THEGAYUK

Tag: Religion

The latest religious news affecting the LGBT community in the UK and internationally.

  • The perfect comeback for that “gay is sin” convo with religious types

    The perfect comeback for that “gay is sin” convo with religious types

    We’ve all heard it, religious people getting all righteous calling out sin (as they see it) left, right and centre and some, just can’t get enough of the gay sex issue. Some were even prepared to derail an entire election campaign because of the issue (yeah, we’re looking at you, Tim Farron). Some religious people seem to be thinking about it even more that we do, and that’s saying something.

    On Quora a conversation arose about what the perfect comeback for a conversation where a religious person, takes it upon themselves to get all up in your gay sex business.

    Some of the replies were pretty classic and we have to agree with them.

    Just fulfiling the lord’s work

    (C) BIGSTOCK

    Our favourite was “quote a bible verse back to them” a suggestion from Scott Johnson.

    He continued, “He who loves his fellow man has fulfilled the law.” Romans 13:8“

    Then there’s “ALL the commandments are summed up in this one rule, ‘love your neighbour as yourself.’ Love does no harm to its neighbour (your judgement is hurtful). Therefore love is the fulfilment of the law.” Romans 13:9-10

    And then there’s always…

    “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonour others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.” 1 Corinthians 13:4-8″

    Pow… take that religious hater.

    Cherry pickers

    red cherries on stainless steel bowl
    Photo by Wendy van Zyl on Pexels.com

    And then there’s those who “cherrypick” their argument that gay sex is a sin, whilst having the audacity to stand in front of you wearing Polycester. Eurrrgh.

    Carole Grimley, said, “Way to cherrypick the Bible.”

    “There are plenty of sins in the Bible that we all commit unthinkingly; polyester/cotton blends in clothing are strictly forbidden.

    “So are family gardens as you can’t plant more than one type of crop in a field. So everyone sins.

    She added, “the Bible says a woman must marry her rapist. There is a lot of irrelevant crap in the Bible. Jesus never spoke about homosexuality and he was very tolerant and accepting of everyone. He said, “Pull the board out of your own eye before you criticize the speck in someone else’s.”

    Oh and this little gem “So is shaving”. Yep there’s a whole section in Leviticus about shaving your body, your head and even cutting your body – so that’s piercings out the window.

    Bam – take that bigot.

    You and who’s army?

    “Invariably, they will cite the Bible or God” says Doug Dingus, and when they do that, reply, “somebody says God says…

    “If they say God, “who are you to speak for God? God doesn’t need you doing that and neither does anybody else.”

    “Work this a few times, then it’s fun from there. “You know, God spoke to me personally and God is good with it, no worries, mind your own business.”

    Shuushhhh now, haterz

    Smart cracks

    And then, something that made us smile was Scott Jemison‘s suggestion which was

    “If i wanted to hear from an asshole, i would have farted”

  • A woman in the US is suing gay people for being gay

    A woman in the US is suing gay people for being gay

    A 66-year-old Christian woman in Nebraska, US, is planning on taking all gay people to court to try and determine whether homosexuality is a sin.

    Time.com is reporting that Sylvia Driskell, 66, who describes herself as an ambassador of “God, And His, Son Jesus Christ [sic]” is embarking on a legal challenge called “Driskell v. Homosexuals“, oh and she’s using just the bible and the Webster’s Dictionary as her only information source.

    In her seven page petition to the court she writes,

    “I never thought that I would see a day in which our great nation or our own great state of Nebraska would become so compliant to the complicity of some people[’s] lewd behavior,”

    She also states, “that homosexuality is a sin and that they the homosexuals know it is a sin to live a life of homosexuality. Why else would they have been hiding in the closet.”

    According to the report Driskell will be serving as her own legal counsel.

    Yep. 2020 people. 2020.

  • Gay marriage linked to COVID-19, according to religious leader, Pat Robertson

    Gay marriage linked to COVID-19, according to religious leader, Pat Robertson

    Pat Robertson has doubled down on his anti-gay teachings by linking the current coronavirus pandemic with gay marriage and abortion.

    When asked whether the world could ever be forgiven for its “sins” like abortion and gay marriage Robertson was keen to stress that we won’t be forgiven because mankind has broken its covenant with God. Actually we’ve apparently “violated his covenant”.

    Because… of course he did.

