Mexico City — Although Mexico is a traditionally Catholic country with strong family values, recent legislative and court decisions have given a strong boost to the homosexual-rights agenda.
Opposition by bishops and Church leaders has led to a secondary controversy, highlighting the deep rift between church and state in Mexico, and causing accusations to fly from both sides of the divide.
Mexico City’s left-leaning mayor, Marcelo Ebrard, signed the first same-sex “marriage” bill into law on Dec. 21, 2009. The law stated that same-sex “marriages” can be legally performed in the capital city, with a provision stating that these couples may also legally adopt children.
Loosely defined “civil unions” had been recognized since 2007 under the Ley de Convivencia, but full “marriage” for homosexual couples had not yet been recognized in an explicit way.
When federal prosecutors backed by the more conservative National Action Party challenged the Mexico City law, the issue was taken to the Supreme Court to determine its constitutionality.
On Aug. 10, the Supreme Court declared that same-sex “marriages” are not unconstitutional and that all 31 states in the nation of Mexico are required to recognize same-sex “marriages” performed in other jurisdictions.
A second ruling quickly followed: On Aug. 16, the Supreme Court stated that same-sex “married” couples also have the right to adopt children and that adoptions performed in Mexico City are to be recognized across the republic.
Since the law first went into effect on March 4, an estimated 320 homosexual couples have wed in Mexico City. However, the city government has not released information about how many same-sex couples have adopted children.
The Mexican Bishops’ Conference was quick to speak out, stating that the recent rulings fail to recognize that same-sex “marriages” are against natural law and human dignity and that the 2009 decision to pass the same-sex “marriage” and adoption law was “carried out hurriedly, without the necessary consultation of different leaders in society and without concern for the consensus of the majority, which was against such unions and especially the adoption of children.”
Cardinal Norberto Rivera, the archbishop of Mexico City, declared same-sex “marriages” “inherently immoral,” saying they “distort the nature of marriage raised by Christ to the dignity of a sacrament.”
Cardinal Charges
Meanwhile, Cardinal Juan Sandoval, the archbishop of Guadalajara, has come under fire for alleging that Ebrard bribed the Supreme Court justices so that they would rule in favor of the law’s constitutionality.
Ebrard demanded that Cardinal Sandoval retract his statements, and when the cardinal refused, Ebrard filed a civil suit for defamation. Cardinal Sandoval has repeatedly stated that he has proof to back up his words. He will be required to produce it in his upcoming trial, which has yet to be scheduled.
The spokesman for the Archdiocese of Mexico City, Father Hugo Valdemar, was also slapped with a lawsuit for saying that “Marcelo Ebrard and his party, the PRD, have created laws that are destructive to the family, that cause worse damage than narcotrafficking.”
The suit is being filed against him for “violating the nation’s constitution.” In Mexico, the constitutional separation between church and state forbids the clergy from making public statements for or against particular political parties.
Father José de Jesús Aguilar, director of Radio and Television Ministry for the Archdiocese of Mexico City, told the Register that “in Mexico, there are groups that do not understand the separation [between church and state] and want to take all freedom of expression away from the Church. When the Church speaks out on values, it is accused of meddling in politics.”
Whose Rights?
David Razú, the president of the Human Rights Commission in the Legislative Assembly of Mexico City, was the legislator who first launched the initiative to legalize same-sex “marriage” and to push for adoption rights for homosexual couples.
When questioned about why legislators claim to represent their constituency with this law when a national survey showed that only 22% of Mexicans were in favor of it, Razú told the Register that a legislator’s duty is not to the majority, but to those whose fundamental rights are at stake.
“What would happen if 90 million people agreed to vote to turn 10 million others into slaves?” he asked. “The example is extreme, but it illustrates the anti-democratic absurdity of subjecting rights to a popular vote. Democracies are built to guarantee each and every person equal rights, not so that the majorities can trample the rights of citizens who don’t think or act like them.”
The Vatican’s Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith clarified this argument in its June 3, 2003, document entitled “Considerations Regarding Proposals to Give Legal Recognition to Unions Between Homosexual Persons.”
Signed by then-Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, the document states, “Nor is the argument valid according to which legal recognition of homosexual unions is necessary to avoid situations in which cohabiting homosexual persons might be deprived of real recognition of their rights as persons and citizens. In reality, they can always make use of the provisions of law — like all citizens from the standpoint of their private autonomy — to protect their rights in matters of common interest.”
