Iris: gays more vile than child abusers
Monday, 21 July 2008
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Iris Robinson has walked into her biggest controversy yet after stating in Parliament that homosexuality is “viler” than child sex abuse, the Belfast Telegraph can reveal today.
The First Minister’s wife made the controversial comments in the House of Commons in front of Policing and Justice Minister Paul Goggins and a committee of UK MPs during a debate on the assessment and management of sex offenders.
Speaking about community concerns over sex offenders Mrs Robinson then stated: “There can be no viler act, apart from homosexuality and sodomy, than sexually abusing innocent children.”
Her comments have not been omitted from a written transcript of the debate which has been published on the Parliament website.
When contacted by the Belfast Telegraph Mrs Robinson said she stood by her views and stated that homosexuality was “comparable” to child sex abuse.
“Let’s look at it. Can you think of anything more vile than man and man or woman and woman and sexually abusing children? What I say I base on biblical pronouncements, based on God’s word. I am amazed that people are surprised when I quote from scriptures. It shows the churches either aren’t preaching God’s word or are watering it down,” she said.
Mrs Robinson added: “I cannot think of anything more sickening than a child being abused. It is comparable to the act of homosexuality. I think they are all comparable. I feel totally repulsed by both.”
She then said that her comments were not made out of hate.
“I am trying to reach out to people. I try to reach out and love them. That is what Christ teaches us. He wants us to help all people and give them an opportunity. We all have the opportunity to come to know the Lord Jesus Christ. Anything I say is out of love. I am not hate-mongering. I cannot leave my Christian values hanging at the door when I go into politics.
“I am speaking out more now because we are getting it more and more rammed down our throats that the minority views are more important than the majority views. I am not trying to alienate anyone. Anyone can come to me with any problems. I do not turn anyone away.
“I would never water down anything with the scriptures and I don’t think I should. I find it (the controversy over her comments) amazing, if not unexpected, as these days Christians are persecuted for their views but that will not stop me. There will be a judgement day and when I am judged I want to know that I did all I could to spread the word of God.”
Mrs Robinson’s comments, which were made on June 18, were last night slammed as being “cruel”, “frighteningly ignorant” and “alarmingly misinformed”, by the Gay Rights Association.
Association member PA MagLochlainn said: “She is entitled to her own personal feelings and I defend her right to freedom of speech but she cannot make these sort of comments. They show an alarming degree of misunderstanding and misinformation.
“She is being very irresponsible making these sort of cruel and frighteningly ignorant comments.
“We feel that a responsible MLA would be glad to listen to our views and she should meet with the health professionals who work in the gay and lesbian sector instead of making wild and totally unscientific statements.
“Iris Robinson is in a hole and we say she should stop digging.”
Mrs Robinson's comments were made two weeks after she sparked serious controversy when she said that homosexuals should seek psychiatric counselling.
She told a radio show that with help, gay people could be “turned around”.
A few days later she denied she ever indicated homosexuality was a mental health issue but repeated her view that homosexuality is an abomination. She came under fire again on Thursday when she stated that it was the government’s job to enforce God’s law.
In her own words...Iris Robinson to Parliament
“We all agree that few issues arouse as much interest or concern in the community as that of sex offenders. The sentences served and their subsequent placement back in the community cause considerable disquiet among the public. There can be no viler act, apart from homosexuality and sodomy, than sexually abusing innocent children. There must be sufficient confidence that the community has the best possible protection against such perverts and it is important that there be a mature public debate on the issues, but the security of our citizens must be our overriding priority.”
Iris Robinson to Belfast Telegraph
“Can you think of anything more vile than man and man or woman and woman and sexually abusing children? What I say I base on biblical pronouncements, based on God’s word. I am amazed that people are surprised when I quote from scriptures ... I cannot think of anything more sickening than a child being abused. It is comparable to the act of homosexuality. I think they are all comparable. I feel totally repulsed by both. ... I am trying to reach out to people. That is what Christ teaches us ... Anything I say is out of love. I am not hate-mongering. I cannot leave my Christian values hanging at the door when I go into politics. I am speaking out more now because we are getting it more and more rammed down our throats that the minority views are more important than the majority views. I am not trying to alienate anyone ... I do not turn anyone away. I would never water down anything with the scriptures and I don’t think I should. I find it amazing, if not unexpected, as these days Christians are persecuted for their views but that will not stop me. There will be a judgement day and when I am judged I want to know that I did all I could to spread the word of God.”
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Comments
372 Comments
As a gay Catholic up brings & of Irish desent! I am amazed at what this woman is saying about gays & lesbians. This is the 21st century. Growing up in the 70's & 80 in England life was very hard for people like myself, hard rough secondary school .....i managed to get thru it all keepin myself well back in "the closet" for many years, even though i was meeting men, just because of my background up bringin, IM SO ANGRY THAT A WOMAN LIKE THIS HAS FULL ACSESS TO THE PRESS!
& MAKING STATEMENTS LIKE SHE DID, thank you forlettin me reply anyway, good night
Posted by Jason | 24.08.08, 06:50 GMT
This woman has been living in the dark ages for the past 60 years or so. She should be hung out to dry and made an example of her narrowmindeness.
Posted by Adam JORDAH | 22.08.08, 11:32 GMT
how can anyone compare child abuse to homosexuality?everyone is made in 'God's image' are they not? Iris Robinson needs to keep her judgmental and narrow minded views to herself. seriously who is she to have the right to tell people how to live and what relationships are right and wrong? CONSULT US, DONT INSULT US.
Posted by Christine ^^. | 17.08.08, 02:56 GMT
"I cannot leave my Christian values hanging at the door when I go into politics." she says. Then Iris, you should never have entered politics. Religion and politics do not mix and and are a potent cocktail. Iris must resign from her chair of the NI Assembly Health Committee and apologise to almost 16,000 people who found her comments a disgrace and very hurtful.
