Editing David Norris (politician) (section)

===Religion===
Norris is a [[Christianity|Christian]] and regularly attends [[Church of Ireland]] services. He said the following of his religious beliefs:

<blockquote>I am the kind of Christian who believes that the most important theological principle is the principle of positive doubt. Even Christ doubted, on the cross. And I think if people say they hear the voice of God all the time and say they know what to do, then impose that on you, politically, it is theological tyranny. Whereas if you have doubt, it stops you from abusing your religious belief. Religion can be so abused in the interests of power, especially on behalf of institutions and governments.<ref name="independent1" /></blockquote>

====Criticism of the Catholic Church====
Norris has made statements about [[Catholic social teaching]] on homosexuality, particularly in relation to the Papacy. He criticised [[Pope John Paul II]]'s statements on homosexuality because he said they led to anti-gay violence, saying that the pope was an "instrument for evil as far as I'm concerned because these constant, unremitting, ignorant, ill-informed attacks on the gay community have led to violence against the gay community". Norris also described the pope's position as "calculated and deliberate wickedness" because he "closes down scholarly enquiry" and because he "marginalised all the wonderful people like [[Óscar Romero]], [[Leonardo Boff]], [[Hans Kung]], [[Charles Curran (theologian)|Charles Curran]], all these marvellous people who are the future and the hope of the Church and, instead, put into place these mindless bureaucrats, which is intensely sad."<ref name="gaytoday">{{Cite news |title='The Pope is Evil' says Gay Irish Senator, David Norris |url=http://www.gaytoday.com/garchive/events/111301ev.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110928070458/http://www.gaytoday.com/garchive/events/111301ev.htm |archive-date=28 September 2011 |access-date=25 October 2010 |work=Gay Today}}</ref> Commenting on then [[Pope Benedict XVI|Cardinal Ratzinger]], he said, "Ratzinger, who is, in his mind-set, a [[Nazi]]" because he is "afraid to tell the truth," and because he and John Paul II "won't even let themselves be in the presence of the truth, because it would shatter their very stylised view of things."<ref name="gaytoday" /> He later stated that he regretted using the term "Nazi" in reference to Ratzinger.<ref>{{Cite news |date=9 June 2011 |title=Norris 'confident' of nomination |url=http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2011/0609/breaking15.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121024073039/http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2011/0609/breaking15.html |archive-date=24 October 2012 |access-date=20 July 2011 |work=[[The Irish Times]]}}</ref>