By Gudrun Schultz

ARIZONA, United States, November 23, 2006 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Presidential hopeful Senator John McCain said he does not believe homosexuality is a “defect” or a “sin,” in an interview Sunday with ABC News’ George Stephanopoulos for “This Week.”

Sen. McCain emphasized that he does not support same-sex marriage, however, and does not think special laws are necessary in the workplace to prevent discrimination against the homosexual community.

“I do not believe gay marriage should be legal,” McCain said, repeating, “I do not believe gay marriage should be legal,” online news source The Raw Story reported Monday.

Sen. McCain voted in favour of an Arizona initiative that denied any government benefits to civil unions or domestic partnerships. When questioned on that decision, McCain said that while he was not in favour of civil unions, he did support some legal recognition for same-sex couples.

“I do believe that people ought to be able to enter into contracts, exchange powers of attorney, other ways that people [who] have relationships can enter into.”

Sen. McCain has been criticized by pro-life advocates for an inconsistent approach to life issues. Despite having said in 1999Â that he would not support overturning Roe v. Wade since it would result in a return to dangerous back street operations for women, in his interview with ABC on Sunday McCain said he would support returning the abortion debate to the states.Â

“I don’t think a constitutional amendment is probably going to take place. But I do believe that it’s very likely or possible that a Supreme Court should-could overturn Roe v. Wade, which would then return these decisions to the states, which I support that.”

“I believe that we would be better off by having Roe v. Wade returned to the states. And I don’t believe the Supreme Court should be legislating in the way that they did on Roe v. Wade.”

Senator McCain supported a bill passed by the Senate in July that would have permitted federal funding for embryonic stem cell research. The bill was later vetoed by President George Bush, who had previously banned the use of federal funds for embryonic research in 2001.

See coverage from The Raw Story, with transcript:
http://www.rawstory.com/news/2006/McCain_Homosexuality_not_defect_or_sin_1120.html

See related LifeSiteNews coverage:

Senate Passes Embryonic Stem Cell Bill: Bush Promises 1st Veto
http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2006/jul/06071808.html