International Day of Tolerance 2016 ........... more thoughts

Also see part one: HERE

November 16 is observed as International Day of Tolerance as part of the United Nations thrust on tolerance to cover racism, sexism, and homophobia indeed bi and transphobia as well. Locally we have everything from now gun totting and losing men of the cloth with double convictions as pious Reverends declaring that LGBT advocacy pressing for tolerance rebutting that said calls are a farce to force homosexuality on Jamaica or tolerance does not mean acceptance, complete with near hero worship support from blind followers who swallow and hang on every word they get without questioning the integrity of said persons, namely Reverend Al Miller and to an equal extent Dr Wayne West. Stoking such strong intolerance in the name of correctness and indeed God is so hypocritical while promoting prosperity gospel, theocracy, maintenance of old laws of buggery and conflating male homosexuality with paedophilia and yet still being selective on other supposed societal ills to include clerical abuse of boys, psychologically weak church sisters yet no response to aforementioned in any serious way. 

Trump's wife (his third) posing nude for GQ and this is the woman who is bring dignity as first lady to the presidency?

Then to openly support Donald Trump’s racist sounding, misogynistic thrust in a misguided belief that he is antigay as he appeals to conservative values is just shocking; and having the vacant seat on the US Supreme Court with a said conservative judge to supposedly numb the alleged activist court judgement; namely gay marriage judgements. The extremes some fanatics will go to is just disturbing then they pat themselves on the back and mirroring on social media and reside in vain holiness while ignoring God’s basic principles of forgiveness, non-judgementalism and respect essentially. As long as ignorance is preyed upon to reshape so called values then this sort of madness indeed acquiescence by others will continue. Some of these groups and pastors try to present some balance mostly hypocritically by infusing some conflict of interest in their arguments even as they celebrate Trump’s win, they claim his business interests may cloud his presidency in terms of his announced handing over of his Trump businesses to a blind trust and to his children to run, they ignore however that the law in the US says that such release of possible conflicts of interest with public officials must be done by way of said businesses by operated by some independent committee or management devoid of direct intervention by the absentee owner or management. I am not surprised said pious individuals see what they want to see as long as it suits their interests.

Fearmongering & victimhood ploys

While they celebrate the Trump win mostly openly and praising God in thanks for it, a misogynist and such, I concur that God can use certain situations for his will but these modern day Pharisees are more interested in self aggrandizement and imperialism than anything else. The even more bizarre belief that Trump has given his life to Christ and even being likened to Sirus but they conveniently ignored the liberal positions on abortion, same sex marriage and that trump will bring America bring back “righteousness” then if Trump gave his life to God why is it that he was able to win an election with the awful philosophies he has subscribed to? The victimhood card is also being used most deceptively framed as protecting ‘religious freedom’ or freedom of speech and there is some expectations for Trump to right size the situation while removing things like the transgender laws or the upcoming the Supreme Court case on same according to a pastor from the New Redeemer Church in the USA. The said pastor one Ralph Chitum says he believes also that public policy and the church should be one, in other words good old fashion theocracy. 

also see: BREXIT & LGBTQ Asylum concerns part 2: the Trumpage

But like in most circumstances these days truth is so hard to find let alone decipher as one repeats crap long enough it becomes believable; hence the magnitude of the charges are what makes them convincing sadly.

One would have expected a more sensible discourse in an age of LGBTQI visibility thanks to social media, readily available information (facts not dribble) and the ability to fact check same but instead homophobes hang o for dear life; it very difficult to set something aside when one does not see that what they are doing is plain wrong. The longstanding ‘HIV is a gay disease’ narrative and sub text that says gay men who practice anal sex deserve AIDS and no interventions to curb such infections as it is our fault for its spread in the general population continues unabated. These voices do not see the crime out there or at least with the same anti gay stridency they have for LGBT matters and homosexuals, they find all the strength for that in a narrow focus. They claim they want family or the threat to family by LGBT thrusts to be defeated but ignore the overflowing populations in prisons or the mismatch of numbers of churches per square miles in Jamaica often used to justify their values impositions while per square inch increasingly on city streets and towns homeless, abandoned or street children they pass them or offer very limited tokenism gestures framed as social outreach and kindness.

The selectivity hypocrisy continues

The recent unfortunate murder of the Jamaica College student on a bus showed the hypocrisy of these groups and where they choose to turn up. Ironically when students in more lower economically situated students are killed or attacked sometimes even on campus as an invasion incident only a day ago occurred not a sound from these groups, pastors and such but the Jamaica College matter as it was an uptown matter had all asunder crawling out of the woodwork dressed in black in protest, when the Haille Selassie students since this year were attacked and a shooting incident went down, deafening silence. I guess only schools above Half Way Tree are of import since the student phone robbery crime menace has been creeping uptown and are now at the doorsteps on the powerful. Who cares about the nigga kids and their challenges as they have nowhere going it seems but let this had been a Campion or other such ‘traditional’ high schools impacted.

The selectivity gets more bizarre with respects to the dignity that ought to attend to the first lady as tradition for example has shown over successive presidents; to have a President now on his third wife with alleged nude photos of her circulating but that does not seem to stir any disgust or concern; so long a Trump gets rid of gay marriage by any means necessary and preserve abortion laws, all else is unimportant. Then what about the stanza of our anthem: “Teach us true respect for all ........ Strengthen us the weak to cherish, give us vision lest we perish” indeed we are perishing with the well supported divisiveness. Intolerance is not manifest with fanatics but is still an issue in dancehall, and John public’s continued homo-negativity. 

patronizing the LGBT voting block?

some of the stuff out there

There is the egregious intolerance from within the ‘LGBT community’ is deeply disturbing after all these years, the snobbery, indeed institutional bigotry and classism that still carries through. As November is also observed on this and sister blogs GLBTQ Jamaica as Homeless Awareness Month the sheer isolation, scorn by some and condemnation that often comes to the populations although their behaviour can be unbecoming, however when privileged persons can suggest that whatever violence and homophobia alongside police pressure comes then they the homeless MSM/trans deserve it as they give the rest of ‘LGBT community’ a bad name but leave out the rehabilitation component, the very NGOs and allies have simply treated such groups as lepers and only use them when it suits them for statistics for HIV prevention and well written reports. Yes they are needed for evidenced based advocacy but where is the real care and concern? as careers and image management take priority and are propped up as groups and individuals jostle for social media attention with portrayed altered or bettered versions of themselves and agencies, funding flows like water and yet no clear interest to change the situation as it worsens.

It is indeed a sad state of affairs when after some forty plus years of some kind of organized LGBT advocacy from Gay Freedom Movement to present, to include the HIV years in the 1990s and slow periods yet with all the hard and anecdotal evidence of stigma driven displacement and homelessness there is no proper response to same. The fundamental question as to why this is so is yet to be properly and honestly answered. Nationally the class divide is still a challenge as the snobbery, political manipulation of certain inner city communities to gain state power, the skewed rivalry still to death to defend political parties and sheer intolerance of positions and views.

Where is the true tolerance anymore, where has it gone more than just for show for likes and social media mirroring and crowd gathering while powerful and notarized elites continue to thrive in their privileged state? I have to concur with former JLP spokesman (although he is antigay) that Trump is going to become the very thing he has demonized; as the reality hits him, trade deals he wants to change will be problematic and so on he will have to adjust. He cannot have his cake and eat it too.

