Tim Kaine says Catholic Church will change its stance on gay marriage
Democratic vice presidential candidate Tim Kaine has said the Catholic Church could abandon its opposition to gay marriage. Kaine, who identifies as a Roman Catholic, admitted that his position on gay marriage contradicts the doctrine of the Catholic Church but he thinks that the Church will change.
Kaine made these remarks during his keynote speech at a dinner for the 20th Annual Human Rights Campaign in Washington last Saturday.
"I think it's going to change because my church also teaches me about a creator who, in the first chapter of Genesis, surveyed the entire world, including mankind, and said, 'It is very good,'" Kaine said in his speech.
He continued, "I want to add: Who am I to challenge God for the beautiful diversity of the human family? I think we're supposed to celebrate it, not challenge it."
Kaine revealed that he once fought against gay marriage until he changed his mind in 2006. As a governor of Virginia, Kaine opposed the constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage. He said that he began to support same-sex marriage when he heard the motivations of the people who supported the ban.
"Some folks said to me candidly that this is really about trying to make the state inhospitable to gay people," Kaine said.
As senator, he voted in favor of a legislation that would prohibit workplace discrimination against LGBTs.
Kaine's position on gay marriage is not the only issue that agitated devout Catholics. Last month, a group of Catholics staged a protest outside the church he attends in Richmond, Virginia, to denounce him for his pro-abortion stance.
Kaine once declared himself to be "personally pro-life" but his record in the senate is disconcerting for some Catholics. Kaine received a 100 percent rating from Planned Parenthood and NARAL Pro-Choice America for his first seat at the Senate. Kaine is also a co-sponsor of the Women's Health Protection Act, a bill that would prohibit states from imposing restrictions on abortion services.
