{"id":838,"date":"2023-11-28T21:17:00","date_gmt":"2023-11-28T21:17:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ghnewsbay.com\/?p=838"},"modified":"2023-11-28T21:17:00","modified_gmt":"2023-11-28T21:17:00","slug":"catholic-bishops-back-anti-gay-bill-but","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ghnewsbay.com\/?p=838","title":{"rendered":"Catholic Bishops back anti-gay bill but\u2026"},"content":{"rendered":"

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The Ghana Catholic Bishops\u2019 Conference (GCBC) has submitted a paper to Parliament\u2019s Committee on Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs expressing its position on the Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill, also known as the anti-LGBTQI+ bill.<\/p>\n

The GCBC in the paper affirmed its support for the Bill\u2019s objective to protect the institution of family and promote proper sexual human rights in Ghana.<\/p>\n

The Conference believes that, the Bill aligns with the moral teachings of the Catholic Church and the values held by a significant portion of the Ghanaian population.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe, the Catholic Bishops of Ghana, write in support of the draft Bill presented to Parliament to make homosexual practices illegal in Ghana. Our voice needs to be heard on this matter not only because, in our view, it is morally unacceptable but also because according to the 2010 population census, the Catholic Church in Ghana constitutes a sizable percentage of the population, i.e., about 13.1 percent of the population of Ghana.\u201d<\/p>\n

While upholding the Church\u2019s stance against homosexual practices, the GCBC emphasized that the Bill should not infringe upon the fundamental rights of LGBTQI+ individuals.<\/p>\n

The Conference in its paper called for respect and compassion towards all persons, regardless of their sexual orientation.<\/p>\n

\u201c\u2026In the view of the Church, it is not right to subject homosexuals to any form of harassment simply because they are homosexuals.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe intrinsic dignity of each person must always be respected in word, in action and in law. Homosexuals must be accepted with respect, compassion and sensitivity. According to Pope Francis, the homosexual person needs to be \u201crespected in his or her dignity and treated with consideration, and \u2018every sign of unjust discrimination\u2019 is to be carefully avoided, particularly any form of aggression or violence\u201d (Amoris Laetitia 250). Families with LGBT members need \u201crespectful pastoral guidance\u201d from the church and its pastors so that gays and lesbians can fully carry out God\u2019s will in their lives (Amoris Laetitia 250).\u201d<\/p>\n

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