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Swiss bishop slammed over anti-gay speech

Switzerland's gay and lesbian community has reacted angrily after the ultra-conservative Bishop of Chur quoted passages from the Bible which condemn homosexuals to death.

Swiss bishop slammed over anti-gay speech
The cathedral in Chur. Photo: Slightlyem/Wikimedia Commons

Well known for his conservative stance, Vitus Huonder was speaking at a debate on marriage and family organized by the German Catholic Forum in Fulda, Germany, on Friday when he cited Leviticus 20:13, reported Swiss media including Le Temps.

The passage, as written in the new international version of the Old Testament, says that men engaging in homosexual acts “are to be put to death; their blood will be on their own heads”.

Contacted by Le Temps, Norbert Blech, editor of German website queer.de, who was following the discourse, expressed his shock over the Bishop’s use of the passage, which he said is “highly unusual” in Germany.

According to Blech, Bishop Huonder said the passages he quoted were enough to “guide the question of homosexuality in the right direction from the point of view of faith”, an opinion that garnered applause from the mostly traditionalist audience.

Swiss gay rights organization Pink Cross said it was “shocked and angry” and demanded an apology from the Bishop.

In a statement on its website, Pink Cross director Bastian Baumann said: “A representative of the church does not operate in a legal vacuum. He who argues, even indirectly, that homosexuals should be put to death, is not acting like a man of the church but like an agitator.”

Demanding a public apology from the Bishop of Chur, the organization implored the congregation “to not tolerate incitement to hatred or death”.

 


Swiss LGBT magazine 360.ch underlined the incident’s “unfortunate” timing given a homophobic attack on Gay Pride in Jerusalem the previous day.

“It was in the name of these same Bible passages that a Jewish extremist stabbed six people”, the magazine's editors said.

Meanwhile, commenters on 360.ch reacted in anger to the Bishop’s stance.

“I don’t understand why Pope Francis lets this so-called ‘man of God’ preach such insane things. Do people still not understand what happened during the Second World War?” said one reader, who gave her name as Dominique.

Priscilla.b commented: “I am surprised that paedophilia in the church creates less controversy than homosexuality.”

“This man is ignorant and irresponsible,” added commenter TILT. “It’s sad to hear such stupid things. We are still living in the Middle Ages and ignorance with men like these.”

It’s not the first time Bishop Huonder has caused outrage over his ultra-conservative comments.

In March, the bishop of the eastern Swiss city made reference to a similar passage from Leviticus which calls homosexuality an “abomination” during a sermon given to young priests of his diocese.

And in February he called for a Swiss priest who had blessed the union of a lesbian couple to step down, saying his actions contravened Catholic doctrine.

Back in 2011 Huonder argued that parents should have the right to exempt their children from sex education in schools, saying that such classes “destroy the natural protection of a person’s sexuality, namely the sense of shame”, The Local reported at the time.  

View Bishop Huonder’s speech at the congress here (in German).

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HOMOPHOBIA

EXPLAINED: The Swiss referendum that could criminalise homophobia

Swiss residents eligible to vote are set to head to the polls in February to vote on a law which criminalises homophobia. This is what you need to know about the vote.

EXPLAINED: The Swiss referendum that could criminalise homophobia
Photo: HANNIBAL HANSCHKE / DPA / AFP

Unlike other forms of discrimination related to race and gender, homophobic discrimination is not criminalised at a federal level in Switzerland. 

The Swiss Government updated the law in December of 2019 to include homophobia under current anti-discrimination statutes, thereby allowing for it to be criminally prosecuted. 

Far-right groups have opposed the move, saying it would serve as a barrier on free speech – gathering the 50,000 signatures necessary to launch a referendum. 

Switzerland will now go to the polls on the 9th of February to vote on the matter – along with another vote on affordable housing. 

READ MORE: Affordable housing: Swiss coalition calls for investment and law reform

READ MORE: Why opposition to cheaper housing is mounting in Switzerland 

Supporters of the criminalisation of homophobia 

Although homosexual relationships are tolerated in much of Switzerland, the country lags behind its neighbours when it comes to affording same-sex groups legal protection. 

The Criminal Codes of France, Austria, Denmark and the Netherlands, among others, include prohibitions on homophobic actions and words. 

Protesters in Zurich. Image: Fabrice Coffrini

In addition to having no criminal restrictions on homophobia, same-sex marriage is still not legal in Switzerland – a fact which stands out when compared to (most of) its neighbours. 

Advocates of the ban argue that even where relationships are accepted, the failure to recognise them legally in an equal fashion leads to feelings of shame and in some cases self harm and suicide – particularly among younger people. 

Young gay and lesbian people are two to five times more likely attempt suicide than heterosexual people in Switzerland. 

And those opposed?

The major opponent of the new law is the Federal Democratic Union, a hard-right, religious party with little popular support. 

Despite the party securing the 50,000 signatures needed to hold a referendum, it only commands around one percent of the national vote and has less than 3,000 members. 

The FDU have argued that the law restricts freedom of speech and puts people at risk for sanction if the debate issues surrounding same sex relations. 

In an interview published with Swiss website Swissinfo, the FDU distinguished between laws which restricted racism and those which restricted homophobia, saying that those in the latter category were not at risk of genocide. 

READ MORE: Switzerland drops down European gay rights ranking

No homo(phobia)? How do the Swiss feel on same-sex relationships 

Despite widespread liberal attitudes to homosexuality in Switzerland, portions of the electorate remain opposed. 

A poll from January 2020 showed one in ten Swiss consider homosexuality to be immoral, while more than 20 percent of the electorate indicated they were against same-sex marriage. 

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While this may represent a small portion of the electorate, the country is strong on issues of free speech – with the 50,000-strong petition to hold the referendum a clear indication that the outcome is anything from decided.  

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