By Dipankar De Sarkar, IANS,
London : The head of the global Catholic church sparked anger among human rights campaigners in Britain Tuesday after saying proposed British legislation seeking to promote equality “violates natural law.”
“Your country is well known for its firm commitment to equality of opportunity for all members of society,” Pope Benedict XVI told British bishops gathered in Rome.
“Yet as you have rightly pointed out, the effect of some of the legislation designed to achieve this goal 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’s attack came in the midst of consultation on an Equality Bill that seeks to bring in all existing anti-discrimination measures under one law, including existing provisions on race, gender, religion, sexuality and disability.
The Catholic Church strongly opposes any measure that would make it illegal to discriminate against homosexuals, lesbians and transgenders, claiming the Bible only approves of heterosexual relations.
The Pope’s comments, which come ahead of British general elections, were condemned by human rights groups as an attack on British domestic politics and campaigners said they would protest a planned visit by the Pope later this year.
Although the government said it give “the warmest of warm welcomes” to the Pope, a well-known British gay and human rights activist Peter Tatchell said: “Most British people will not welcome a meddlesome Pontiff who opposes British equality laws.”
“This is a coded attack on the legal rights granted to women and gay people,” Tatchell said.
In Britain, leaders of both the major Christian denominations – Anglicans and Catholics – are opposed to allowing homosexuals into their fold.
In addition, many church leaders also oppose allowing women the right to become bishops and, although they can now stand for church elections, there is no female Bishop in Britain.
The government suffered defeats in the upper house of parliament last week after church leaders expressed concern over the Equality Bill, claiming churches could be breaking the law if they refused to employ gay people and transsexuals.
“The attack is timed in deliberate awareness of the pending general election,” said The Times newspaper, adding: “The Catholic vote could be crucial in the coming election in determining who will be prime minister when the Pope visits in September.”
A spokesman for the Equalities Office said: “We believe everyone should have a fair chance in life and not be discriminated against. The Equality Bill will make Britain a fairer and more equal place.”