Catholic Church May Change View On Gay Marriage, Tim Kaine Says

Democratic U.S. vice-presidential nominee Tim Kaine announced Saturday that he believes the Catholic Church will change its position on same-sex marriage. The Virginia senator said that just like he had changed his opinion on the issue, the Catholic Church is also likely to follow suit.

Speaking at the 20^th Annual Human Rights Campaign’s National Dinner in Washington, the Roman Catholic senator reportedly said, “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.’”

“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,” he said.

Kaine told the crowd of nearly 3,700 people that his running mate, presidential nominee Hillary Clinton was a far better champion for equality than rival Donald Trump. “Donald Trump is no friend to this community, and he’s no friend to the value of equality,” Kaine reportedly said.

Kaine also spoke of his own change of opinion on gay marriage. He admitted that he was against same-sex marriage till 2005.

During his time as Virginia’s lieutenant governor, he reminisced about speaking to supporters of the constitutional amendment which proposed to define marriage as the union between man and woman. The supporters told Kaine that they hoped LGBT people would feel so unwelcome that they would leave Virginia.

“When I heard the proponents describe their motivations, it became clearer to me where I should stand on this,” he said.

“My full, complete, unconditional support for marriage equality is at odds with the current doctrine of the church that I still attend,” Kaine said at the dinner that celebrates gay rights. “But I think that’s going to change, too.”

Human Rights Campaign’s president Chad Griffin described Trump as the “gravest threat” the LGBT community has ever faced in a presidential election.