Hope remains while company is true; there is a lot of work to be done for understanding and towards a better world.

Peace & indeed tolerance

H

Also see:

Mr Trump has a steep learning curve indeed

Rev Peter Espeut | Backlash And 'Gaylash' claims he is not a Trump supporter

So antigay Catholic priest and environmentalist has come out claiming he is not a Trump supporter and attempts to distance himself from some of his counterpart theologians, pastors and priests. I am not fully impressed by this but for what is worth it may be a sign that some sense is finally coming his way in terms of a middle ground on homosexuality and such.

Source:

Sometimes election observers allow their personal preferences to interfere with how they read the signs of the times to predict the outcome of elections. For many, Donald Trump's outrageous racist and misogynistic utterances on the campaign trail disqualify him from holding arguably the most powerful political office on the planet; for others, it is his anti-free trade and anti-environmental positions that make him objectionable. Others just wanted a woman - good or bad - to become president. Yet Trump got enough votes on Tuesday to be on his way to become the 45th President of the United States, and many people just can't understand it.

ASSUMPTION

The fundamental assumption behind scientific attempts to understand human behaviour is that Homo sapiens is a rational species; therefore, there is always rationality behind human behaviour, and the scientific task is to discover it to be able to understand it.

In my column of August 12, 'Trump did not nominate himself' I pointed out: "I feel the frustration of the mainstream US media during this present election campaign. What is supposed to happen is that when the foibles and foolishness of a candidate are exposed to the public, the popularity of the candidate is supposed to fall in the opinion polls ... .

"This has not been happening with Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump. Over the last many months on the campaign trail, Trump has made outrageous and bigoted statements ridiculing women, ethnic minorities, the handicapped, and Muslims, yet his favourability ratings in the polls continued to increase. He has insulted journalists, threatened press freedom, stated an intention to pull out of NATO, and to cancel free trade agreements; he has characterised illegal immigrants travelling over the Mexican border into the USA as 'criminals, drug dealers, rapists, etc.', and has made outlandish proposals to build a 'great wall' between the USA and Mexico - which, he claims, he will make Mexico pay for; yet his numbers continued to improve. He has contradicted himself, backtracked on earlier statements, and been caught in lies; in December 2015, Politifact named 'The many campaign misstatements of Donald Trump' as its '2015 Lie of the Year', noting at the time, that 76 per cent of Trump statements rated by the fact-checking website were rated 'Mostly False, False or Pants on Fire', more than any other politician; yet his numbers have increased all the more."

For me, something else was at work here. What was of interest was not Trump and his scandalous behaviour, but how the US electorate was responding to it as reflected by pollsters. In the primaries, Trump beat out 11 other candidates to become the Republican nominee, receiving the most primary votes of any Republican candidate in US history. I wrote: "I think the focus of the analysts is wholly misplaced: it should be on the behaviour of Republican voters and not on the behaviour of Trump himself.

"Clearly, the millions who faithfully support Donald Trump for president - despite his obvious deficiencies and dangerous personality flaws - feel seriously threatened by something. Their unrelenting support of Trump ... seems almost pathological. What could they be so angry about?"

The phenomenon deepened, with more egregious Trump sexism, and many sensible women coming to his defence. I realised something remarkable was about to happen. In my column of October 27, 'Voting for a change' I pointed out that "we in the Third World complain about how we are being disadvantaged by market fundamentalists, mostly in the USA; but over the years blue-collar workers in the USA have been suffering, too, from the Washington Consensus policies practised by their own government".

SENDING A MESSAGE

It was clear to me that, by supporting Trump, the underclass in the USA was trying to send mainstream Democrats and Republicans a message: a backlash against the Washington Consensus. They were hurting so bad, that they were prepared to look beyond the racist, misogynistic, and bigoted statements of Donald Trump, and focus on his anti-immigration, protectionist, and semi-isolationist policies which they perceived to be in their best interests.

I am currently in London, and I stayed up all Tuesday night watching the commentary and interviews on the BBC. A stream of US evangelical pastors and adherents declared in interviews that their support of Donald Trump was rooted in his anti-abortion and anti-gay marriage agenda. They were afraid that a Hilary Clinton presidency would appoint more pro-LGBT Supreme Court justices, who would deepen the implementation of the anti-Christian anti-traditional family LBGT agenda.

The extent to which the Trump electoral victory is due to a backlash against advances in the gay revolution is yet to be fully explored.

Please do not misunderstand me: I am not a Trump supporter. I expect to be unhappy with the Trump presidency; he is likely to be even more anti-environment than the pro-Goat Islands people. But social scientists must seek to understand the social and political phenomena around them.

- Peter Espeut is a sociologist and environmentalist. Email: columns@gleanerjm.com.

ENDS

Homosexuality - A Biological reality

Homophobia - a Lifestyle choice

Your choice is clear as reflected in this piece.

Stick to the environmental issues where your expertise lies.

also see:

Espeut, West says “Homophobia” was invented to abuse Christians as hate speech

My answer to Peter Espeut's rubbish on Homophobia Exposed 

Peter Espeut told to 'Don't Dress Up Homophobia As Science

Sociologist & RC Deacon Peter Espeut on The Right To Discriminate .... and a response

Is this a joke .... Church group denies gay bias 

I Bet Deafening Silence from Religious Anti Gay Voices ...... Preacher served summons during service

The False Dichotomy of the religious right on the LGBT advocacy Godlessness

Continued conflation between homosexuality, atheism, secularism and moral nihilism 

With Gay Abandon by Peter Espeut ..........

'We Have The Numbers' - Anti-Homosexuality Church Leaders Confident Enough Religious Jamaica....

More on ‘Can you be a gay Christian?’ or so minded

In a previous post (Impossible to be gay & Christian?) I had attempt to deal with this question using my own experiences despite being openly gay but so Christian minded and drawing on my time at Sunshine Cathedral Jamaica, SCJ, the usual responses that followed then included prayer being offered to me or for me to get reparative or restorative therapy suggestions to sheer condemnation and ‘fire bun’ as usual, as if that is to scare persons straight. While we believe God’s power is unexplainable I do not see where I would have been created in his image and gay he would want to ‘change’ me when I am what I am. Why would I simply choose something or sexual orientation that could land me in problems, especially when so many species of animals display homosexual characteristics? Why can’t I and other homosexuals be who we are without to confirm to a hetero-normative expectation in order to be seen as Christian? Sections of fanatics in the faith (or pretentiously so) are aggressively on an exclusionist advocacy in a bid to ‘normalise’ living even as the bigger issues for God’s work are forgiveness or inclusivity and winning souls for the kingdom no matter who or what or the condition that that soul may be in.

What explains the person who enters the church to escape so called dirty feelings based on ignorance and a lack of self acceptance?

The usual Levitical response is a feature when this question comes up with Sodom & Gomorrah as the justified reason for condemnation when it is well known that homosexuality in and of itself is not the reason why the city was said to be destroyed; while totally ignoring the fact that Leviticus were a set of holiness codes for temporary use for a particular people at a particular time in lieu of instructions and rules for Hebrews moving from repeated slavery and oppression towards freedom and the promise of a new life. A people and a culture where open displays of same gender love, coupled with the silence and near invisibility of women, who are often seen as just incubators for sperm and children one would expect some resistance to any other way of existence.

