Paris, November 17, 2016
A court has ordered a French politician to pay a fine of 5,000 euros for Bible quotes regarding homosexuality during an interview, reports Noticia Cristiana.
In April 2014 former deputy of the French Parliament and leader of the Christian Democratic Party of France, seventy-year-old Christine Boutin, gave an interview to the journal “Charles” in which she was asked what she thought of homosexual relations. As a committed Christian the politician responded, referring to the words from the Holy Scriptures: Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination (Lev. 18:22). The politician also noted that she had “never judged homosexuals.” She stressed that sin is inacceptable, but we need to accept sinners.
On the grounds of these words two French LGBT associations sued her for “public incitement to hatred and violence.” Two years later the Paris court of appeals upheld the fine of 5,000 euros imposed on Boutin. The deputy is also obliged to pay 2,000 euros to two LGBT associations which filed a lawsuit against her.
The representatives of the French LGBT community declared that “the judicial power of France has sent a clear-cut message to society.”
As for Christine Boutin, she holds that she had every right to set forth her opinion on homosexuality. Moreover, in her statements the politician clearly distinguished people from their actions.
