A Roman Catholic priest, known as Father Matthieu Raffray, 45, is now the target of the French government's efforts to eradicate what it alleges is hate speech and unacceptable remarks agains homosexuality.
Evidently, teaching from the Holy Bible is considered fair game for prosecution under France's Penal Code.
The Holy Bible, under the laws of God Almighty, forbids homosexual relations.
Many orthodox and Protestant faiths including Christians, Islam and Judaism also forbid "sexual immorality."
Raffray was teaching from the Bible when he recently spoke against homosexuality.
"What is at stake is not me, but the freedom to be Christian today," he was quoted as saying. "I hope that all the faithful realize that it is Christian morality and the entire Church that are under attack."
As reported by the Catholic News Agency, Raffray serves at the Institute of the Good Shepherd, founded in 2006 in Rome for “the defense and dissemination of Catholic Tradition in all its forms.”
In March, he posted a video on Instagram, thereby exhorting the faithful to fight against their imperfections.
"We all have weaknesses: those who are greedy, those who are angry, those who have homosexual tendencies," Raffray said in the allegedly incriminating message, according to French Catholic media outlet Famille Chrétienne.
France's minister for gender equality, diversity and equal opportunities, Aurore Bergé, said in a statement on March 20 that she was reporting the priest for prosecution under Article 40 of France's Penal Code.
Bergé, who has served France in her current role since since January, contended that Raffray's remarks about homosexuality were "unacceptable."
His comments were reportedly forwarded to the public prosecutor after Bergé, 37, alerted the Interministerial Delegation for the Fight against Racism, Anti-semitism, and Anti-LGBT Hatred (DILCRAH).
The Delegation posted a statement on X, publicizing that it had told “the prosecutor of the homophobic comments made by Mr. Raffray on social media. So-called ‘conversion therapy’ has been illegal since 2022. Talking about homosexuality as a weakness is shameful.”
The conversion therapy code outlaws "repeated practices, behaviors or comments aimed at modifying or repressing a person's sexual orientation."
The ambitious French politician, in performing her new role, seemed defiant against the rules of God.
"I will not let anything go in the face of hatred, whatever it may be," Bergé said in an X post dated March 20.
On the same day, Raffray tweeted a message expressing gratitude for his X account passing the 20,000 followers threshold. He has over 60,000 Instagram followers, over 22,000 on You Tube and has surpassed 21,000 on X at the time of this writing.
Regarding the hysterics over his remarks, Raffray said he was speaking about "temptations in general. I wanted to make it clear that we do not have to give in to all our temptations, to all our desires.”
He acknowledged the publicity generated by the French government's actions and others "of all stripes who try to destabilize me with grotesque controversies: publicity assured," he wrote.
He insisted that he is void of animosity.
"Friends or enemies: I pray for you," Raffray penned.
The Catholic leader highlighted the view of many believers.
“Homosexual acts are a sin," Raffray said. "I cite homosexuality, among other things."
In lieu of the growing censorship of God and Christians movement, displayed in various forms throughout the world, LGBT advocates and anti-Christians apparently do not now consider anything a valid reason for preachers to speak against same-sex relationships.
Raffray stated that the boundaries of sin have been forgotten.
"But I think people don’t know what a sin is anymore. Condemning a sin is not the same as condemning the person who commits it,” he pointed out.
“You could have blamed me if I had said something clumsy or hurtful. That’s not the case at all. Not only am I not homophobic, but as a priest I am careful with the language I use on this topic, because I know that it is a sensitive topic and that people can easily feel hurt,” Raffray explained.
The truth of God hurts but it also sets free, according to Scripture.
He did not quote the Bible and say, "Let the wicked forsake his way."
Anything that God authorized to be written, man cannot be blamed for.
If the erroneous argument is that "man wrote the Bible and not God," then it can be pointed out that man put a lot of restrictions on the human family's behavior that man himself hates.
The Bible reveals that God hates certain behaviors, and to condemn His speech as hateful to the human family is dangerous for the accusers of the brethren.
To accuse God? That is blasphemy that will get you sent to the eternal lake of fire burning with brimstone, along with the devil and the false prophet. (Revelation 20:10)
The Lord chastises his children because He loves us. He condemns certain actions because that is what He wants to do. He is God. He created us. He can do all things and also whatever He wants.
The rules he laid out are law, and we are not in a position to question or haply fight against Him. The devil tried that and got kicked out of heaven.
Repent from your ways that the Lord disproves of.
He will forgive you, if you are remorseful and sincere. If you believe in the glorious light of the Gospel, and faithfully obey and do His works, then God will grant you eternal life with Him and the true believers in the approaching kingdom of heaven.
The Roman Catholic Catechism denounces homosexual penchants as "objectively disordered" and that they present "a trial" for those Catholics going through them.
It also teaches that people experiencing such feelings "must be accepted with respect, compassion, and sensitivity. Every sign of unjust discrimination in their regard should be avoided."
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Reginald Spann is the senior content editor and publisher of The Christian Commander. He is available for freelance work.
Good teaching included.