The zeal at which so called Christians go after homosexual(s)(ity) is still baffling to me yet the other societal atrocities they do not do so, even when they participate in symbolic protests on abuse of children and so on but are near silent when one of their own as men of the cloth fall down and even sexually abuse children or vulnerable church sisters and brothers sometimes.

The disturbing thing lately is the open support of erratic and divisive Republican Presidential candidate Donald Trump by some Christian fanatics namely Dr Wayne West of Jamaica Coalition for a Healthy Society, JCHS despite Trump himself tacitly support LGBT matters as he has relatives who are such. Groups and individuals are quite prepared to give their anti gay stance steam in the name of God while accepting implicitly racist stances, conservatism, underhandedness and a candidate who made disparaging remarks about women on tape, mocking persons with disabilities and one who while expressing blocking immigration is quite prepared to allegedly use undocumented immigrants as construction workers on his hotels’ construction in order to pay them less than market value yet this is the man some want to support!

A recent vox pop and discussion on the issue came up for mention and yet again the aforementioned expected responses came through.

LET’S face the facts — God’s love knows no bounds, and we are often told that Christ hates the sin and not the sinner. But when it comes to homosexuals, is there an exception to the rule? Can they rightfully proclaim that they are Christians, since Christ loves all?

It is often said that the litmus test with all things is scripture, and how one rightly interprets the word of God. As a result, scripture is clear that you cannot comfortably and habitually engage in sin and call yourself a Christian. This simply means that whether you are a fornicator, adulterer, homosexual, thief, liar, idolater — and the list goes on and on — it is still the same thing — sin.

Moreover, the Bible presents a lifelong marriage between a man and a woman as normal, and anything that deviates from that as reprobate. Two out of many passages of scripture see homosexual practices as a crime punishable by death — Leviticus 18:22 and 20:13. However, in the New Testament, Paul indicates that the Gospel provided salvation to homosexuals and other sinners so that they don’t practise it any more, but live a life pleasing to God.

According to Reverend Karl Johnson, general secretary of the Jamaica Baptist Union, the issue of homosexuality has become increasingly visible in our generation for a number of reasons, including, but not limited to, acceptance of the practice by the media/movie/television industry; viewing the practice as a human rights issue and not a moral issue; legislative support by many countries and not just by the so-called ‘developed’ ones, and greater acceptance of the practice by some churches.

“All of the above has served to make a practice/behaviour/issue that was once viewed as taboo, vulgar, unnatural, abnormal by most societies, appear more acceptable. Clearly, from the above, the church, which is a part of society, and which is still seen by many as having the responsibility of being the ‘moral’ voice and authority, has contributed wittingly/unwittingly to both the increased visibility of the practice and the confusion/debate surrounding its acceptability,” Johnson said.

He said this background may be helpful in reflecting on the question of whether there can be a gay Christian or a Christian who is gay.

“Is the question an expedition of ‘oxymoronic’ proportions? With several biblical texts mired in debate over their meaning, for example, the Genesis 18/19 story of Sodom and Gomorrah; Leviticus 18’s pronouncement of death for those who practise such things; Paul’s words in Romans about ‘unnatural acts’, among others, I believe we have to develop an understanding of God’s intention for the relationship between the sexes. In doing so we have to tread carefully in selecting ‘proof texts’ and develop a wider understanding from the whole counsel of scripture,” Johnson explained.

He added: “Based on that, I submit that any attempt to portray homosexual activity and behaviour as normal and therefore as an acceptable equivalent of heterosexual activity and behaviour should be rejected. People with a homosexual orientation who profess the Christian faith should strive for celibacy, with complete dependence on the transforming, enabling and sufficient grace of God.”Johnson said perhaps the question should be rephrased, “Not... can there be a Christian who is gay, but can a professing Christian be a practising homosexual? And the answer is to let the jury decide.”

Below All Woman asked a few people whether they believe someone could be gay and proclaim themselves as a fellow believer.

Joshua:

I don’t think so. Many people like to say the love is universal and God loves everyone. He does, but what separates us is our sinful versus righteous living. If we are Christians we will go by the holy book, which is the Bible, and it specifically speaks about this. Even if we don’t want to look there, look at the animals. There is one male and one female. That’s the order of things. Sin is sin, they sin differently from a fornicator, but it’s still sin. So no, a homosexual, fornicator or anyone living in sin can’t be a Christian. You may believe in God, yes, but you can’t say you’re His follower if you’re going against what He teaches.

Ashley:

I’m agnostic, and I really think that people can identify religiously with whatever they feel, regardless of their lifestyle.

Chris:

Honestly, I’m God-fearing and I know the Bible says those who live a sinful life can’t enter God’s kingdom and the kingdom is for Christians. I know that homosexuality is not Christ-like, so no, you can’t be gay and be Christian.

Paula:

For me, coming completely out of a sinful life takes time. Today you accept Christ, tomorrow you won’t be perfect or even close to it. You take time to rid yourself of habits, but you consciously know that you can’t do certain things anymore. So if someone is gay and decides they want to be a Christian, I won’t judge them and say no, you aren’t. Temptations for that person will be greater. What matters is that they are taking steps to turn around their life. Saints are all sinners who fell down and got up.

Martin:

No. There is no explanation needed either. Same way if you see Jane stealing but is singing on the choir you’re going say she is no Christian, it’s the same way I’m going to look and say John who’s lying down with Tom is sullying God’s house.

We certainly have a long way to go on just basic understanding and misconstrued thoughts on what the teachings of Christ actually mean; which is definitely not exclusion, judgements and indeed selfishness. Paul’s own take on the issue of homosexuality is an opinion lest we forget whilst he and others were seeking to spread the church in new places, namely Corinth, a highly sexualised part of Rome at the time. A question I have often asked is according to Paul why would God give us over to sin when it is the very sin he was to redeem us from by way or his death and resurrection? I often reflect on this and await the answer(s) spiritually and otherwise. We must also not forget Paul himself by way of his writings has contradicted himself especially on women in the church and their leadership roles and voices obviously in the search and settling of the early movement as far as we know now, there are always new findings and writings out there, the recent 2000 year old papyrus that was found in the hands of thieves of precious artefacts which shows writings mentioning Jerusalem, I have no doubt that are lots of missing pieces out there.

In almost one breath Paul raises effectively to the peerage if you will the prophetess Julia for example who was also in Corinth and nearby areas teaching and leading the early church’s development, Paul encouraged persons to attend on her outfit but later the same Paul declares that women basically had no place in leadership and should remain silent for that matter. There is so much more to unpack on this but let us rest here for now.

More anon

Peace & tolerance

H

also see:

Slippery slope deception & conflation of incest with buggery’s decriminalization

No gay leaders in Jamaica's churches ......

