Archbishop Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith voiced strong criticism against the government’s current legislative priorities, accusing the government of neglecting the pressing needs of the people by prioritizing laws that support same-sex marriages.
He expressed these views during a media briefing called by a group of religious leaders against the government’s introduction of two bills which seek to support same-sex marriages.
“The bill presented by (MP Premnath) Dolawatta, as well as the bill to be presented by the Government on women’s rights, both uncover an effort to create a very dangerous situation in Sri Lanka. An effort to sabotage marriage and family life. I believe this is wrong,” the Archbishop of Colombo said.
“As Catholics, we believe marriages should take place between a man and a woman. Marriage cannot take place between two men or two women. The family is the foundation of society and every religion recognizes this to be true. If we allow the foundation of family to be shattered, we make way for destruction for the country. We cannot accept this.”
While acknowledging the rights of individuals born with same-sex tendencies, Cardinal Ranjith maintained that legalizing same-sex marriage is not the appropriate course of action.
“We are bound to protect their rights. We believe that they should share equal opportunities as others in society. But incorporating this into law and making it a choice free for any individual to pursue is wrong as we believe.”
The Archbishop also addressed the issue of women’s rights, clarifying the Church’s position, “We have no issue with women’s rights. We support it. But under women’s rights, we cannot permit things such as abortions. Every child’s life is important. Every child is a gift from God and should be accepted by us.”
Furthermore, Cardinal Ranjith suggested that these legislative efforts are part of an international agenda, “These efforts are very active and visible in the Western world. In Sri Lanka, ambassadors and their officers are publicly supporting this cause. There are Sri Lankan politicians who support these too,” he said.
Highlighting the disparity between the government’s focus and the country’s current hardships, Cardinal Ranjith compared the situation to the problematic rulers of the past.
“This is reminiscent of Marie Antoinette’s suggestion to let people eat cake if they had no bread during the French Revolution,” he said.
“The government is concentrating on these areas while reports indicate that at least 22% of the population struggles to afford even a single meal.” (Newswire)
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