Homosexuality is not a crime— Pope Francis declares

Pope Francis has said that laws criminalizing homosexual are “unjust,” because being homosexual is not a crime, aso Naija reports.

Speaking during an interview with The Associated Press on Wednesday, January 25, the Pope said God loves all his children just as they are and called on Catholic bishops who support the laws to welcome LGBTQ people into the church.

“Being homosexual isn’t a crime,” Francis said during the interview, adding that, “It’s not a crime. Yes, but it’s a sin. Fine, but first let’s distinguish between a sin and a crime.” “It’s also a sin to lack charity with one another,” he added.

Francis acknowledged that Catholic bishops in some parts of the world support laws that criminalize homosexuality or discriminate against the LGBTQ community, but he attributed such attitudes to cultural backgrounds, and said bishops in particular need to undergo a process of change to recognize the dignity of everyone.