Peter Espeut told to 'Don't Dress Up Homophobia As Science'

Peter Espeut the Catholic priest whose homophobia has been long in happening has been told in a letter in the Gleaner which I am total agreement, now that the pope has suggested that the church on a whole should apologise to homosexuals I wonder what he is going to come with in response; as his own church head has spoken and it maybe binding to all priests. 

from the Pontiff earlier this years and recent developments: Pope Francis reveals new church law to deal with paedophile priests and Christians should apologise to gay people — Pope Francis

Espeut has since shown more madness such as evidenced in previous posts: 

Espeut, West says “Homophobia” was invented to abuse Christians as hate speech and The False Dichotomy of the religious right on the LGBT advocacy Godlessness, also see: My answer to Peter Espeut's rubbish on Homophobia Exposed

now here is the letter in question:

THE EDITOR, Sir:

I just read Peter Espeut's article titled 'Sexual identity, gender identity' (The Gleaner, June 17, 2016) and, as a sociologist myself, wanted to edify him a bit. His views do not reflect the understanding of sex and gender among mainstream sociologists in any way, shape or form.

No half-decent sociologist believes that people are born 'male' or 'female' because of their chromosomes. That would equate (fe)maleness with a chromosome or sexual organ. I know that Espeut is a male, and I have never tested his chromosomes or seen his organs! It should be obvious from just that fact that 'maleness' is not based on those factors, but describes a series of social characteristics that we have been socialised to identify (shorter hair, more toned, less shapely, voice, etc., and, most of all, dress code!). I strongly encourage Espeut to read an article called 'Doing Gender' by West and Zimmerman.
Nonsense Argument

His argument that socialisation fails when a person who is supposedly born male identifies as a female is also nonsense to sociologists. We don't see people as failures because they do not fit into our traditional norms. A person who is a Christian in Iran is not a failure because he is in a small, rejected minority. Espeut should read Foucault's 'A History of Sexuality'.

Finally, the idea that this kind of 'post-modern subjectivism' is also wrong. Gender and sexual fluidity have been part of many cultures over history. Native Americans, for instance, recognised more than two genders. Here, 'How To Be Gay' by Halperin is a good book (it's not a manual on how to become gay, but a study of the history of gay culture).

Espeut is a homophobe. I've read enough of his stuff to know that. Rather than owning it, he's dressing up his religious intolerance in pseudo-scientific discourse. Not only are his views judgemental and reactionary to an oppressed group of people, they are also very wrong.

ANDRE STEPHENS
andrestephens@outlook.com 

ENDS

As I had pointed out in a previous post, In my own journey I do believe that one can be homosexual and Christian; I do not believe that God is caught up in judging us harshly by mere sexual orientation; after all we are more than just who we have sex with or are attracted to. I ask every now and again I refer to the woman with the alabaster box story or the stoning incident where I just quoted above the line Jesus used in terms of who is more holy than others. The raising of homosexuality as the worse sin above all others then the twinning if not combining of atheism/secularism as expressed by some LGBT persons as a false dichotomy to some anti-Christian, anti God position are simply just that, false dichotomies.

Jesus himself never spoke to homosexuality in a discriminatory fashion barring where Jesus in a teaching on the rapture makes what appears to be a neutral non-discriminatory reference where it read (King James Version):

also see:

Sociologist & RC Deacon Peter Espeut on The Right To Discriminate .... and a response

Spilling homosexual blood - Why do gay lovers kill each other so viciously?

Christians say ... Don't force gay agenda on them ........ lol

Church claims future victimization if buggery is decriminalized in Jamaica

A Response to a Gleaner Commentary: 'CAUSE' Editorials And The Culture War

Peace & tolerance

H

Suspected gay man booted from church ..... another case

Another case has come to hand which occurred in recent weeks, March 2016 to be precise of youth leader this time at a Pentecostal church in St Catherine. The matter also came up in an informal interfaith discussion as well where sexual orientation and the church were front and centre prior to the rainbow flag furor and since. In a previous post I had looked at a similar matter which occurred in May Pen Clarendon in 2015. The present matter as these matters often do has been building for some time in as far as profiling done by church elders with one particular church board member pursing the issue relentlessly it seemed. The impacted man was the subject of open and rumours, innuendo and speculation regarding his perceived sexual orientation; he was asked openly he said in a planning meeting for church activity after some allegations were supposedly made known to the person who asked the question; much to the shock of others in earshot of it.

also see: 

Church boots usher after alleged gay sex 2013

Booted from the Fellowship … said to be a homosexual ... Pastor's response is wanting 2011

He said he was shunned ever so slowly over time as the standoff was revealingly obvious; church members who would be very friendly and supportive of his leadership in the youth group are hardly speaking to him, and if they do it is very limited and formalised than before. Other rumours suggest that he was involved in some other action with another man who used to attend the church; the booted gay man is indeed same sex attracted and has borne the anti gay rhetoric in sermons, strong opposition to homosexuality in youth meetings especially in the height of the Professor Bain fiasco and subsequent antigay advocacy by groups such as Lovemarch, Jamaica Coalition for a Healthy Society, JCHS and Jamaica CAUSE. His church was also targeted in the campaign on a national church tour by one or more of the aforementioned groups. He participated as his obligations allowed but was also aware of his own sexuality and such. To have to hide who one is for so long must have been difficult; effectively living a lie in all places in the house of God and now to face this ostracism and out casting or othering.

The Sodom & Gomorrah story was often brought into the mix time and time again and he just got fed up of it; I have been evolving on this matter of Lot and his family’s exit from the city that was doomed for a long time, if we were to follow the teachings and warnings before. The real story to me is about the abuse of women as opposed to homosexuality as it conveniently used to justify the destruction of the city. The frame of reference tends to start at the angels visit to the city to clear it of qualified persons to the Lot engagement and instructions to exit the area through to the mistakenness of the soldiers of the visitors as spies when they were angels to the actual destruction to the turning into a pillar of salt the disobeying wife of Lot and finally ends at the departure of Lot and his two daughters. What is often not addressed either by theologians or fire brand preachers is the incest that took place afterwards which to me is the more problematic issue. Theologically it would be too uncomfortable to say it was about abuse of women and the sexual aspersions that the related family members seem to display coupled with the interpretation of the term “to know” in Hebrew as sex. Just as Abraham went into Egypt and speculated they would kill him so he effectively pimps his own wife Sarah they relations as they are seem to go to territories and cast sexual issues on others or are carrying out a permissive type of incest in Hebrew culture in the name of procreation and the continuation of the bloodline in the face of an absent matriarch in the household seeing she was turned into a pillar of salt.

The daughters are blamed for the incest albeit Lot was drunk but evidently not too drunk to get an erection and somehow make it happen; and the justification of homosexuality is easier to roll of the tongue from the pulpit. The church and theologians seem not to want to deal with the story in its entirety.

Booted man has left the church

He left the church body in March he said after some several months of pressure and continued ostracism and things came to a head when a meeting was called to discuss ‘change’ with strong hints of some sort of reparative therapy and prayer as the only way out. Lord knows my own experience in my twenties when I too like so many others tried the ‘pray the gay away’ strategy when in ignorance thought and was led to belief my homosexuality is a sin and a deviant behaviour; try as I might and pray as fervently as I did with even abstinence attempted the ‘gay’ did not go away; in fact it became even more pronounced. Urges and desires cannot be just driven away like that; if God did not want me to be a homosexual he would have made it so from the very beginning. Why would so many other animals display same gender sexual tendencies so much, are they guilty of some deviance too?

