[JURIST] In some of his most pointed remarks since becoming pontiff in April, Pope Benedict XVI [official website] spoke out against same-sex marriage [JURIST news archive], artificial birth control and divorce Monday while speaking to a group at Rome's St. John's Cathedral. The Pope called marriage between persons of the same sex and other departures from traditional church views on the family "anarchical freedom". His comments come one month after the Spanish lower house approved a bill [JURIST report] to legalize same-sex marriage and adoption in that country, a move the Catholic Church immediately criticized. Weighing in on another political issue, Pope Benedict also urged Spanish voters to reject an upcoming referendum [The Scientist backgrounder] that would lift bans on embryo research. Reuters has more. Vatican Radio provides local audio coverage.