Current Affairs

The Pope praises “Trojan horse” anti marriage equality essay by French rabbi

Dec 24 2012
Written by Joseph McCormick

During a Christmas address at the Vatican, the Pope has praised an essay by France’s Chief Rabbi, who described equal marriage as a “Trojan horse”, which would “undermine” straight marriage.

Pope Benedict XVI said he found an essay, written by Rabbi Gilles Bernheim “profoundly moving”, during his speech in the Clementine Hall of the Vatican’s Apostolic Palace on Friday, reported Reuters.

In the essay, published in October by Rabbi Bernheim, titled “Gay Marriage, Parenthood and Adoption: What We Often Forget To Say,” he says that marriage equality was being brought in just for the sake of political correctness, and for “the exclusive profit of a tiny minority”.

Rabbi Bernheim went on to say that marriage equality advocates “will use gay marriage as a Trojan horse” in a campaign to “deny sexual identity and erase sexual differences” and “undermine the heterosexual fundamentals of our society.”

During his Christmas speech, the Pope also said that gay people were manipulating their sexual orientation to alter god-given nature, and that they “deny their nature”, which is “given to them by their bodily identity.”

In early November, French President Francois Hollande’s government approved a bill to legalise equal marriage and allow gay couples to adopt.

Tens of thousands of demonstrators took to the streets of Paris last Sunday, in support of the government’s decision to legalise equal marriage and adoption.

But back in October, Rabbi Bernheim joined other religious leaders in opposing the plans, while more than 1,200 French mayors and their deputies have signed a petition against the measure.

Last week, the Vatican’s semi-official newspaper described the efforts of equality campaigners as an attempt at building a communist-like “utopia”.

Last Friday, in a message for World Day of Peace 2013, the Pope described same-sex marriage as a threat to justice and peace, adding that it will spark harm for society.

In January, the Pope warned that introducing equal marriage would risk the future of humanity itself.