Pope and lashes

November 10, 2010

What does the Pope in Spain have in common with lashes in Saudi Arabia? At first glance not much. Last Sunday, the Pope consecrated the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona as a basilica. About 200 queers took the opportunity to call a public Queer Kissing Flashmob in protest of the Pope's criticism of the Spanish government's liberal gay policies.
And in Saudi Arabia a man was sentenced to 500 lashes, 5 years in prison and fined the equivalent of 10,000 euros, only because he is gay. Public protest against a religious leader, like that in Barcelona, would be unthinkable in Saudi Arabia. The main reason is that the religious leaders in the secularized countries of the Western world have hardly any direct impact on the population anymore. But this very secularization was the object of the Pope's criticism. In his sermon, he demanded that "we need to hear God again under the skies of Europe". He also announced that a new authority is soon to be set up in the Vatican in order to combat the global trend of secularization.
Well, then the successors to the Inquisition should pay a visit their colleagues in Saudi Arabia. There they could refresh their knowledge and learn how to deal with all those who do not fit into their own worldview.
No, we queers should be pleased with the achievements of secularization. Religion must remain a private matter. We should not forget that the Church has often enough forcibly violated the freedom and integrity of the individual in God's name, and continues to suppress the diversity of life for the sake of a draconian medieval morality. A peaceful and tolerant coexistence is only possible through rational and reasonable action in freedom. And neither the Pope nor lashes are going to help us get there.

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