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Bishop José María Gil Tamayo warns of new 'lay inquisition' led by the UN
February 10, 2014 -- Sofia Vazquez-Mellado -- LifeSiteNews.com
In an interview with the Spanish news service EFE, Bishop José María Gil Tamayo, spokesman for the Spanish Episcopal Conference (SEC), expressed his concern over what he called a "lay inquisition" led by the United Nations. The bishop also commented on the recent attacks on churches by pro-abortion Femen activists, and the criminal complaint against a Spanish Cardinal-designate who criticized homosexuality.
When asked if he thought religious freedom and the free expression of those who oppose abortion and homosexuality were at risk, the prelate replied: "What should not appear now is a lay inquisition, with dogmas established as universal for everyone under the United Nation's shelter."
"Either you accept those dogmas, which are ideological, or you're excluded," he explained.
The interview took place after last Wednesday the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child published its Concluding Observations concerning the Catholic Church's treatment of children. The document chastised the Church for supposedly ignoring or refusing the rights of children and it called for the Church to amend its teachings and canon law to embrace homosexuality, contraception and abortion.
Bishop Gil Tamayo clarified that these issues "are non-negotiable for the Christian doctrine," and said that the UN "can't, while making observations, process Catholic religion."
The prelate also explained how he thought "the Holy See's opposition to the war in Iraq, automatically made the USA start a campaign directed to the media and sectors that favor this intervention."
As LifeSiteNews has reported, Spanish Catholics have lately been under attack as the conservative government seeks to restrict the liberal abortion laws passed by the previous socialist administration.
Last December, pro-abortion and pro-homosexual activists disrupted several Christmas masses.
Last week, bare-breasted Femen activists attacked the Archbishop of Madrid, Cardinal Antonio Rouco Varela, throwing bloodstained underwear at him while he tried to enter a church.
When asked about the matter, Bishop Gil Tamayo responded that the Church was not about to set up a "Swiss Guard" for its bishops, who will continue to live like normal citizens "with the utmost respect for other people's conscience."
Bishop Gil Tamayo also spoke about the criminal investigation of Archbishop Fernando Sebastián Aguilar for saying that homosexuality is a mental disorder that can be treated.
The Archbishop's remarks, he said, "are not a crime, because we would be wrecking freedom of expression."
"We ask citizens to respect religious freedom and ask authorities for protection and vigilance in regards to the religious freedom that is lived in a democracy," he explained.
When asked his thoughts about whether or not the government should include baby malformation as a reason for abortion, he said: "Who are we to establish ourselves on such a court? ... To establish certain life standards and those who don't measure up to them don't have the right to live."
He said abortion is already a "drama" in which "the woman is also a victim. It's not a right, not a social conquest. It's dehumanization."
Concluding, he said Christians must avoid "the spiral of silence. The Church will not silence its voice and will be respectful towards other voices."
http://www.lifesitenews.com/news/spanish-bishop-warns-of-new-lay-inquisition-led-by-the-un
Bishop Gil Tamayo's full interview, in Spanish, is available here.
http://noticias.lainformacion.com/policia-y-justicia/magistratura/gil-tamayo-alerta-de-una-inquisicion-laica-al-amparo-de-la-onu_yGhmQo4Onfx3vtXZrwCti4/
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