Catholic Church would rather we discriminate against gays than against them
The Archbishop of Westminster (Catholic head honcho for England and Wales) has written to the Prime Minister threatening to shut down its adoption agencies if a special case, allowing its bigotry against homosexuals, is not created under the Equality Act.
The act, due to come into force in April, outlaws discrimination based on sexual orientation in the provision of goods and services. Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O’Connor says that this represents unjust discrimination against Catholics:
We believe it would be unreasonable, unnecessary and unjust discrimination against Catholics for the government to insist that if they wish to continue to work with local authorities, Catholic adoption agencies must act against the teaching of the Church and their own consciences by being obliged in law to provide such a service.
Harry assumes that he is perfectly happy, on the other hand, to continue his unjust discrimination against homosexuals.
Religion cannot be allowed to provide a cloak for prejudice. If we as a society say that discriminating against homosexuals is wrong, and pass a law to that effect, then religious people must abide by it, just as the rest of us do. Nobody in their right mind would say that it would be permissible to ceremoniously whip drunken chavs if some religion’s doctrine called for it (although Harry thinks it might not be such a bad idea); in other words, nobody in their right mind would support an excemption for religious people to commit assault. Why should such an excemption be created to protect the arcane bigotry of the Catholic Church?
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January 23rd, 2007 at 14:51
“Harry says”?
What on earth are you doing talking in the 3rd person? You lack the gravitas carry it off
January 23rd, 2007 at 14:59
Be thankful that this comment has not been struck down from upon high! Harry has the power here.
I permit it to exist to demonstrate that I have sufficent gravitas to accept critisim, and thereby, sufficient gravitas to speak however I wish.
Bite me.
January 23rd, 2007 at 15:22
Surely that should be:
“Harry permits it to exist to demonstrate that Harry has sufficent gravitas to accept critisim, and thereby, sufficient gravitas to speak however Harry wishes.”
Back to the adoption issue; it’s interesting that they even consider single parents for adoption over homosexuals, and then go on to extoll family values and loving partnerships and so on. Wonderful bit of hypocrisy.
January 23rd, 2007 at 15:31
To speak however I wish, remember? I reserve the right to switch willy nilly should Harry so please. Huzzah!
And yes: it’s just so transparent, and representative of one of the great flaws of religious thinking. They seem to assume that doctrine makes them right; that it justifies their prejudice. I think not. This is the age of reason!
August 2nd, 2007 at 14:01
[…] special treatment. Religious beliefs that are damaging to others should not be tolerated at all: homophobia springs immediately to mind, as does the refusal of Jehovah’s Witnesses to allow their children to receive blood […]