‘LGBT indoctrination’: Poland’s Catholic Church weighs in on IKEA controversy

Warsaw, Poland – Polish bishops weighed in on the controversy surrounding the local Krakow branch of IKEA after the Swedish retailer fired an employee for anti-LGBT comments.

Polish bishops slam “LGBT indoctrination”

In a statement released during the week-end, Polish bishops strongly came out against IKEA, accusing the company of “LGBT indoctrination”.

“From the point of view of the law and above all the propriety and common sense, it is unacceptable to attack the IKEA employee who refused LGBT indoctrination in the workplace”, they commented.

Poland’s Catholic bishops have also congratulated Thomas K., the employee who was fired and is now suing his former employer, for his “courage” in defending his personal values and his faith in the workplace.

IKEA’s LGBT controversy in Poland: What’s it all about?

The IKEA-LGBT controversy has been making headlines and dividing Poles over one of the most sensitive and divisive issues of recent months in Poland.

When asked to participate in celebrations of the International Day against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia by IKEA’s management, the man only identified as Thomas K. reportedly refused and posted anti-LGBT comments on the company’s intranet, as well as strong-worded quotes from the Bible.

Subsequently fired, Thomas K. is now suing IKEA, while Polish authorities have asked prosecutors to investigate the case.

His sacking caused outrage among conservative and religious circles in Poland, as well as among top lawmakers and members of the ruling Law and Justice (PiS) party, accusing the world-famous Swedish brand of “Bible censorship”, violating the freedom of speech and religion and of “anti-Catholic discrimination”.

Poland’s de-facto leader and ruling party chairman Jaroslaw Kaczynski has repeatedly labelled LGBT rights as a “foreign import” that threatens Polish values and identity. Some PiS lawmakers have been calling for a nation-wide boycott of the company.

IKEA and supporters of the company’s decision, meanwhile, said that the man’s comments were deeply offensive and affected “the rights and dignity of LGBT people”, including his “quotes from the Old Testament about death and blood in the context of what fate should meet homosexual people”.