Posted by LINDA | 14.08.08, 22:00 GMT
It's exactly this sort of hate preaching that keeps us locked in the dark ages. Get over it love, there isn't a god - religion is the comfort of the weak.
Posted by Bernard | 13.08.08, 23:56 GMT
"The bible, God's Word is accurate. Nothing in the bible has been proven false, ever."
I'm not too sure anything in the Bible has been proven true either. I think they call it faith. And capital B. Please have some respect for your own religion.
Posted by Michael | 07.08.08, 03:32 GMT
I just read Nigels comment, have to say i really feel sorry for you mate. a total lack of imagination from this chap. On a par with the world is flat and massive sea monsters. Curing homosexuals? From what exactly?? Total tosh, i am not homosexual, but really my head is in my hands reading this, i feel really sorry for you! you were obviously not at the front of the queue when God (who you seem to know quite well) wishing dishing out brains!
Posted by Michael | 05.08.08, 14:12 GMT
She's not fit for public anything, least of all office.
Posted by Patrick Ardagh | 05.08.08, 02:10 GMT
terry 15000 is 0.8% of all Northern ireland
but only 0.025% of all of the UK, which is covered by the Prime Minister's e-petition
Posted by Steve nireland | 04.08.08, 13:58 GMT
I think this is a disgrace. That this woman is able to make these comments and get away with it is unbelieveable.
When she was elected as an MP MLA, she was eleced by the community to represent the WHOLE community, by making these remarks she is allowing her beliefs to get in the way of this. This is a sure sign that this woman is not suitable for the job. We need politicians who will put aside thier personal views, no matter how strongly they believe in them, to carry out their role in representing and supporting the community as a whole, in doing so, treating all as equal in both their actions and their words.
Posted by Cara | 04.08.08, 00:49 GMT
Incidentally if any of you "so called" Christians want evidence that there are thousands out there who disagree with Iris you should take a minute to check out the Prime Minister's e-peteition website, where almost 15000 people have signed a petition to have the lady reprimanded....
Posted by Terry | 03.08.08, 18:07 GMT
Dear Nigel! It sounds to me like you need some serious help yourself! You say - "And incidentally a person can be healed of homosexuality because no-one is born that way. They are affected pre and post natally by mum wanting a girl and dressing him in dresses as an infant for example." Well I can tell you as a gay man I was born this way and my mother never dressed me up in girls clothes.... Clearly if this is your belief then your mother must have ranted on about the bible while you were in nappies....
Posted by Terry | 03.08.08, 18:04 GMT
This article does not report that Mrs Robinson said that she hates the sin, not the sinner and is not attacking any person by her comments only their actions. 'A Spokesman' described her as an extremist but it seems to me that she voiced exactly the teachings of the Catholic church on this matter. Homosexuals are active and welcome in the Catholic church but are encouraged to remain celibate and there are numerous Catholic support groups that help them to do this. And incidentally a person can be healed of homosexuality because no-one is born that way. They are affected pre and post natally by mum wanting a girl and dressing him in dresses as an infant for example. These sorts of traumas can be dealt with through specialist counseling and forgiveness. Deal with the issue (the cause) and the manifestation of of that issue is healed. Obviously this is a very simplistic account of a complex process for the sake of this post.
Posted by Nigel | 02.08.08, 20:48 GMT
Iris Robinson is an embarrassment to this country. She represents the narrow-minded views of a significant minority of insular individuals in Northern Ireland who are determined to look backwards into the future. This country needs forward looking individuals to lead us into a future which is not constrained by medieval Biblical rhetoric.
Posted by James | 02.08.08, 19:16 GMT
Homophobia is the same thing as racism.
If she had made racist remarks against black people and then said 'This is just my belief allowed by freedom of speech', she would have been persecuted.
Homophobia needs to be categorised with racism and hate crime, and religion needs to be categorised with mental retardation.
Posted by Bhav | 02.08.08, 12:08 GMT
Jonathan T I have no idea what your last ramble is about, and I'm a well educated man. Just let me say this, the Belfast Telegraph's own poll is already 65% in favour of Iris resigning, and if you care to check out the Prime Minister's e-petiton website you will see that 14000 people think that she should be reprimanded. So for once you Christians will have to sit back and bite your lips.....
Posted by Terry | 02.08.08, 07:10 GMT
PG - God does not appear on command either........ can you explain that to me?
Posted by Terry | 02.08.08, 06:57 GMT
what gets me is people in the UK have a freedom of speech when some small minded lady is taking over the homosexual community i think it is wrong what she has said and i believe that people should have the freedom to vote her out lets just say that the gay community is growing by the day she needs to realise she is in the year 2008 not 1970s
Posted by Andy | 02.08.08, 02:38 GMT
Also, we can sell slaves. The bible is always correct.
Posted by Michael | 31.07.08, 13:59 GMT
Terry,
1). Ad hominem attacks are not the way to debate - they only show those who make them to be foolish. But, in order to inform you, I do not care if someone is gay, straight, or otherwise - sexual intimacy should be a private matter whoever we are. All sorts of sexual debauchery are spoken of in the bible - bestiality, adultery, fornication and homosexuality. The Bible calls all of them sin, and that is the only point I am making.
2). Whether you believe in God or not is irrelevant because this whole debate is framed by a belief in God justifying Iris Robinson to make her comments. You cannot just change the goalposts or ignore the root of the argument if you wish to be taken seriously - like Richard Dawkins, I submit that your argument against the existance of God would be thin in any case.
Posted by Jonathan T Roy | 31.07.08, 12:21 GMT
372 Comments