    Using his TV platform, “The 700 Club” Pat was joined by his co-host, Terry Meeuwsen who read out a viewer’s question: “Pat, last week you were talking about COVID-19. You quoted Chronicles 7:14. How can God heal our land and forgive the sins when abortion and same-sex marriage are laws and many people are anti-Israel. Doesn’t this prevent his healing and forgiveness?”

    To which Robertson replied,

    “You know, I think you put your finger on something very important. You know the Bible says — they turn from their wicked ways. They didn’t get forgiven. They will turn from their wicked ways. And part of what we’ve done is turn.

    “We are not turning when we have done terrible things. We have broken the covenant that God made with mankind.

    “We have violated his covenant. We have taken the life of the innocent, slaughtered them by the tens of millions. Children made in the image of God. And we have abused the poor.

    I mean, we’ve allowed this terrible plague to spread throughout our society. And it’s a small wonder God would hold us guilty. But the answer is, you know, you confess your sins and forsake them. Then he heals the land. It’s not before. You are right”.

    In 2013 Robertson was nominated as Bigot Of The Year by the LGBT+ charity Stonewall.

    H/t Media Matters

  • Church Of England says sex is only for married, straight people

    Church Of England says sex is only for married, straight people

    (C) BIGSTOCK

    The UK’s biggest religious institution, the Church of England, has proclaimed that sex is only for married, straight people and has called for gay people to abstain from having sexual relations.

    The guidance from the Church also calls for gay people to be abstinent with their partners. In its guidance, the CoE wrote, “For Christians, marriage – that is, the lifelong union between a man and a woman, contracted with the making of vows – remains the proper context for sexual activity.”

    The church said it sought to “uphold that standard”.

    The Church’s guidance of a “lifelong union between a man and a woman” does seem to be at odds with the current legal situation in the United Kingdom, where marriage is considered a legal union between two consenting adults of any biological sex.

    “falling short of God’s purpose for human beings”

    Speaking about the introduction of the same-sex marriage act 2013, the guidance explained, “The introduction of same-sex marriage, through the Marriage (Same-Sex Couples) Act 2013, has not changed the church’s teaching on marriage or same-sex relationships.”

    It also said that people having sex outside heterosexual marriage were “falling short of God’s purpose for human beings.”

    The remarks, which were reported by the Guardian, have caused many LGBT people and their allies to pour their outrage onto Twitter.

    https://twitter.com/WFKARS/status/1220367880619024384

  • Parents are permanently banned from protesting LGBT+ lessons outside schools

    Parents are permanently banned from protesting LGBT+ lessons outside schools

    Parents are no longer permitted to protest outside of primary schools over the teaching of subjects such as LGBT+ equality.

    A judge has ruled that parents, mainly from an Islamic background, but included members from other religious backgrounds, will not be able to protest outside a school in Birmingham.

    Parents were angered by the No Outsider lessons which said went against their religious beliefs. This led to reports that hundreds of pupils had been removed from the school by their parents. Parents have also claimed that the No Outsider lessons are not “age-appropriate”.

    Anderton Park School and Parkfield Primary School in Birmingham became the focal points for protesters earlier this year after the schools started to deliver lessons to students, which covered LGBT+ families and gender expressions.

    An injunction against the protesters was created back in June – and Birmingham City Council “sought a court order to further protect the school and extend the ban, which has now been granted by High Court judge Mr Justice Warby” according to Sky News.

    Birmingham City Council claimed that the noisy protesters were disrupting lessons and causing stress to students and staff at the school alike. According to sources, 21 staff members were treated for stress relating to the protests.

    The judge ruled that the injunction did not “amount to unlawful discrimination against the protesters” adding, that the protesters had misunderstood and misrepresented that is being taught at the school”

    Founder of the Birmingham South Asians LGBT group, Khakan Qureshi told THEGAYUK,

    “I’m absolutely elated though we do need clarity on several points raised. This includes how to identify people who take part in protests and how to bring them to justice and having tighter regulations in having the power to arrest. 

    “Bear in mind, it wasn’t the content of the lessons which were contested but the nature of the protests. They were anti-social, caused a nuisance, disrupted the teachings of young children and caused potentially psychological harm. 

    “On a practical level, the protestors obstructed the highway and disturbed residents in the neighbourhood. 

