Russian Orthodox Church does not want to criminalise homosexuality
A Russian gay and LGBT rights activist shows sign reading "Love is stronger than homophobia" from inside of a Russian riot police van during unauthorized gay rights activists rally in cental Moscow. Photo AFP, Kirill Kudryavtsev
Eastern Europe
Sodomy should not become a criminal offence, the Russian Orthodox Church argues in a statement. However, the Orthodox Church does support the LGBT propaganda ban, which the State Duma adopted in October.
Not every sin of a person should be punished under criminal law, Vladimir Legoyda said in an interview with Ria Novosti. Legoyda is the chairman of the Synodal Department of the Moscow Patriarchate for Relations between Church, Society and Media. According to Legoyda, the Church finds it more important that anyone who falls into “the sin of sodomy” does not pull others into the same sin.
Prohibitions alone do not solve problems, Legoyda argues. “We need to consider that any ban should be accompanied by the active creation and promotion of positive content to affirm traditional family values.” Therefore, he pleads for more positive attention for traditional families in education and upbringing. “That is just as important as the prohibition of the unacceptable.”
Support
At the same time, the Russian Orthodox Church generally supports the LGBT propaganda ban. That is reported by Orthodox Christianity. The ban makes it illegal to propagate non-traditional relationships to children and adults. Legoyda says to support the bill in the current version.
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