When questioned about the rights of children as the real vulnerable minority, Razú stated, “Children have the right to a family, which can take on many different forms. If adoption by same-sex couples were limited or prohibited, we would be going against the rights of children who live in these types of arrangements to have their families recognized. We would be discriminating against them.”
The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith had already clarified this question as well: “As experience has shown, the absence of sexual complementarity in [homosexual] unions creates obstacles in the normal development of children who would be placed in the care of such persons. They would be deprived of the experience of either fatherhood or motherhood. [It] would actually mean doing violence to these children,” who are placed “in an environment that is not conducive to their full human development.”
According to Catholic author and commentator Carlos Villa Roiz, who works in the public relations department of the Mexico City Archdiocese’s Social Communications Office, the real driving force behind the laws is a strategic bid for political power.
These laws, he told the Register, “are legislative impositions in the Federal District, which has a leftist majority in the Democratic Party of the Revolution, the PRD. They are part of the PRD agenda. Marcelo Ebrard, Mexico City’s mayor, aspires to the Mexican presidency for 2012 and is looking for electors from among these groups.”
As the controversy continues to rage, the Mexican bishops stand behind their more outspoken colleagues. In their official statement, they manifest their “total disagreement” with the Supreme Court’s decision, stating, “Making these unions equal to marriage is disrespectful both to the very essence of marriage between a man and a woman […] as well as to the customs and our culture, which have governed us for centuries.
“Regrettably, as we speak about these currents in public opinion, some respond with accusations and threats, calling us intolerant, when tolerance simply means that we can all express our opinions and positions. For this reason, we wish to express our solidarity with Cardinals Norberto Rivera and Juan Sandoval on this issue.”
Trish Bailey de Arceo writes from Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico.
Tim Drake: Register Radio: Catholics in Politics and the Darkside of Disclosure Laws
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The Bishops are right. Why is it that marriage is the only Sacrament that we have given up to the secular government? You don’t need a license to Baptize your child, nor a permit to go to Confession(wouldn’t that be interesting), but try to get married in a Catholic Church without that piece of paper from the state and you can forget about it.
Perhaps the mayor of Mexico City should have a counter suit put against him for violating the separation Church and State. It is the Church’s Responsibility to teach morality and natural law, it is the State’s responsibility to make and enact civil law.
Let the Church be the Church. ¡VIVA CRISTO REY!
Please, save my mom’s country from Lefist and deceiving policies.
Mexicans are always tricked to think that only left-wing movements will bring them dignity ! Those left-wing parties just aim at legalizing both abortion and same sex-marriage, exactly like in Europe and North America….and now they are invading Latin America… that is why I don’t believe in them anymore
No offense against the GLBT, but as Ms. California has said
“A marriage should be between a man and woman”. It has always been and it should remain like that
Our Lady of Guadalupe, patron of the Americas, protect us from all this horrible nightmare !
Amen !
Good article! God bless!!!
Mexico may be thought of as “traditionally Catholic” but it has suffered from anti-Catholicism for decades whereby the church has been persecuted unmercifully. Remember the times of Blessed Miguel Pro? And in our current age, the Mexican immigrants I have met, for the most part, are ignorant of the Catholic faith and believe things that can only be called nonsense and supersition. I am not surprised at the court decision. Mexico is no more a Catholic country than America, IMHO.
Why do the Catholic Hierarchy think they are the only ones who should have freedom of their live? They are so anti-gay what is the effect on Catholics who are gay? And it would not be hard to show that many priests and bishops have gay inclinations.
When will you wake up, and realize that the rights of minorities ARE RIGHTS. The example in this article about the 90% voting to turn another 10% into slaves, ACTUALLY HAPPENED, and was sanctioned by church and state for many years in the U.S. In many countries it still is.
What is really at stake here is LOVE. Not sex. Sex has no place in this discussion. When two responsible adults LOVE each other, and want to create a LOVING family, JUST AS CHRIST DIRECTED, who are we to stop them ?
And which of us are they hurting, by insuring that their partners can inherit their estates at death, or that their children have the same rights of heredity as other children ?
The fact that THE CATHOLIC CHURCH HAS FORCED many loving people to live their lives UNDERGROUND, is no reason to now call it, “The customs and our culture, which have governed us for centuries”. No, that is not reason enough to trample on people’s love.
I’m so sorry for your narrow-mindedness.
Mexico is one of the most corrupt and racist countries in the world. Bribing judges who are all of Spanish heritage and quite wealthy, I would bet, would be very easy. The people who practice their Catholic faith are the Native American Mexican Indians.