I like the young man went on fasting, asked for the Holy Spirit to (re)wash me or change me and it never came to fruition. In fact the opposite occurred where it was if the spirit spoke and said you are good as you are and there is no need to amend anything in that department. I would have loved to have asked or ask the young man to ask his elders the question of Luke 17:34 and its tenets where Jesus in a teaching on the rapture makes what appears to be a neutral non-discriminatory reference where it read (King James Version):

I tell you, in that night there shall be two men in one bed; the one shall be taken, and the other shall be left.

Let me end here for now but I did this post just to show the madness coming from ignorant folks who in an information age refuse to accept the reality. If I may use the JCHS’s own biblical quote they end their newsletters with:

“The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined.” Isaiah 9: 2 KJV

JCHS needs to take their own counsel and step out of darkness into the present realities. The church overall is missing the need to fulfil the word yet at the same time realise that other matters in society needs attention such as the loss of life. Where are these antigay groups apart from obligatory condemnation during child’s month on abuse of children, pastors in inappropriate acts with congregants and or children as well or the crime, murders and highly suspected political corruption?

Bearing in mind King James in whose name the most popular English translation of the Bible in 1610 is in was actually bisexual even in the face of a buggery law; pity the goody King would not have foreseen the work put in would be used as a destructive weapon hundreds of years later against LGBT people. Let us put to rest the silliness about “homosexual lifestyle” once and for all; as a phrase it is pure propaganda, a gossipy generalization and completely unworthy of a Christian who, following the counsel in Proverbs seeks understanding and insight into life and people. As Christians some will have to decide if we are going to partake of divisive “party spirit” that racked the church at Corinth or follow Christ as discerning attentive principles – to that still small voice and sharpen concerns for the ostracized instead of creating more strife.

Oh these modern day Pharisees, Saducees and Scribes who think their correctness is the be all and end all. Frankly envy of the apparent freedom of LGBT people could be called ‘freedom envy’ in my view. The role of freedom envy in the anti LGBT crusade is confirmed by the repeated and emphatic reference to “the homosexual lifestyle.” This is left a vague generality, as though it were something everyone already understands. The so called “homosexual lifestyle” is associated with a US view of homosexuality and dates back to the HIV/AIDS epidemic and stories of bath houses in places such as San Francisco; hence folks like Dr Wayne West of JCHS uses it as well to vectorise gays in his antigay advocacy or the deceptive “HIV is a gay disease ploy.” There is no such thing as a ‘homosexual lifestyle’ just as there is no such thing as “heterosexual lifestyle” heterosexual live on a “lifestyle” continuum just as homosexuals do. The continuum includes people in decades long monogamous relationships, people who live in social isolation, people who in into bar scenes etc people who move from relationship to relationship.

The gay Christian minded brethren has since moved on though disappointed that he cannot serve as he is used to but is searching for a worship space that can afford him that; I told him he may have a hard time finding one that is so embracing; I too have been finding it difficult to find such a space.

Finally as for the Levitical or Leviticusal or holiness codes (on homosexuality) bear in mind in the KJV the preamble is quite clear as it reads in part:

“The book of Leviticus accordingly is a manual for priests detailing the religious rules and procedures which the priests had to observe and enforce for the covenant nation of Israel. Its historical setting is the two years Israel spent encamped at Mount Sinai; it contains no further account of Israel’s journeys from Egypt to Canaan.”

It continues:

“The fact that Moses, the author of Leviticus devoted an entire book to priestly matters shows the importance that the religious observances were to have ever afterwards for the Israelites. Christians, under the terms of Christ’s new covenant do not regard these Levitical regulations as binding, but they do obey the same God, not in the letter of the law but in the spirit of Christ.”

Peace & tolerance

H

Reverend Al Miller has no moral authority (yet again) to speak on flags & correctness

Rev Al Miller as captioned in this old Observer cartoon by Clovis with Dudus on board his car


The Reverend Al Miller is commending Attorney General, Marlene Malahoo Forte, for her controversial tweet condemning the flying of the Rainbow flag at the US embassy in Kingston. Remember this in 2015 Is this a joke .... Church group denies gay bias, I wonder what this latest salvo is now? and see this: Restorative Therapy Advocate & Anti Gay Voice on Trial for Perverting the Course of Justiceand Reverend Al Miller continues his antigay advocacy while his integrity is severely damaged 2014, meanwhile in a statement today, Reverend Miller praised what he calls her boldness in standing on a principled and moral position.

He condemned what he called the despicable act against citizens of the USA and also extended condolences to the families of those who lost their lives and suffered injuries. He notes that on previous occasions of mass shootings, the US Embassy has seen it sufficient to fly the US flag at half-mast. Reverend Miller asks what has motivated the US Embassy on this particular occasion to fly another flag which is not one of the official emblems of the country.

Mr. Miller says it’s no secret that Jamaican law forbids certain types of sexual behaviour. He says in light of this the US Embassy mounting the rainbow flag, widely accepted as the banner of the LGBT community, can only be interpreted as a deliberate act of provocation and a slap in the face. He says we need leaders who have clear moral vision and who are prepared to stand up for principle. Mr. Miller says to take a stand for principle is not something to apologize for and Mrs. Malahoo Forte should not be called upon to do so.

Miller needs to be reminded that his present legal vice that he is to face in the rescheduled court case and judgement in the St Andrew Parish court is being watched by many, even as the commission of enquiry report on the Tivoli incursion in 2011 was tabled in the house on June 16, 2016 by the Justice Minister Delroy Chuck. Report aside Reverend Miller was effectively accused of aiding the very man who is the centre of the said Tivoli commission enquiry report that found that fugitive Christopher ‘Dudus’ Coke may have been tipped off but the commissioners cannot find evidence as to how.

Yet this was the man who was found in the company of Reverend Miller supposedly on his way to the very United States Embassy that is the centre of the present flag furore. It seems Miller would like us to forget or think we have but it is not lost on us and many are awaiting the ruling by the judge who is said to be ill. The case is said to be ready in July. How comes one can aid a fugitive in one breath then speak with such piety the next?

I have suggested before that had he been in another jurisdiction he may have been slapped with a charge of treason; aiding a known fugitive under the guise of assisting him to surrender to the US via their Embassy with immunity from local authorities the moment he enters the gates of Hope Road. Going against the state apparatus however we may feel about them and this notion that maybe Dudus would have been killed if he were caught by them. I do not belief that as knowing how international that matter had gotten it would be foolhardy to harm him in the face of US surveillance and intense global media interest since the incursion was announced inadvertently by the authorities.

The Tivoli commission has noted in the report that the authorities should have effectively kept the state of emergency either quiet or not announce it so early thus giving Dudus and others time to evade capture; which implicates in my eyes Reverend Miller and his closeness to Prime Minister Golding then.

According to the recently released commission report in chapter 7 it read in part:

"Rev. Miller was head of the National Transformation Programme in the Office of the Prime Minister which worked with inner-city youth."

7.27. With regard to Rev. Miller, CoP Ellington said that Miller reported to him Coke’s response to his suggestion of a peaceful surrender. Miller is alleged to have said –

“I saw the man and the man said to me if it was the PNP in office, they would know how to deal with this. Tell Bruce Golding to find a way to deal with it. I am not going anywhere and, if they want me, they have to come for me and they have to come good.”

