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THE SMART NEWS SOURCE | Feb 11 2012 02:14 | LAST UPDATED Feb 11 2012 02:14 |
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Pope Benedict XVI has condemned British equality legislation for running contrary to "natural law" as he confirmed his first visit to the UK later this year. In a letter addressed to the Catholic bishops of England and Wales, the pope praised Britain's "firm commitment to equality of opportunity for all". However he criticised UK legislation for creating "limitations on the freedom of religious communities to act in accordance with their beliefs". It is thought his comments relate to laws that came in last year preventing adoption agencies from discriminating against gay couples. The pope, whose visit is expected in September, made the comments after hearing representations from English and Welsh bishops on their concerns about the place of religion in an increasingly secular society. They told him sexual orientation legislation that came into effect on January 1 2009 had forced the closure of half of the Roman Catholic agencies because the law making it illegal to discriminate against gay applicants went against their beliefs. In his letter the pope said: "The effect of some of the legislation designed to achieve this goal [of equality] has been to impose unjust limitations on the freedom of religious communities to act in accordance with their beliefs. "In some respects it actually violates the natural law upon which the equality of all human beings is grounded and by which it is guaranteed." The pope urged the bishops to make their voices heard and to defend the faith, saying that Christian teaching did not undermine or restrict the freedom of others. "Continue to insist upon your right to participate in national debate through respectful dialogue with other elements in society," he wrote.  CONTINUES BELOW "In doing so you are not only maintaining long-standing British traditions of freedom of expression and honest exchange of opinion, but you are actually giving voice to the convictions of many people who lack the means to express them: when so many of the population claim to be Christian, how could anyone dispute the gospel's right to be heard?" His remarks drew swift criticism from the National Secular Society, which said it would stage protests during the visit. Terry Sanderson, the society's president, said: "The taxpayer is going to be faced with a bill for £20-million for the visit. A visit in which he has already indicated he will attack equal rights and promote discrimination." Sanderson said he would seek to bring together gay and feminist groups, family planning organisations, abortion rights and victim support groups, and anyone else who "felt under siege" from the Vatican's "current militancy". - guardian.co.uk © Guardian News and Media 2010 TOPICS IN THIS ARTICLE
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