www.byzcath.org Forums General Discussions Town Hall Greece takes a stand against EU/homosexual marriage

Any proposal to install “gay marriage” in Greek law would be contrary to the European Convention on Human Rights, said Haralambos Athanasiou, the country’s justice minister, this week. He added that his country should not comply with EU demands to create civil unions or legally recognized same-sex partnerships.

When the Convention “speaks about marriage it speaks [of it being] between a man and woman,” Athanasiou told Greek television. “We are a country that respects traditions, respects human nature, and it’s not possible at least with this government and this ministry, to permit marriage [for same-sex partners.]”

“It’s a little dangerous to simply speak of civil unions. The matter is not easy. The problem is what are the consequences going to be? … Are we going to go as far as talking about adoption [by same-sex partners] next?” he asked.

The fact that most other EU countries have created such laws is no reason for Greece to do so, he said, adding that a committee has been formed to examine the issues of social security insurance, pensions and inheritance. The adoption and custody of children will have to be looked at from a religious, political, and societal perspective, he said.

“Our country has structures,” he said. “We have to look at it from the religious point of view, the political point of view, the social point of view. The ministry of justice will not, under the pressure of anyone, examine such an issue without calmness and composure.”

The denunciation from Athanasiou comes in the midst of a parliamentary push for a change in the law. In November last year, the European Court of Human Rights ruled against Greece in a complaint from homosexual activists, ordering the country to start registering same-sex partnerships.

The socialist coalition government responded with a bill to extend the existing law to same-sex partners. Although that first bill failed, the government announced again in November 2014 that the Greek Family Code would be amended to include same-sex partners.

Meanwhile, an influential leader of the Greek Orthodox Church has threatened to excommunicate any MP who votes in favor of a same-sex “civil unions” bill that is pending in the Greek Parliament. Metropolitan Seraphim of Piraeus has said in a pastoral letter that “the universal consciousness over the centuries recognizes as normal behaviour the relations between man and woman.”

In a message addressed to Deputy Prime Minister Evangelos Venizelos, Metropolitan Seraphim said, “I beseech you from the heart not to proceed.”

“You will deny yourself the blessing of the most just Lord whose help and protection we daily need as much personally as nationally … during these critical times for our country.”

For the Church’s ancient spiritual writers, called the Church Fathers, “homosexuality is the most disgusting and unclean sin,” Seraphim wrote. They are “an insult against God and man … an unnatural aberration not even observed in animals.”

He blasted efforts at normalization of “this terrible sin of homosexuality, sodomy, unnatural sexual intercourse, pederasty and paedophilia, to appear as a normal state, as diversity.”

LifeSiteNews.com

12 / 12 / 2014

I love Metropolitan Seraphim of Piraeus!

While I certainly agree with his stand for traditional marriage, I must admit that Metropolitan Seraphim is a bit too far out there for my taste. I mean he has called Pope Francis an "unbaptized laymen."

Metropolitan Seraphim is not afraid to take a stand on any subject. He's the best!

To be honest, I'm not in the least offended by Metropolitan Seraphim calling the Pope of Rome an "unbaptised layman."

It took me a very long time (and long ago) to avoid referring to Orthodox as "schismatics" and thinking of the Orthodox Church as being totally devoid of Grace due to its being out of communion with Rome.

Ironically, this experience enables me to understand the Metropolitan completely in this respect!

Alex

Referring to Pope Francis an an "unbaptised layman". How idiotic!

Actually, we Greek Catholics have a long history of referring to the Orthodox in terms much worse than this . . .

Bl. New Hieromartyr Basil Velichkkovsky, in his published "Rules for Missionaries" addressed this issue and decried the way Greek Catholics in his day referred to even Orthodox saints . . .

Alex

Metropolitan Seraphim is an embarrassing grandstander. He is playing to his audience in Greece for narrow political purposes and frankly he ought to be ignored. He is well educated and likely understands both the power and dangers inherent in the context of what we in the west would call "hate speech". Whatever he says goes in one ear and out the other of most Orthodox who are even aware of him outside of Greece. Whatever Christian truth he may preach is lost in his xenophobic rhetoric.

Thus far, the good metropolitan has been referred to as "idiotic" and "embarrassing grandstander."

Is it permitted on this forum to hurl insults at a bishop?

Alice posted something he spoke in truth against the increasing acceptance of sodomy.

He is a pious and well respected Metropolitan. May God forgive you for your uncharitable rhetoric.

Both sides were quite good hurling invective at each other. Fortunately, most on both sides have stopped it. You definitely don't find bishops on either side doing it, but for a few examples like the above. In any case, I don't think we need to exuse the bad behavior of the few because of bad behavior in the past.

The Metropolitan is guilty of much worse uncharitable rhetoric than he received here.

I stand by what I said. One can respect an office and not the man holding it. One can respect some of his words and teachings while not respecting the individual as in the case of his restatement of church teaching on so called gay marriage. But, this bishop has no respect for others within the church who disagree with his extreme xenophobic views on the Church of Rome,so while I respect his office, I do not respect him. Sorry if that doesn't fit into your worldview.

That is your opinion. I happen to think that he is a good and pious traditional bishop...and I am not alone in that belief. I believe he speaks the truth from the Orthodox perspective. He was mentioned in an article as taking a stand against sodomy...and now this invective attack has been leveled against him. The ad hominems are unfortunate.

I ask again if insults against a bishop are permitted on this forum?

Of course you do.


I figured that out already.


You know nothing about my "worldview."

May God forgive you.

He certainly has a great deal of repsect for others within the Church. He is very outspoken against ecumenism.

Thank God for Metropolitan Seraphim!