    “It’s a really good day for teachers, pupils, the education system, councils and the LGBT+ community when common sense prevails”

  • More and more young people think that being LGBT+ is “immoral”

    More and more young people think that being LGBT+ is “immoral”

    (C) BIGSTOCK

    If you think that future generations of people might be the answer to the inequalities faced by the LGBT+ community, statistics from Galop‘s latest research is sober reading.

    According to Galop, the UK’s leading charity against violence towards lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people, found that 1 in four people aged 18-24 said that being LGBT+ was “immoral or against their beliefs”.

    That statistic becomes more concerning when you consider that, 41 per cent of the age group said that they strongly agreed (12%), agreed (16%) or were ambivalent (13%) with the idea gay or trans went against their beliefs or that being LGBT+ was in some way immoral.

    Just over half of the respondents aged 18 to 24, said that they disagreed with the statement “Being LGBT+ is immoral or against my beliefs”.

    What about the next age group up?

    Valencia
    CREDIT: TheGayUK

    The age group 25 to 35 didn’t fair much better with 40 per cent saying that strongly agreed (9%), agreed (12%) or were ambivalent (19%) with the idea that being LGBT+ was against their belief.

    This is in stark contrast to the widely quoted statistic from a YouGov survey that found 49 per cent of 18 to 24 year olds, when asked to plot their sexuality on a scale said that they were not 100 per cent heterosexual.

    Nik Noone, Galop’s Chief Executive said, Recorded anti-LGBT+ hate crime has doubled in the last three years. This is reflected in the escalating scale, severity and complexity of hate crime cases we are supporting at Galop. 

    Our ambition is that this report gives insight into the scale of prejudice still faced by our community. More importantly, we hope its findings and recommendations will act as a springboard for action. 

  • One in 10 people in the UK think that gay people can be cured

    One in 10 people in the UK think that gay people can be cured

    jossuetrejo_oficial / Pixabay

    Startling findings reveal that 10 per cent of the UK’s population think that gay cures could work on LGBT+ people.

    Despite many people understanding that LGBT+ are born that way, around 1 in 10 people in the UK, still think that homosexuality or being transgender can be cured according to findings recorded by Galop, the UK’s largest anti-violence charity for LGBT+ people.

    This is coupled with the horrifying revelation that around 20 per cent of people (one in five) said that being LGBT+ was immoral or went against their beliefs.

    The findings were analysed from a representative sample of just over 1,600 people.

    Does conversion therapy actually work?

    There are a number of therapists and organisations in the UK and in the USA that make the claim that conversion therapy can help LGB people to become heterosexual. However, according to the Royal College of Psychiatrists, there is no evidence that such change is possible.

    Does gay conversion therapy actually work?

    Nick Antjoule, Galop’s Head of Hate Crime Services said, At Galop we’ve seen a stark increase in the severity and scale of anti-LGBT violence and abuse over the past few years. This appears to be a symptom of emergent anti-LGBT attitudes and social division across society. The fact that anti-LGBT hate crime figures are rising so much faster than race, faith and disability hate crime should be a wake-up call for policy makers. We urge action now to address this problem before it escalates further. 
     
    Our research shows the journey toward LGBT+ equality is far from over. Despite most people in this UK poll voicing support for LGBT+ people; a significant proportion still think we are dangerous, immoral or that we can be ‘cured’. 

    Younger people hold more negative views about LGBT+ people rather than the older generation.

    Antijoule continued, “It offers a sobering reminder that progress achieved in recent decades can easily be reversed.

    “Young people polled tended to hold more negative views toward LGBT+ people than other age groups. This alarming finding warns of a generational pivot ahead and a bumpy road for those of us committed to challenging anti-LGBT violence and abuse. 

  • Actor Seyi Omooba to sue theatre and agency after “homophobic” facebook post backlash

    Actor Seyi Omooba to sue theatre and agency after “homophobic” facebook post backlash

    The actor who was dropped from a production of The Color Purple after the discovery of a Facebook post, in which she said she didn’t think homosexuality was correct, is suing the theatre company and her agency.

    Seyi Omooba was dumped from the production of The Color Purple after a Facebook post from 2014 in which she said that she did “not believe homosexuality is right” and that she didn’t people were born gay.

    The Facebook post from 2014, went viral earlier this year when actor Aaron Lee shared a screenshot on Twitter saying Omooba owed an explanation to the gay community for her words.

    She refused to appologise for the post, in which she wrote, that she does not believe people “can be born gay”.

