Being homosexual is not a crime — Pope Francis

The head of the Catholic Church, Pope Francis has kicked against laws criminalising homosexuality saying God loves all his children just as they are.

He made his stance clear during an exclusive interview with the Associated Press on Tuesday, January 24.  

“Being homosexual isn’t a crime,” he said and called on Catholic bishops who support the anti-gay laws to welcome LGBTQ people into the church.

Francis acknowledged that Catholic bishops in some parts of the world support laws that criminalise homosexuality or discriminate against the LGBTQ community, and he himself referred to the issue in terms of “sin.” 

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But he attributed such attitudes to cultural backgrounds and said bishops in particular need to undergo a process of change to recognise the dignity of everyone.

Significantly, the pope clarified that discriminating against others was also sinful, saying: “It’s also a sin to lack charity with one another, so what about that?”

Catholic Church teaching says that gay people must be welcomed into the church and treated with respect and kindness, despite the fact that homosexual acts are considered “intrinsically disordered”.