Glasgow, Scotland - THE head of the Roman Catholic Church in Scotland was accused of inciting prejudice against homosexuals yesterday after he described plans to allow gay couples to adopt as gravely immoral.
Cardinal Keith O’Brien gave warning in a newspaper article that the proposal — which could be contained in the Scottish Executive’s legislative programme tomorrow — amounted to children “becoming guinea pigs in some distorted social experiment”.
At present in Scotland only one member of an unmarried couple can adopt and the other partner receives separate rights to live in the same house as the child. The proposal to extend full rights to gay and unmarried couples would bring the law on adoption in Scotland into line with that in England.
Cardinal O’Brien cited research which he said showed that children adopted by same-sex couples exhibited low self-esteem, confusion over their sexual identity, increased mental illness, drug use, promiscuity and homosexual behaviour. He added: “Children need a male and a female role model in a permanent relationship.”
His comments are the most outspoken attack on homosexuality since his predecessor, Cardinal Thomas Winning, led an unsuccessful campaign against the repeal of Section 28, which banned the promotion of homosexuality in schools. Cardinal O’Brien’s views reinforce those of the Rev David Lacy, Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, who has called for more policies promoting heterosexual marriage.
Ben Summerskill of Stonewall said he was saddened that a senior cleric was “exhuming 19th-century prejudices rather than recognising the realities of life in the 21st century. We are also saddened that he should be inciting prejudice against gay people.”
Patrick Harvie, the Green MSP, said that the cardinal was misrepresenting the Executive’s plans. “For him to be casting aspersions on ordinary families as places that are not safe to bring up children, I think he needs to reflect a little on the Catholic Church’s own record on that score,” he said.
A spokeswoman for the Executive said: “We welcome his views. Many people, however, will hold a different view. Ministers will consider all views as part of the consultation.”