7.40. So far as Rev. Miller was concerned, Mr. Golding said that Rev. Miller was a friend and he was involved in a social transformation project within the Office of the Prime Minister. Mr. Golding made clear the following:

“He was not my agent to have Coke surrender. I did not ask him to intervene. He took steps on his own initiative.”

Miller has reportedly said he is siding with Malahoo Forte on her controversial tweet on the half mast rainblow flag at their Hope Road premises which is seen a US soil legally or diplomatically; let us also bear in mind she has effectively retreated on the matter since (someone may have spoken to the goodly lady and knocked some sense into her), the attorney general she insisted that her post had been misinterpreted when she spoke to the Observer.

the tweet that started it all 

“The second part of my tweet has been misconstrued. The horrible act of terror which resulted in so many deaths can never be condoned. I condemn it unreservedly and repeat my expression of deep sorrow and sympathy for the victims and their families,” she said, adding that “the incident provides another opportunity for deep reflection and introspection”.

“Among the multiple issues are gun control, radicalisation, treatment of differences – be they religious, sexual orientation or otherwise. These are tough issues to handle.

“Here in Jamaica we have so much work ahead of us to reorder our society. We need everyone on board.

Personally, I respect and celebrate our differences as people and see them as reflective of our humanity. Professionally, I’m sworn to uphold and defend the constitution and laws of Jamaica. In both spheres I remain a sincere advocate for fair and proper treatment of everyone. And I will never condone the use of violence to deal with our differences,” she said.
Her peers had described her comment as “insensitive” and “unwise”.

Miller was said to have spoken to the then Prime Minister Bruce ‘Not in my cabinet’ Golding sometime prior to the incursion which may suggest culpability in aiding Coke to escape via the car with Coke semi crossed dressed in the now infamous wig, glasses and a dress with some light makeup. They very drag culture aesthetic of male homosexuals who are also involved in female impersonation and not transgenderism.

In chapter 12 of the aforementioned Tivoli commission report Miller was named again despite he did not testify before it as he had the other case answering to in court.

The report read in part:

CoP Ellington Re: Bishop Blair and Rev. Miller

12.8. CoP Ellington testified that Mr. Golding asked him to speak with Bishop Blair and Rev. Al Miller concerning the possibility of Coke’s surrender prior to 24 May.

12.9. CoP Ellington said that Rev. Miller visited him sometime prior to 24 May and told him that he (Rev. Miller) had been in contact with Coke but Coke was reluctant to surrender to the custody of the police owing to concerns about his personal safety. CoP Ellington sent a message of plea and assurance via Rev. Miller to Coke as follows:

“I said, please tell Christopher Coke that I am appealing to him to surrender peacefully and I will ensure his safety whilst he is in custody of the State because that is my responsibility.”

12.10. According to CoP Ellington, a few days later, Rev. Miller made the following report to the Commissioner:

“I saw the man and the man said to me if it was PNP in office, them woulda know how fi deal with this. Tell Bruce Golding fi find a way to deal with it. I am not going anywhere and, if they want me, they have to come fi me and they have to come good.”

Communications after 24 May

12.11. According to CoP Ellington, about 27 May, Rev. Miller attended on him and told him that he was instrumental in getting Coke’s brother and sister to surrender to the police pursuant to an appeal by the JCF for them to surrender. Rev. Miller apparently continued efforts to find Coke and have him surrender.

CoP Ellington told us – “I thanked him for his continued effort and support, wished him good luck and that was it.” Mr. Golding

12.12. Under cross-examination by Ms. Martin, Mr. Golding said that, after the hostilities subsided, he had a brief conversation with Rev. Miller who thought that he might be able to influence Coke to surrender. Mr. Golding’s recall of the meeting is this –

“He spoke with me and indicated that he had already commenced an initiative because he indicated that he was in contact with persons in the Police High Command and he was also in contact with officials in the U.S. Embassy. I welcomed that initiative because anything that could be done to secure Coke being taken into custody, the warrant having been issued there was too much turmoil created.

And there was still anxiety about the fact that he was still at large. I welcomed any initiative and I was quietly, guardedly optimistic that, based on the fact that he had been able to take in Coke’s sister and brother to the police, he might have been able to do similarly with Coke himself.”

How can Miller be now grandstanding on this issue when he is conflicted on many fronts and such accusations of aiding a fugitive? Such a serious accusation by the way should not have even been on the breath of anyone, let alone a court case complete with supposed evidence. I guess he could not feel to be left out of the avalanche of support mostly from antigay voices and his public image has been tarnished ever since his arrest(s); the missing gun matter seems to have fizzled which also had many questioning how can a pastor have a gun in the first place and then how it got missing as well? He has stoked the fires of homo-negativity for years and especially so via his on again off again televangelist Word Power show on Saturday mornings.

Then we hear more nonsense since this flag controversy where another Reverend in the form of former Minister of Education turned opposition spokesperson on same Ronnie Thwaites claiming on CVM TV that the flying of a rainbow flag at the US Embassy is effectively grooming children into “a particular lifestyle that is different from the judaeo Christian norm which is in fact the foundation of our constitutional order and I believe of our personal and national health...... ”

In other words polite speak for HIV is a gay disease resulting from anal sex. I am not stupid as the goodly Reverend thinks some of us are and continue to pray on the public’s ignorance. So the hardened positions continue, will there ever be movement towards true tolerance anytime soon with the kind of continued paranoia and fear of openness of LGBT people and that a flag is so frightening in this round of it. See more on that here: Ronnie Thwaites’ rubbish on flying rainbow flags grooms children into “particular lifestyle”

Then ascribing motive of whether such flags are flown in US Embassy in Saudi Arabia and or ‘double standards as opposed to Jamaica and that the US would not do it; while ignoring the fact that it is a different jurisdiction and that the death penalty under Sharia law and that homosexuality is NOT illegal in Jamaica but buggery despite the gender of the receptive partner(s) involved. Double standards are needed in such delicate diplomatic relations especially with states like the Saudis.

Peace & tolerance

H

Also see my previous entry on sister blog GLBTQJA Wordpress: REVEREND AL MILLER’S OWN MORAL CONFLICT OF INTEREST & ANTI GAY CAMPAIGN and also see his shameful or shameless defiant retort that he would have helped Dudus again to escape the law: I'd Carry 'Dudus' Again - Miller and Rev Al Miller - the gay lobby is not asking for buggery decriminalization because of discrimination but to force homosexuality on the nation .......







Pastor Says Frightening Preaching No Longer Converts Sinners

Christian rocker Trey Pearson comes out in letter to fans

The timing of this story could not have been more opportune as the local debate heats up on conversion and rejection of gay clergy etc.

Source: HERE

He’s sung Gospel rock on stage all across the country, but Trey Pearson has never told the truth about his sexuality – until now. Pearson revealed he is gay in a letter to his fans on his website, according to the Independent.

“I never wanted to be gay. I was scared of what God would think and what all of these people I loved would think about me,” the 35-year-old singer wrote in a letter to his fans that was first published by Religion News Service on Tuesday. “But if this honesty with myself about who I am, and who I was made by God to be, doesn’t constitute as the peace that passes all understanding, then I don’t know what does. It is like this weight I have been carrying my whole life has been lifted from me, and I have never felt such freedom.”

