Keith O'Brien
Views on homosexuality
Before elevation to cardinal, O'Brien was regarded as liberal on the issue of homosexuality, noting the number of homosexual priests in the Church.[1] In 2005 he rebuked Bishop Joseph Devine who had suggested that homosexuals should not be allowed to teach in Catholic schools commenting, "I don’t have a problem with the personal life of a person as long as they are not flaunting their sexuality,".[2]
In May 2005 he told members of the Scottish Parliament that homosexuals were "captives of sexual aberrations", comparing homosexuals to prisoners in Saughton jail.[3]
In January 2006 he criticised Westminster MPs over the introduction of civil partnerships in the UK, and Holyrood members over the liberalisation of divorce laws in Scotland,[4] In July 2006 he opposed proposals to change the law which would require Catholic adoption agencies to place children with homosexuals in the same way as with heterosexuals.[5] In 2011 he criticised "aggressive secularism" denouncing what he claimed was the way Christians had been prevented from acting in accordance with their beliefs because they refuse to endorse such lifestyles.[6]
On 5 March 2012, O'Brien criticised the concept of same-sex marriage on BBC Radio 4, saying it would shame the United Kingdom[7] and that promoting such things would degenerate society further.[8] Conservative MP Margot James, who was considered one of the most influential gay men and women in 2009,[9] called these comments "scaremongering" and said: "I think it is a completely unacceptable way for a prelate to talk. I think that the government is not trying to force Catholic churches to perform gay marriages at all. It is a purely civil matter." Deputy Leader of the Labour Party Harriet Harman said, "We have had prejudice, discrimination and homophobia for hundreds of years. That doesn't make it right [...] I don't want anybody to feel that this is a licence for whipping up prejudice."[10] Dan Hodges wrote: "I can't remember the last time I read a more morally and intellectually bankrupt rant from a senior member of the clergy."[11] Stonewall awarded O'Brien "Bigot of the Year" at their annual awards in November 2012.[12] The award was criticised by the first minister of Scotland, Alex Salmond, as being "clearly wrong" and "not conducive to a proper and dignified debate on the important issue of equality in Scotland".[13]. Similarly, Stonewall sponsors, Barclays, threatened to withdraw funding if the award was not discontinued.
References
- ↑ The Telegraph, October 2003
- ↑ The Scotsman, 28 March 2005
- ↑ The Herald, 6 May 2005
- ↑ http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/4571190.stm Cardinal in family life broadside, BBC, 1 January 2006
- ↑ Sunday Times, 24 July 2006
- ↑ BBC website, 24 April 2011
- ↑ http://www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/9121424/We-cannot-afford-to-indulge-this-madness.html
- ↑ http://www.metro.co.uk/news/892154-cardinal-keith-obrien-causes-twitter-fury-after-today-comments-on-gay-marriage "Cardinal Keith O'Brien causes Twitter fury after Today comments on gay marriage", Metro 5 March 2012
- ↑ "Gay Power: The Pink List 2009" The Independent, 2 July 2009
- ↑ http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/mar/04/catholic-leader-government-gay-marriage "Catholic leader calls government's gay marriage plans 'madness'", Guardian, 4 March 2013
- ↑ http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/danhodges/100141250/gay-marriage-people-of-faith-need-a-better-spokesman-than-cardinal-keith-obrien/ "Gay marriage: people of faith need a better spokesman than Cardinal Keith O'Brien"
- ↑ http://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/news/britains-most-senior-catholic-is-named-bigot-of-the-year-8274698.html Tom Peck, "Britain's most senior Catholic is named 'Bigot of the Year'", The Independent, 2 November 2012
- ↑ http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-20175530
