Pope Francis says homosexuality “is not a crime”

The Pope Francisco He has condemned “unfair” legislation criminalizing homosexual relationships around the world, and defends that homosexuality “is not a crime.”

In an interview with Associated Pressthe pontiff opined that the Catholic Church has to work to end these laws.

“We are all children of God, and God loves us as we are and for the strength that each one has to fight for their dignity. Being homosexual is not a crime. It is not a crime. ‘Yes, but it is a sin.’ Well, Yes, but let’s make the distinction between sin and crime first. But lack of charity towards one another is also a sin, so what about that?”

Francis acknowledged that Catholic bishops in some parts of the world support laws that criminalize homosexuality or discriminate against the community. LGBTQIthough he attributed those attitudes to cultural background.

“Yes, (the church) has to do it (work to repeal those laws). What happens is that they are cultures, cultures in a state and in bishops of that place, if they are good bishops, they are part of the culture and some have the mind is still in that culture. These bishops have to undergo a conversion process. Regarding the bishops of those places I have no bad information about anyone. They are open to help not only in this, but also in other problems. But, tenderness , please, tenderness as God has with each one of us,” declared the pontiff.

According to the Pope, the bishops need to undergo a process of change to recognize the dignity of all, and above all, he urged tenderness.

Source