Malta Humanists concerned over Auxiliary Bishop’s comments

The Malta Humanist Association has welcomed statements made by MPs on both sides of the house - including Prime Minister Joseph Muscat and Deputy Opposition leader Mario de Marco - which reaffirm parliament's commitment to protect minority rights, as well as its obligation to create a truly inclusive society.

The association was referring to comments the members of parliament gave to MaltaToday.

The association expressed concerned at what it described as "undue pressure" placed on members of parliament when it comes to an imminent vote on the civil unions bill.

Auxiliary Bishop Charles Scicluna has warned 'Catholic MPs' - a category that accounts for most, if not all, the current composition of parliament - that voting in favour of this bill, and with the right of same-sex children to adopt children, constitutes a 'grave immoral act'.

"The Catholic lawmaker has a moral duty to express his opposition clearly and publicly and to vote against the bill", he said.

"Like all other citizens, Mgr Scicluna is fully entitled to his views, and the Constitution grants him the right to express them freely. But the same Constitution also guarantees and protects the rights and freedoms of minorities," the humanists said.

"As a secular organisation representing non-Catholic members, the Malta Humanist Association would like to remind all members of parliament that the oath they took upon assuming office was of one of fealty to the Maltese Republic."

It said that the Republic of Malta comprises more faiths and creeds than Catholicism alone, and also includes people who do not identify with any religion at all. As a consequence, Maltese MPs - be they Catholic or otherwise - have a legal and moral obligation not to legislate in any way that might impinge on the rights of these and other minority groups.

"This same obligation lies at the heart of the much-maligned political principle of secularism, which has variously been misrepresented in Malta. Secularism does not mean that legislators are not free to practise their own religion and retain their own views; it merely means that - when passing legislation that will bind all citizens, regardless of creed - legislators must be mindful not to wittingly or unwittingly discriminate against minorities with different opinions," it said.

It is to safeguard this principle that most modern European states have since the enlightenment adopted a secular approach towards legislation, and insisted on a strict separation between church and state. Paradoxically the Catholic Church herself advocates secularism as a safeguard against discrimination in countries where Catholics are, unfortunately, persecuted.

The Catholic Bishops' Conference meeting in Lahore, Pakistan, concluded that "It is imperative to separate religion from state matters."

Addressing concerns in that country, former Pope Benedict urged Pakistan to repeal its blasphemy laws. Humanist organisations around the world have no problems fully agreeing with both the Bishops' Conference and the former Pope on this issue; and while persecution of Christians is undeniably one very good reason to support secularism, the same consideration automatically applies to all other minorities... including the LGBT community in any country.