Incitement of the people trial against Polish Prieser discontinued
The Polish priest Dariusz Oko has called queers "parasites" among other things in a magazine. Therefore, he was charged with incitement of the people.
A fact that is now likely to cause much disappointment - especially within the community: The trial has now been discontinued in exchange for the payment of a 3,000 euro fine.
What had happened?
Dariusz Oko had called gay people "parasites" and "cancer metastases". He was then denounced by another priest, Wolfgang Rothe. The penalty order at the time amounted to a sum of 4,800 euros. Oko decided to appeal and so it was clear: there had to be a trial. The accusations with which the Polish priest was confronted were far-reaching. Among other things, it was stated that he had "incited people to hatred" and insulted others.
Again and again, Oko tried to row back. One of his most famous statements is that he had only meant the homosexual abusers within the Catholic Church with the insults. However, he regretted his statement and would apologize. Also the responsible editor is asked to the cash. He must pay 4,000 euros to the "White Ring.
A closer look at the article
Anyone who takes the time to look at the full article at issue in the indictment might have trouble believing Oko's statements around a "restricted group." The title of his statement is "On the Need to Limit Homosexual Cliques in the Church." Among other things, he states that the church is not a "gay club" in the eyes of Jesus, but suffers from "homosexual decay."
At the same time, he stressed, gay priests cannot be "converted" because they are already too "depraved and degenerate." Instead, he said, we should pray for them and consider "how to protect boys, young clergy, themselves and the whole Church from them.
Not the only homophobic statements
Dariusz Oko is one of the better known faces within the Catholic Church in Poland. There, among other things, he has many followers and supporters who also supported him during the said court case.
The fact that the whole thing has now come to an end more or less unspectacularly and with the payment of the corresponding sums is sobering for many in several respects.
Among other reasons, because Oko kept defending his published article and the corresponding statements, and never tired of explaining that he would not talk about every homosexual, but only about those who would commit crimes as priests.
Many queers and many people who feel connected to the community apparently have trouble believing just that. However, after the payment of the condition Darisuz Oko now actually has nothing more to fear. The accusation of incitement of the people is now off the table for the time being... Even if the topic will certainly still accompany the clergyman, and perhaps also the Catholic Church, in the future.
The church and homosexuals: a combination that always causes trouble
Homophobia still plays a frighteningly large role even within the church. While some here "just don't think it's good" to imagine that gay men can become priests, for example, many clergy in leadership positions also repeatedly rail against the community.
Among other things, homosexuality is declared as a "sin" here, for example in the USA or in Eastern European countries. But there are now also many counter-movements, whose goal is to educate about how well queerness and faith can be combined with each other... And that God loves ALL his children.