistent with Vatican teaching that considers homosexual activity “intrinsically disordered,” while others have called for them to be overturned as a violation of basic human dignity.

On Tuesday, Francis said there needed to be a distinction between a crime and a sin with regard to homosexuality.

“Being homosexual is not a crime,” he said. “It’s not a crime. Yes, but it’s a sin. Fine, but first let’s distinguish between a sin and a crime.”

“It’s also a sin to lack charity with one another,” he added.

Catholic teaching holds that while gay people must be treated with respect, homosexual acts are “intrinsically disordered.” Francis has not changed that teaching, but he has made reaching out to the LGBTQ community a hallmark of his papacy.

Despite such outreach, Francis was criticized by the Catholic LGBTQ community for a 2021 decree from the Vatican’s doctrine office that the church cannot bless same-sex unions “because God cannot bless sin.”

The Vatican in 2008 declined to sign onto a U.N. declaration that called for the decriminalization of homosexuality, complaining the text went beyond the original scope and also included language about “sexual orientation” and “gender identity” it found problematic. In a statement at the time, the Vatican urged countries to avoid “unjust discrimination” against gay people and end penalties against them.

As long as the Catholic Church and other faith tradions label homosexuality a "sin," they will continue to fan support for anti-gay laws and bigotry against LGBT people.  Modern medical and mental health knowledge has shown that the Church's 12th century dogma is false, yet Francis and far too many other religious leaders contine to opt for embracing ignorance and bigotry.