Ruthless

Having already addressed the nation on the general topic at the time of the Buttiglione affair last year I was hoping to steer clear of the Ruth Kelly controversy that takes up the entire front page of the Independent today.

Now that even Chris is thinking of running a book on how long she will last I have decided to have my tuppence worth to the extent of clarifying the postion of the Catholic Church vis a vis how "men and women who have deep-seated homosexual tendencies" should be treated.

It is pretty easy to find as it is in the Catechism which says:

"They must be accepted with respect, compassion, and sensitivity. Every sign of unjust discrimination in their regard should be avoided."

Couldn't be clearer really, yet how many people know it and how many commentators refer to it?

"Homosexual persons are called to chastity" granted, but so is everyone else apart from married couples.

You can agree or disagree with it but it is not confused or hypocritcal. Ruth Kelly - as a practicing Catholic is bound to think that homosexual acts are sinful, but she is also bound to think that adultery is sinful along with envy, sloth, gluttony, wrath, pride, lust, and greed and many others.

Let's be frank Gordon Brown and John Prescott have got the last seven pretty much wrapped up between them and she manages to work with them.