An open letter to Members of European Parliament and Council

An open letter to Members of European Parliament and Council

Dear Member of the European Parliament,

Honourable Council,

On 22nd February 2009 in an open letter we addressed to you our concerns regarding the proposed Directive on the equal treatment of persons regardless of their religion or belief, disability, age or sexual orientation of 2nd July, 2008.

Now our concerns have been reinforced by the “Report on Homophobia and Discrimination on the Basis of Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity” submitted by the EU Agency on Fundamental Rights (FRA). We want to declare that we respect all persons, we recognize everyone’s human dignity and categorically condemn any kind of hatred and all manifestations of violence towards anyone on account of their sexual orientation.

But, in order to prevent such attacks, the spreading of false information on an alleged “general tyranny and discrimination of homosexuals in Europe” should not used as an excuse to institute “rights” to “homosexual marriage” or to introduce, against the will of citizens of the EU, the adoption of children by homosexual couples.

We are disturbed that the EU Agency on Human Rights includes among manifestations of unjust discrimination and harassment also the declarations of politicians and church representatives that question the morality or naturalness of homosexual behavior. The Report cites a letter signed by a Latvian Cardinal and other priests protesting against a public march of gay activists, the so-called “pride march” (p. 51).

Among other examples of unjust discrimination the Report also mentions: the rejection of “homosexual rights” promoted in church cinemas, theaters and other institutions in Italy (p. 59); the opposition of church authorities towards the legalization of “homosexual rights” in many EU member states such as the Romanian Orthodox Church’s attitude against the  introduction of “homosexual marriages” (p. 87); the dismissal of a practicing homosexual working as a pedagogue at a Catholic youth center in Germany (p. 88); the suspension of active homosexuals from the office of pastor in the Latvian Lutheran Church (p. 89); and the decision of the Hungarian Calvin Theological Faculty according to which persons with a homosexual lifestyle are not to be accepted for study to become future pastors and teachers of religion (p. 89).

This Report clearly represents a serious attack on religious freedom and the freedom of speech in Europe. It is utterly deplorable that this attack comes from the European Agency for Fundamental Rights, which is meant to be the foremost defender of these same freedoms.

It is obvious that “homosexual rights” activists have been preparing the ground for the approval of the new Anti-Discrimination Directive, which goes directly against religious freedoms in Europe.  According to the proposed Directive any kind of behaviour which would create an environment that would offend any person because of his/her sexual orientation must be forbidden. The prohibition of such behavior is to be implemented in the public as well as in the private sectors and in the areas of social protection (including social welfare and healthcare), social benefits, education, and to the access to goods and services (including lodging) which are accessible to public.

As result of this Directive Christians will be forbidden, in many aspects of their social life, from voicing and implementing the crucial point of the biblical teachings regarding the immorality of homosexual conduct. Breaches of this ban would be penalized by substantial financial sanctions.

The approval of this Directive will limit freedom of speech and religious affiliation as well as leading to the open persecutions of Christians, Jews and Muslims and all conservatively-minded Europeans.

It was therefore extremely worrying to learn that the European Parliament, having only an advisory status, adopted this Directive by 360 votes in favour and 227 votes against on 2nd April, 2009.

Honourable Ministers of the Council, we urge you once again to reject the proposed Directive on Equal Treatment of persons regardless of their religion or belief, health disability, age or sexual orientation. Only under totalitarian regimes has Europe suffered the tragic experience of the denial of the freedoms of speech and religion. We beg you to defend these pillars of democracy. Please use your decisive voice and realise your historical responsibility to stop the European Agency for Fundamental Rights trampling over these fundamental rights. The European Union cannot tolerate that one of its institutions works for the devastation of these most important rights through the expedient of creating false rights to justify immoral acts.

Respectfully,

Mgr. Tomáš Kriška,  President of the Board of Baptist Union in Slovakia, pastor of the Church Viera

RNDr. Mgr. Ján Szőllős, PhD, pastor of the Baptist Church Palisady

Jan Lacho, bishop of the Apostolic Church in Slovakia

Mgr. Marek Nikolov, president of the civil association Pastor bonus

Mgr. Marcel Podolinský, vicepresident of the civil association Pastor bonus

The Report of the EU Agency for basic rights (FRA):

http://fra.europa.eu/fraWebsite/products/publications_reports/pub_cr_homophobia_p2_0309_en.htm

Here you can read the proposed Directive:

http://register.consilium.europa.eu/pdf/en/08/st11/st11531.en08.pdf