Why is it that when speaking out on Gay issues you all of a sudden you become a Homophobic? God calls this Lifestyle sin, Romans 1:26, 27 (NASB)
“For this reason God gave them over to degrading passions; for their women exchanged the natural function for that which is unnatural, and in the same way also the men abandoned the natural function of the woman and burned in their desire toward one another, men with men committing indecent acts and receiving in their own persons the due penalty of their error.”
In the Gay community, there is a claim by them to believe the Bible, and that they are regular churchgoers and claim to be Christian. Many Christians would like to know is how these Gay’s support this from the Scripture when in Romans it says. “…woman and burned in their desire toward one another, men with men committing indecent acts….”
A good Psychologist would have to say, these individuals are in a denial phase, they are sick and do not wish to believe they are this way. Their heart is sick with sin and the Holy Spirit must be allowed to show this to them or there is no healing, and they will perish in their sin.
This will happen no matter how much they believe they are Christians and continue in this perverted lifestyle. God will forgive but we must turn away from all sin and follow the path of truth, sometimes the cost is high but the rewards are even greater.
The Gay community will jump up and down and say loudly that God is not like that and that God is a loving God and will never send good people to hell. The Gay community seems to interpret Holy Scriptures the same way our Federal Judges do with the US Constitution. Both seem to believe these are living documents and interpreted according to the situations of the day, both the Gay community and the Federal Judges are wrong in their assessment of these documents.
Jesus Christ does not change if it were sin yesterday and it is sin today it will be sin tomorrow and we can see this from Hebrews 13:8 (NASB)
“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.”
The Holy Scriptures are clear as we read from First Corinthians 6:9 (NASB)
“Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals….”
A Gay person who continues in this lifestyle WILL GO TO HELL, for there is no other choice for God to make, God must be true to Himself yet this is not what God desires.
These Gay’s may have a zeal for God but that is where it stops, we read in Romans 10:2 (NASB)
“…they have zeal for God, but not in accordance with knowledge.”
To the Gay and Lesbian community do not let yourself be deceived for Galatians 6:7 (NASB)
“Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man (that is all humanity, Italics is mine) sows, this he will also reap.”
Please do not allow yourself to believe that your chosen lifestyle is normal, and that you will avoid punishment. The legal system in America may recognize being a Gay or Lesbian person as normal but that is not the final Court. Remember you will one-day stand before a Judge that knows all things and when He asks you why what will, you answer. You must transform your mind as stated in Romans 12:2 (NASB)
“And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.”
If you truly claim the name of Jesus Christ then your body is a temple, and you must show respect this temple as shown in First Corinthians 6:19 (NASB)
“Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own?”
The world is saying the Gay lifestyle is okay but the Holy Scriptures speaks out in James 4:4 (NASB)
“…do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.”
Eternal death in the fire of hell will be for all those that continue in their sin according to Romans 6:23 (NASB)
“For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
I say this with a sincere heart’s desire that you leave of this lifestyle and truly walk with Jesus. I must say all this because the Holy Spirit and Scriptures compile me according to Mark 16:15 (NAS)
“...Go into the entire world and preach the gospel to all creation.”
My God grant that I spoke the truth according to Galatians 1:8 (NASB)
“But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed!”
Until you are convinced in your own, heart and agree with God that you are living in sin and turn from this way of life then you will perish to eternal damnation. The Spirit of God stands at the door of your heart knocking just waiting for you to open the door. What will you do?
God loves you and so do I.
Bentley says that what’s at stake here is love, not sex. But anyone with knowledge of life in the gay community could tell you that the lifestyle very much revolves around sex. If you want to believe their propaganda, fine. Be naive. But the facts show that the number of gays with promiscuous sexual behavior, suicidal tendencies, drug problems, depression, and other psychological disturbances is about 4 times higher than in the heterosexual population.
No one is saying that gay people don’t have rights or that they are to be hated. The Church doesn’t “hate” gay people; it simply does not approve of their actions. They have rights as individuals, and they are certainly NOT an oppressed minority. Sexual orientation is not the same as race, ethnicity, or sex (male/female). It’s more like having a propensity to gamble or abuse alcohol.
Some people blame the Church and society for the fact that gays suffer more depression, saying that the lack of social acceptance makes them more prone to these sorts of psychological disturbances. But the interesting fact here is that the gay lifestyle is accepted in the Netherlands (gay marriage is legal there, too), yet the rates of depression, drug abuse, and other self-destructive behaviors are just as high there as anywhere else in the world.