Pearson says he first broke his silence to only a few people, including his wife, before he one day told a stranger, during a car ride for Uber, where he drove to pick up extra money. That stranger turned out to be a writer for an Ohio magazine, 614 Columbus.

“I’m gay, and one of the only people who knows is my wife,” Pearson told writer Travis Hoewischer. He shared the personal letter he wrote to his close friends and family.


“Most of us reach at least one pivotal moment in our lives that better defines who we are. These last several months have been the hardest—but also have ended up being the most freeing months—of my life. To make an extremely long story short, I have come to be able to admit to myself, and to my family, that I am gay.”

Pearson told Hoewischer he felt liberated at the revelation.

“There is a weight that has been lifted, and I have never felt so free. I cannot even believe the joy and lightness I feel from being able to accept myself, and love myself, for who I truly am … but I have also lost some of the closest people in my life. I have felt betrayal by people I loved a lot, and cared so much about. I have had some church people act like the worst people I have ever experienced in my life. I have some people in my life who I have felt a shift in the way they love me, and the way they see me. I want to be loved for who I am, not in spite of who I am. I’m starting over in so many ways. It is freeing, but it’s also starting out lonely.”

Pearson, who is the lead singer of Everyday Sunday, also spoke about how much he loved his wife, and his feelings about coming out to her after 7 and a half years of marriage.

Read more at 614 Columbus.

No gay leaders in Jamaica's churches ......

So this latest salvo in the growing line of positions on homosexuality in the church has elements resembling the Catholic's position on the subject of clergy admissions; the tenets coming from the Anglican church this time round resemble the Religiosorum Intitutio of the Catholics or the older Personas humanas or other ordinances claiming suspected or gay clergy must either seek chastity, prayer or abstinence altogether for three years, then show themselves 'approved' in outward behaviour that is but keep the 'transitory homosexual tendencies' under raps.

Possibly the Star News story should have headlined "No openly gay leaders in Jamaica's churches" to qualify the gist of the story:

Recently, more than 100 influential Methodist ministers in the United States came out as lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgenders, seeking to change the church’s rules to accommodate their alternate lifestyles.

The gay ministers penned an open letter to the United Methodist Church citing their frustration with the church rules, which prevents them from holding their leadership positions in the church while practicing homosexuality.
However, religious leaders in Jamaica remain unfazed by the petition, and hold firm to their belief that persons who identify as homosexuals should not be allowed to gain or maintain leadership positions in the island’s churches.

Reverend George Murrain, superintendent minister of Providence Methodist Church in St Andrew, told THE STAR he is fully aware that there are homosexuals in Jamaica’s churches, but they will not be allowed to have leadership positions. “Our stance on it as Methodists in the Caribbean is that homosexuality is incompatible with biblical teachings, so, if a person openly says he or she is gay or lesbian, we will resist giving them a leadership position,” he said. “We have to celebrate the gifts of homosexuals because there are a number of homosexuals in the church who are gifted musically and otherwise, but where the leadership of the church is concerned, that’s where we tend to draw the line.”

SEXUALITY

In the event that there is a homosexual in a leadership position in the church, Reverend Murrain advises that they keep their sexuality under wraps. “Stick to the mandate which has been given by Christ. You baptize, you teach, but you do not convert persons to your way of thinking or your way of living. Don’t try to convert anybody to be gay and lesbian,” He said.

He explained that the issue of homosexuality is extremely troublesome for the church because there are those who contend that they were born gay, while others are adamant that it is a choice one takes to become gay. To reconcile this discrepancy, Reverend Murrain looks to the Bible. “We try to encourage them to see what we believe to be biblically sound, which is a healthy relationship between a man and a woman is what we want to advocate,” he said.

Echoing similar sentiments is Reverend Gary Harriott, general secretary of the Jamaica Council of Churches, who said the issue of having homosexual leaders is against the policy of all churches in Jamaica. “My personal view is that every human being is to be respected, no matter what. But I share the view of the Jamaica Council of Churches that God’s will is for sexuality to be experienced between males and females,” he said. “It would be difficult for persons in Jamaica to come out as a gay clergy member and expect to be acknowledged and get affirmation because it’s not just the church; the society in general does not accept the lifestyle.”


For persons within the clergy who are struggling with their sexuality and leadership role, Reverent Harriott suggests they move to a society which accepts their lifestyle, or simply become celibate. I was of the opinion that Harriot of all persons should know that the reference to 'lifestyle' is inappropriate when discussing sexual orientation but this latest episode suggests otherwise.

Previous posts indicated he was on his way to some enlightenment but has since regressed it seems.

also see:
The Jamaica Council of Churches on Homosexuality thus far 2013

Jamaica Council of Churches still not clear on the buggery law but resolute in opposing gay marriage 2013 

Transphobic & paranoiac nonsense from The Breath of Change ConnectPray radio show

Why can't we find some middle ground on this year after so many centuries and more hopefully enlightened thinking?

Peace & tolerance

H

Impossible to be gay & Christian?

Thought I hold this post until today in recognition of IDAHO. See my post here from sister blog GLBTQJA

Given that this blog of the GLBTQ Jamaica family was started out as Sunshine Cathedral Jamaica, SCJ inclusive of LGBT religious beliefs of the ‘mother church’ Metropolitan Community Church (MCC) matters and such, posts of which still are here; the matter of religion as divisive came up again on many fronts especially since the ‘Gays are welcomed’ Gleaner story recently and my subsequent entry on the article. In previous and now follow up discourse with a good friend of mine who recently said he converted to Christianity in a Pentecostal church and says he is filled with the Holy Ghost. He has been shedding his gayness on all fronts to include his impressive CD/DVD, dance music collection with some of the best gay circuit anthems and classic divas, hence our regular contact (DJ instinct), his porn collection, books and other stuff to supposedly begin life anew as a heterosexual man. He is bisexual (or was) as he also has a teenage son but is adamant that he is changed and does not want to pursue his urges for men and sex as the Bible says it is an abomination and that I and others should ‘change’

Although his conversion occurred some two and a half years now and we spoke numerous times since but it has been a little annoying that he always seek to include in the conversation at some point the questions as to when am I coming to church or giving my life over to the Lord; followed by the brimstone and fire outcomes if I do not and him having no intention of returning to gay life.

He was in agreement with the reparative tinged narrative of the ‘Gays are welcomed’ article which I found surprising; we discussed some of the tenets over a rather uncomfortable telephone conversation yet while he tried to get me to buy some more of the CD/DVD/books collection he was shedding. So I confronted him none the less as if he wanted me to ‘give my life to the Lord’ then why in the same breath try to get me to buy the very offending materials in his eyes that he is shedding in his purification journey? He claimed maybe in the future I might ‘change’ and that he was going to pray for me. I chuckled, I welcome the prayer if it is for blessings and long life but not for ‘change’ as he thinks and he said he was serious in his intent to go on a fasting cycle. I mentioned that reparative or restorative therapy has been proven to be misnomer and many persons who were forced to suppress their true feelings have come to the realization that it can cause more stress than good. He disagreed and said God can change anyone including him.

