Pope Francis called homosexuality not a crime, but a sin

Pope Francis said in an interview with the Associated Press that laws criminalizing homosexuality are unjust and that “being homosexual is not a crime (…) but a sin.”

Francis acknowledged that Catholic bishops in some parts of the world support laws that criminalize homosexuality or discriminate against the LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender) community, and acknowledged that he himself views the issue from a “sin” perspective.

The leader of the Catholic Church also argued that these bishops in particular must go through a process of change in order to recognize the dignity of all. “These bishops must go through a process of conversion,” he said, adding that they must act with “gentleness, (…) like God to each of us.”