So… before you accuse the Church of bigotry and hatred, go check your facts.
Bentley—-You obviously need to go back an read what I said, because I stated that this lifestyle is SIN
The Church of Benedict XVI has been more anti-gay than any previous pontificate. I would like to know why? And have they bothered to consider how much they harm young people who want to be Catholic, but hear the Pope and his team utterly deriding them. It leaves young people in a position of either being true to themselves and the desires God has created them with, or accept the harsh teachings of the Pope. Jesus never did that to the woman caught in the act of adultery. It was the priests who condemened her, not Jesus.
PeterinSydney,
You wrote: “It leaves young people in a position of either being true to themselves and the desires God has created them with, or accept the harsh teachings of the Pope.”
People are also born with tendencies toward alcoholism. Are these desires good and should they be indulged? What about people with a tendency to violent behavior? Should they indulge those impulses? Or should they control them?
We all have inherent weaknesses that are our crosses to carry. Just because we have a desire or a tendency does not automatically make it holy or willed by God.
Jesus himself had his beloved disciple, John. And King David had his deep love for Jonathan. So Fact check were they wrong?
“Gay” and “homosexual” are artificial constructs. These folks certainly think they are born to behave in this manner. I would argue they make themselves into what they are, just as alcoholics and pornography addicts are responsible for building the structures in their brains that give them a taste for unhealthy and unnatural behavior. (And make no mistake, homosexual behavior is unhealthy. The high frequency of hemorrhoids, STD’s, depression, and suicide is directly due to unhealthy behavior and mental attitude.) Their “reward” for sequential steps of degenerate behavior is accompanied by dopamine releases in the brain, and most commonly during a highly neuroplastic phase of growth, repeated, increasingly warped acts inevitably reorder the structure of the mind.
So “gays,” through corrupt use of their free will, have made themselves what they are today. And they seek to justify themselves and to gain acceptance in any way they can.
There is no legitimate class, worthy of special protection, of “unisexual” people, or nudists, or adherents to any other form of deviancy. There should be no protection for those who call themselves gay, publicly displaying their proclivities, and doing their best to drag new recruits down the same sickening path. Some people love their cats and some their buddies. And some have immoral “heterosexual” relationships. Even if supposedly “consensual,” they should all keep the details to themselves. They should not tell my kids that their way of life is as good as mine.
Marriage is a foundational institution of society. We degrade it — redefine it into meaninglessness, and destroy it — at our peril. We protect and encourage deviant behavior by force of law to the detriment of society.
May God forgive us.
Peter in Sydney,
Two men can love each other as friends (“philia”) without having any sexual attraction (“eros”) toward each other. When the Bible says that Jesus “loved” John, it doesn’t mean he got into bed with him. Same with David and Jonathan. You’re reading something into the Scriptures that ísn’t there. Once again… check your facts.
Today’s Mass reading from 1 Cor. 6: “Do not be deceived;
neither fornicators nor idolaters nor adulterers
nor boy prostitutes nor sodomites nor thieves
nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor robbers
will inherit the Kingdom of God.
That is what some of you used to be;
but now you have had yourselves washed, you were sanctified,
you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ
and in the Spirit of our God.”
Perhaps it is you who is doing the read into the text your own meanings Fact check.
Dr Gallant;
Any number of things are sin, including eating meat on Friday during Lent or receiving communion and not being in a state of grace. However, in no other area than the sexual and reproductive arenas does the Church expect the state to impose its moral standards upon a population that does not share them, currently.
Admittedly, in the past the Church DID attempt to impose standards in other areas with the unenviable results of Savanarola and the Bonfire of the Vanities, the Trial of Galileo, the prohibition upon human dissection remaing to embarrass the Church as it struggled against science and progress in other areas.
The fact remains that your “good psychologist” would also tell you that both APA’s consider homosexality non-pathologic and loving same sex couples to be good candidates as parents
I think a fundamental question with this topic is, whose business is it? In a faith that holds magnificent value to the individual’s relationship with God, should some allowance be made—though perhaps not marriage per say—so that homosexual couples can feel comfortable attending Church. As I ponder this topic, I remember the Jesus who left the flock of 99 because of his desire for all to know Him. Let those who have never sinned throw the first stone, fellow Christians.
I don’t think homosexual relationships are in fact being elevated to the status of marriage. I thing the status of marriage has been lowered over the past 40 years to a point where any and all pleasure seeking hookups qualify. Hey - if it makes you happy.
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