UPDATE:Criminal complaint filed against bishop who called for gays to be killed · PinkNews

Swiss LGBT organisation the Pink Cross has since filed a criminal complaint about the comments, after saying it was “shocked” by them.

However Huonder was quick to distance himself from the comments, claiming on Monday that he was misunderstood.

“That wasn’t my intention,” he said.

However the bishop has made similar comments since his appointment in 2007.

Earlier this year he called for a priest in Switzerland to be sacked after he blessed a lesbian couple.

Jean Ann Esselink offers a bit more context:

Pink Cross, the Swiss Gay Federation, took notice of the bishop's remarks. Worried that at this time in history, when so many countries are adopting anti-gay laws, Bishop Huonder's sermon was dangerous hate speech, the group filed a criminal complaint against him. They insist his words could be taken by followers to mean they should do harm to homosexuals.

"As a figure of authority within the church, Vitus Huonder accepts that his demand will meet with approval among Christians and other fundamentalists and could be followed obediently," Bastian Baumann, the director of Pink Cross told reporters. (translated)

Bishop Huonder released a statement claiming his comments have been "misunderstood" and that he did not mean to sound "contemptuous" towards gay people. "That wasn’t my intention," he said.

Criminal complaint filed against bishop who called for gays to be killed · PinkNews

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Oh look, our very own Bill Donohue, president of The Catholic League has even chimed in:

In the U.S., New Ways Ministry, an anti-Catholic organization, is accusing Bishop Huonder of “preaching dangerous words.” It charges him with “providing cover for those prejudiced against LGBT people who may enact discrimination and violence as a result.” Though this fraudulent group has been denounced by many bishops, it is nonetheless treated as a legitimate Catholic voice by the mainstream media, as well as by the National Catholic Reporter (the dissident newspaper has also been slammed by many bishops).

These same activists would like to arrest Pope Francis, if they could. After all, the Holy Father has quite openly condemned homosexuality and gender theory. Explicitly, he has labeled proposals to legalize gay marriage “the envy of the Devil,” and has said, “Gender ideology is demonic!”

Gay fascists are on the rise in North America and Europe. Their goal is to criminalize the Bible, and to destroy freedom of speech and religion.

Catholic bishop in ‘death to gays’ storm - SWI swissinfo.ch

In his 50-minute address on Friday, titled “Marriage – a gift, sacrament and order”, Huonder quoted various passages backing up his views. He also slammed gender theory, divorce, sex education and gay marriage.

Regarding homosexuality, the 73-year-old bishop quoted two verses from the book of Leviticus, including Leviticus 20:13: “If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.”

In response to applause, he continued: “Both of these passages alone suffice to clarify unambiguously the church’s position on homosexuality”.

In his opinion, the passages also had implications for the definition of marriage and the family. “There is no diversity when it comes to marriage and family models, although a book has just come out in my bishopric called ‘Family Diversity’,” he said.

“Even speaking of family diversity is an attack on the Creator.”

The book he is referring to is “Family Diversity in the Catholic Church” by Hanspeter Schmitt, a professor at the Chur University of Theology, and Arnd Bünker from the socio-pastoral institute in St Gallen. The book addresses church teachings on the issue of family. 

As Michael Stone over at Progressive Secular Humanist points out, "Bishop Huonder is not the only high placed catholic leader spewing anti-gay bigotry."

Catholic bishop in ‘death to gays’ storm - SWI swissinfo.ch