Pope: UK Equality Laws Contradicts Natural Law

February 09, 2010

Pope Benedict XVI has spoken out against the liberal UK laws that permit same sex unions ad gay adoption, in the lead up to his UK visit later this year.

A letter addressed to the Catholic Bishops of England and Wales on the one had praised the Britain’s commitment to equality for all, but on the other hand criticised the way liberal laws restrict religious groups to act in line with their religious belief systems.

The recent remark in opposition to the UK legislation came as a result of the government imposing anti discrimination clauses in the current Adoption laws, which prevents any adoption agency from discriminating from same sex couples.

The Pope in his unusual attack on UK legislation said: "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."

"Continue to insist upon your right to participate in national debate through respectful dialogue with other elements in society," he wrote.

"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?"

The national Secular Society has been up in arms since the announcement of the Pope’s visit and has vowed to arrange demonstrations throughout his visit, which was said to cost the taxpayers £20m. Terry Sanderson, from the National Secular Society, said he hopes to unite as many feminist, family planning organisations, abortion and other civil rights together to voice their discontent.