NEWS Spanish gays renounce religion in protest July 07, 2004 MADRID — A Spanish gay rights group said Tuesday it would hand in more than 1,200 declarations to the archbishopric of Madrid Thursday renouncing the Roman Catholic faith in protest at what it sees as unjustified Church privileges. The Collective of Lesbians, Gays and Transsexuals (Cogam) wants to make the Church remove the names of its signatories from lists of baptised Christians used by the Hierarchy as a basis for the number of Catholics in Spain, in order to obtain state financial support. The 1,261 statements deny the church the right to make use of any data concerning the signatories. As further motives for renouncing the faith, they cite the church attitude towards women's rights, condoms, euthanasia, abortion, pedophilia and gay rights. The initiative wants "the true representative status of the Catholic Church to be circumscribed, examined and regulated in the eyes of citizens of the Spanish state," said a group statement. The collective says the hierarchy claims a disproportionate number of believers, thereby obtaining what it calls "unjustified privileges" in a state that is is in effect not religious. The Spanish Constitution says no religious denomination should have the status of a state religion, although it acknowledges the pre-eminence of the Roman Catholic faith and enjoins public authorities to take account of this. – Sapa-AFP Related stories Spain expects to approve gay marriage bill early 2005 [01/07/2004]