What explains individuals who know they love God, claim to or are secure in the knowledge that they are filled with the Holy Ghost yet are same sex attracted, gender non-binary, bisexual or transgender or even asexual? To which he answered that maybe those persons are confused or are led by the devil. He then concluded that it is impossible to be gay and Christian as God would not accept that; so what explains churches that knowingly instruct persons who they suspect to be gay and who are often on the choir, or the band to leadership for that matter but are effectively told if ever so subtly to stay in the closet or do not show any hints at all? The usual stumbling came prior to a delayed put together answer as happened before in other times when I asked similar worded questions to other Christians and such. My friend claims in words to the effect that maybe those churches are trying to allow persons to change in due time by not ostracizing them, a rather surprising answer since Pentecostals tend to feel their way in Christian life is the true one and others are off base. But the aforementioned ‘Gays are welcomed’ article suggests mostly sternly no such tolerance of persons even remotely displaying any signs or gayness (I assume effeminacy which is not a marker of male homosexuality as we now know) while also conflating same gender sex and abuse especially of boys, a misguided if not deceptive way to other gays so as to smear us as sick or depraved when paedophiles and gay adults are not the same.

2009 SCJ after church group discussion

Reverend Robert Griffin(left), gay cop prior to his departure from Jamaica and Reverend Nancy Anderson of MCC Miami in Jamaica after 2009 church service discussions 

As a former member of Sunshine Cathedral Jamaica, SCJ often referred to as the ‘gay church’ which was fully LGBT from the clergy to congregants I felt very comfortable during services. Outside of continuity of services in Kingston and Ocho Rios the outfit still meets in western Jamaica but it offered when in full operations a place for judgement free worship; no hetero-normative pre-requisites; between a worshiper and God with no condemnation, unlike what happens in most traditional places of worship involved in the Judaeo Christian religion. In a previous post some days ago I asked in response to antigay Dr Wayne West’s claim that he does not want to peep in our bedrooms, what did he mean by “We don’t want certain things on the streets. We don’t want them in our churches.” which seems to be conflict with the patronizing olive branch by the church groups.

Am I to understand that Dr West thinks outward displays of affection is going to simply cause persons to be homosexualized or is he blindly unaware of the fact of what can and has happened in some instances of such expressions in public. Or like some churches one can be gay or suspected to be so but remain a member so long as they keep it to themselves; no wonder he gladly embraced Queen Ifrica, after all her “Keep it to yuself” song promotes staying in the closet; he also pushing outcasting homosexuals simply due to their sexual orientation when the very master himself does not promote exclusion; lest we forget the alabaster box story and the washing of the feet of Jesus by a scorned prostitute, to which he rebuked those who expressed such disdain. So the church in West’s eyes must be pure of all sinners when the very church is supposed to be the place to win souls for the kingdom.

He who is without sin let him cast the first stone.

In my own journey I do believe that one can be homosexual and Christian; I do not believe that God is caught up in judging us harshly by mere sexual orientation; after all we are more than just who we have sex with or are attracted to. I ask every now and again I refer to the woman with the alabaster box story or the stoning incident where I just quoted above the line Jesus used in terms of who is more holy than others. The raising of homosexuality as the worse sin above all others then the twinning if not combining of atheism/secularism as expressed by some LGBT persons as a false dichotomy to some anti-Christian, anti God position are simply just that, false dichotomies.

Jesus himself never spoke to homosexuality in a discriminatory fashion barring where Jesus in a teaching on the rapture makes what appears to be a neutral non-discriminatory reference where it read (King James Version):

I tell you, in that night there shall be two men in one bed; the one shall be taken, and the other shall be left.

but more so on divorce and monogamous heterosexual unions (within a polygamous context) but the given the cultural context of sex denying Greek philosophy versus procreation supporting Judaism which existed through to the arrival and theologizing by Apostle Paul based on his observations in Corinth of all places; a highly sexualised city and trade post where he went aid in the early development of the church outside of Israel or to the Gentiles, we must not forget though that his letters to the early saints were just that, letters! Let us remember this is one man’s set of opinions in a specific place in a specific time in the early church/ministry’s development, I dare say if Paul had an inkling that his letters would be material for theologizing or as definitive gospel he would have been far more frugal in the handling, care if not destruction of said materials. So his Romans 20 position on homosexuality in my view is his opinion on what he saw in Corinth, obviously due to entrenched Jewish culture for centuries he would not have seen open same gender love and such to say that “God gave them up onto vile affections” gay men then to lust and desire seems to fly in the face of a god who is all embracing and compassionate and would not just leave persons solely on the basis of who they have sex with to the ‘sin’ and even suggest very early reparative intent as the only option. He continued that they (gays) “did change their natural use which is against nature” plus some forty other words are the only references in the New Testament on homosexuality also in my mind imply Paul’s own abhorrence to sexual practices and socialization foreign to him prior to his dual citizenship he took up in relocating to Rome and not a definitive authority as to the rules of sexuality by God.

One can argue that how we live with and among each other is another matter in terms of how we navigate sexuality and relations but if there are no templates to guide us as the main reliant material in the form of the collection as the Bible then how do we proceed; apart from prayer, supplication and meditation alongside just basic decency can be a guide. Since the implacable folks such as Dr Wayne West want to judge us by merely worrying about where gay men puts there dicks homosexuals will never get into a traditional church if we are to go by West’s thinking and that of others such as Reverend Clinton Chisholm in his latest letter/article on transgenderism which amounts to more theocratic mischief making.

Ray Boltz 

I remember when award winning, million selling gospel great Ray Boltz finally came out some years ago and decided to remain in his ministry how it was and to some extent is still ostracized so much so that reports that his songs were removed from radio playlists in the aftermath; he still does gospel but as a openly gay man fully cognizant of god’s love and is now embraced by gay Christians. I wonder what would happen to anyone of our local gospel acts (as some of them are as one feels very little or no spirituality in their music) or pastors came out, I can imagine the isolation from their own traditionalists. The continued and indeed unnecessary discussion surrounding atheism and secularism as well has only added insult to injury, feeding a false dichotomy of gay lobbyists being non-Christian or just stopping short of being blasphemers.

The ongoing debate if not controversy not directly LGBT related in West Hills Church Canada on an atheist minister and whether she should be defrocked is on and is being watched closely. That church coincidentally has been ordaining LGBT leaders for the past seven years and sees itself more the most liberal than others. The actual church building now has no typical church paraphernalia such as crucifixes, hymnals and so have been removed; the prayer time has been replaced with community sharing time and no mention of God are in the songs and other languages have been edited but so called symbolisms have been kept. The pastor has claimed she has evolved from the traditional definition and teachings on and of God or a theistic being. Instead of engagement with her and her flock from the protestant heads in Canada a major broadside has come her way with loud voices calling for her removal; in 2009 the pastor decided to remove the Lord’s prayer and replaced with the commitment and this has also see some serious vitriol coming her way yet the establishment if going by god’s principles should be truly tolerant. Two thirds of her flock has since left. Well at least the united church in Canada has been forced to confront real Christian principles of embracing and true tolerance.

If we’re to be guided by the main principle that god loves us all then for his sake can we move on without the need to divide and other persons.

Peace & tolerance

H