Civil Law Must Bow To Church Dictates, Pope Tells Legislators.

The civil laws of all nations must be brought into conformity with God's law, Pope John Paul II told thousands of legislators from nearly 100 nations Nov. 4.

Specifically, the pope said, lawmakers have an obligation to reject all proposals that permit abortion under any circumstance or that elevate same-sex unions with heterosexual marriages. The pope asserted that any law that does not "respect the right to life -- from conception to natural death -- of every human being, whatever his or her condition -- healthy or ill, still in the embryonic stage, elderly or close to death -- is not a law in harmony with the divine plan."

He added, "Consequently, Christian legislators may neither contribute to the formulation of such a law nor approve it in parliamentary assembly, although, where such a law already exists, it is licit for them to propose amendments which would diminish its adverse effects."

John Paul went on to say that the same standard applies to laws that "would do harm to the family, striking at its unity or indissolubility, or which would give legal validity to a union between persons -- including those of the same sex -- who demand the same rights as the family founded upon marriage between a man and a woman."

The teachings of the Roman Catholic Church, the pope said, are not an "ideology" but are rather "a fundamental approach to understanding the human person and society in light of the universal ethical law present in the heart of every human being, a law which is clarified by the revelation of the Gospel."

The pope's comments came during a meeting with as estimated 15,000 public officials and legislators from 92 countries, Catholic New York reported.