Tag Archives: Other Christian

Campaign group launches action against ‘gay cures’

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Campaign group AllOut is urging the public to take action against a phoney ‘gay cure’ group

A petition calling for a ban on phony ‘gay cures’ will be delivered to governments across the world, beginning in France tomorrow and then the UK. So far, over 26, 000 people have pledged their support for the Time to end ‘gay cures’ campaign. The aim is to get 50, 000 names on the online petition.

The group is hoping for enough public pressure to cause a ‘domino effect’, whereby the ten countries that the campaign is focusing on will denounce the treatments and make them illegal. There are fears that the practice leads to self-harm and may even drive some to commit suicide.

AllOut, which promotes LGBT equality internationally, are concentrating in particular on the activity of extremist Christian group Desert Stream. The organisation is conducting a world tour with their ‘healing’ programme. According to AllOut, each ‘gay cure’ session costs up to $1,200.

Desert Stream is holding Living Waters training programmes, claiming to teach people how to ‘cure’ homosexuality. The programme is currently happening in France, and will then be offered in other countries including the UK, Finland and Lithuania. The petition will be delivered to all the countries where the sessions are currently planned to take place.

-full report at Pink Paper 

(Sign the AllOut petition here)

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Golden Rule Dominates Minnesota’s Gay Marriage Debate

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ST. PAUL — It’s a story 2,000 years old: People read the same words in the Bible, but come up with different conclusions.

Chaplain Mark Papke-Larson and Reverend Steve Schmidt of St, Bartholomew’s Church in Bemidji participate in a round table discuss on same sex couples marrying during a VOTE NO Rally as they listen to Marilyn Heltzer.

That is center to a debate about amending the Minnesota Constitution to define marriage as between a man and a woman. The bottom-line difference is about whether religious doctrine allows gays to marry.

To the Rev. Jeff Evans, there is no doubt the amendment follows God’s wishes. It is, he said, an issue “the Gospels are very, very clear on.”

Those who oppose the amendment, Evans said, are just following parts of the Bible with which they agree. “If you cut and paste … then you can come up with anything.”

The Rev. Grant Stevensen, who opposes the amendment, reads the Bible differently.

For Stevensen and others campaigning against the amendment, the Golden Rule says: “Treat other people as we would like to be treated.”

“I am concerned about the state of Minnesota drawing lines between people,” Stevensen added, something he sees as violating the Bible’s Golden Rule.

Involvement extensive

Evans and Stevenson coordinate religious activities for the two amendment campaigns, with what probably is the most extensive religious involvement of any state that has debated a marriage definition thus far.

The 30 states that have debated a constitutional amendment similar to the one Minnesotans will decide in the Nov. 6 election all passed it. However, amendment opponents say that in other states, faith communities that opposed the amendments did not have time to mount resistance like they are in Minnesota.

Most of the state’s conservative evangelical churches side with the Catholic Church, the state’s largest denomination, in favor of the amendment. Evans is pastor for the evangelical Christ Church Twin Cities in Minnetonka.

Amendment opponents include most of the second-largest denomination, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, and Jewish synagogues that have taken stands on the issue. Stevensen is pastor at St. Matthew’s, an ELCA church in St. Paul.

– full report at  Grand Forks Herald 

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Ex-Gay Groups Go Back to the Future

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Exodus leader Alan Chambers, who recently admitted that since “reparative” therapy cannot “cure” homosexuality his group will no longer promise “change,” has come under fire from other ex-gay proponents. One of those seeking Chambers’ scalp is Dr. Robert Gagnon, who has called for Chambers to resign as head of Exodus.

Apparently, what chaps Gagnon’s butt the most is Chambers’ assertion that gay Christians can go to heaven “if they have a relationship with Jesus Christ.” Gagnon is apparently so upset about Chambers’ position that it took 35 pages to cover all his objections, including this one:

Alan’s approach of providing assurances of salvation to those actively engaged in sexually immoral intercourse is a very different approach than Jesus’ and Paul’s warnings that immoral sexual behavior, among other offenses, can get one excluded from the kingdom of God and thrown into hell.

Gagnon’s verbose reaction belies the truth that “reparative” therapy is finally on its last legs, condemned by every reputable psychological organization and propped up only by discredited studies from the likes of de-certified Paul Cameron and the work of Robert Spitzer, who recently disavowed his own research.

Chambers is simply the latest “ex-gay” to realize he isn’t. Exodus’ founder Michael Bussee discovered that back in 1979, when he and Gary Cooper—another ex-gay pioneer—fell in love and got married.

“By calling ourselves ‘ex-gay’ we were lying to ourselves and others. We were hurting people,” Bussee recalls.

Now that “pray away the gay” is quickly headed for the historical dustbin, Gagnon and his “ex-gay” enthusiasts will need a new generation of leaders to keep the snake oil business going.

I have a suggestion. Instead of relying on new “science” why not get medieval on homosexuality and hire former Navy Chaplain Gordon James Klingenschmitt? He recently claimed on The David Packer show that he can exorcise the gay right out of you.

via Candace Chellew – Hodge, Religion Dispatches.

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Denmark celebrates green light for gay weddings

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Danish churches show their pride for gay and lesbian couples being able to get married inside their buildings

Danish gay and lesbian couples can officially get married in churches, and across the country several religious buildings are showing their pride.

Numerous churches in Denmark are celebrating the new equal marriage laws that were legislated last week, and come into full effect today.

Charlotte Cappi Grunnet, minister of St. Thomas Church in Frederiksberg, said it was wonderful to be able to finally celebrate.

More at Gay Star News

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Manchester Cross Street Chapel gains civil partnership licence

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Manchester Cross Street Chapel gains civil partnership licence

Cross Street Unitarian Chapel will allow gay couples to hold religious and civil ceremonies

Cross Street Unitarian Chapel has been awarded the licence which will allow same-sex couples to hold religious and civil ceremonies in the building.

Rev Jane Barraclough, minister of Cross Street Chapel, said offering the service fulfilled “a basic human right”.

A new law allowing civil partnership ceremonies to be conducted in places of worship came into effect in December.

Rev Barraclough said: “We note with sadness the history of homophobia in many faith traditions as well as the current hateful language from some faith leaders that has received so much coverage in the media.

“But this is a time of great celebration for us, not sadness.”

A Home Office spokesperson said it is the first time a council has contacted the General Register Office to say it has granted a civil partnership licence to a place of worship.

The Unitarian Church is not part of the Church of England and has a number of openly gay ministers.

In 1977, it was formally resolved that the Unitarian ministry be open to all, regardless of sex, race, colour or sexual orientation.

The Church of England has said it will not allow its churches to be used for civil partnership ceremonies unless the full general synod gives its consent.

 – BBC News 

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