Spain Tells Pope
To Stay Out
Of Gay Marriage Debate
by 365Gay.com from the Web, January 26, 2005
Madrid, Jan 25 -- Spain's Socialist government Tuesday told the Vatican to stop butting in on affairs of state.
The warning came from Defense Minister Jose Bono.
The Vatican has publicly rebuked the government for bring in legislation on same-sex marriage and for streamlining laws on abortion and divorce.
"Faith is not something a government can impose. It is not something that it is up to the state, but rather to people," Defense Bono told Spanish radio.
That the criticism came from Bono was particularly noteworthy. He is the only practicing Catholic in the government.
In the radio interview Bono said some of the church's positions, such as its opposition to homosexuality and the use of condoms, go against the message of Jesus Christ.
"Today, Christ would be more worried about the 25,000 children who die each day of hunger or in wars.
I think Christ would side with those who are peaceful," Bono said.
The criticism of the Church's stand came a day after the Pope, in a meeting with visiting Spanish bishops, said secular trends in Spain were leading youth to become indifferent to religion.
The remarks were seen in the Spanish press as a stiff rebuke of the government of Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero.
Last June, shortly after Zapatero announced the gay marriage bill, he was summoned to the Vatican for a severe tongue lashing from Pope John Paul.
On the weekend, the Pope attacked the use of condoms, after a leading Spanish prelate said that bishops support the use of contraceptives to fight AIDS.
The prelate quickly backtracked after the Vatican intervened.
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