Pope Francis says same-sex behavior is not a crime

“We are all children of God, and God loves us as we are and for the strength that each of us fights for our dignity.”

In an interview with The Associated Press, Pope Francis said, “Being homosexual isn’t a crime,” and that laws criminalizing homosexuality are “unjust.” This is the first time the Pope, the leader of the Catholic church, made these strong public statements about such laws. He still maintains homosexuality is a sin, adding “… let’s distinguish between a sin and a crime. It’s also a sin to lack charity with one another.” Big Picture: Nearly 70 countries around the world criminalize same-sex behavior (e.g. Ethiopia, Iran, Afghanistan). The pope said the Catholic Church should work to put an end to these types of laws, and welcome all people into the church.