    She added, “I do not believe homosexuality is right, though the law of this land has made it legal doesn’t mean its [sic] right.”

    At the time, Curve and Birmingham Hippodrome released a statement saying that Omooba “will no longer be involved with the production” after admitting that the post had “caused significant and widely expressed concerns”.

    The actor is now suing the Curve Theatre in Leicester and her agency Global Artists saying that her career is in ruins after the backlash against her.

    Christian Concern released a video saying that Seyi had in a “cruel turn of events… found herself in uncharted waters”

    https://twitter.com/CConcern/status/1178214667992420353

    “Because of the backlash from her Facebook post, she was sacked and has been unable to find work.”

  • ‘Jesus Lover’: Gay sex causes “significant bodily pain and torture”

    ‘Jesus Lover’: Gay sex causes “significant bodily pain and torture”

    The internet came. It came hard.

    A Twitter user, who describes herself as Jesus loving and a having a BA in English and Bible decided to show her enormous bigotry and lack of understanding by posting a tweet in which she said gay sex caused “significant bodily pain and torture”.

    In the tweet, which has been commented on over 600 times, Lisa Bedrick wrote,

    “Homosexuality is not loving, it’s one person causing another person significant bodily pain and torture.

    “A male penis was Never meant to be inserted into the anus, and it leads to tons of health issues if or when it is.

    “Don’t be gay”

    https://twitter.com/angel28kc/status/1176761844360503297

    Well it took no time for Twitter react and it had one basic message for Lisa.

    “You’re doing it wrong”

    At time of publishing the tweet has been commented on over 650 times and retweeted just 20, meaning that Lisa has been severley ratio’d on the platform.

    Many of those who responded to Ms Bedrick told her that she had “no idea” what she was on about, while others criticised her for her homophobic tweet.

    One user told her, “The opening line of your bio tell me that ever word that tumbles out of your deluded mouth, powered by a closed and indoctrinated mind needs to be treated with the contempt it deserves.”

    Another added simply, “My prostate disagrees.”

    Another asked, “Love between a man and a woman results in childbirth which causes serious discomfort and sometimes death what’s your answer for that?”

    https://twitter.com/mckmg1/status/1176777321904295938

    Oh Lisa… if it hurts too much, use more lube.

  • This Church went viral after raising the Rainbow Flag for Cornwall Pride

    This Church went viral after raising the Rainbow Flag for Cornwall Pride

    A Church in Cornwall, UK has become an internet sensation after it raised the iconic rainbow flag for Cornwall Pride, this weekend.

    St Michael’s Church in Newquay, Cornwall has become an unexpectant internet hit after it raised a rainbow flag in time for Cornwall Pride this past weekend. The video has been viewed over 13,000 times and received plenty of positive comments.

     

    ABOVE: The historic moment St Michael’s Church raised the Rainbow Flag.

    The Pride’s Chairperson, Matthew Kenworthy-Gomes, noted how times and attitudes towards the LGBT+ community had changed, saying, “12 years ago 10 Christian’s with placards PROTESTED the first-ever Cornwall Pride in Truro! Turning their backs to the Cornwall Parade!”

    Now it looks as though the church is embracing diversity, tolerance and inclusivity, by raising the flag.

    Some of the Church’s followers weren’t happy with the decision to raise the flag, with one person writing, “No longer a Christian Church. The Bible tells us to repent from all sin. Not promote it”, while another added, “Obviously he’s not a Christian. No need to add anything more.”

    However, the majority of comments were entirely positive with many praising and thanking the church for its support.

    On their own Facebook page, the Anglican church noted, that they had a “fantastic afternoon, celebrating pride”.

    Just one of many firsts in the UK

    Earlier this year, Cornwall became the first place in the UK to hold a pride in a school. During the Come Out For Cornwall Pride bus tour, which stopped in 18 towns across Cornwall, the entire pride team decamped at the Helston High School – where hundreds of pupils joined in pride celebrations and waving the UK’s biggest Rainbow Flag.

    Cornwall’s Only Pride

    (C) THEGAYUK

    Cornwall Pride is the only pride event in the region which is home to over 500,000 residents. The yearly celebration is held in the seaside town of Newquay over looking the beach and sea, after it was moved from Truro a few years ago. This year it celebrated its 11th year with record numbers enjoying the entertainment in Killacourt and thousands taking part and viewing the parade which marched through the town’s centre.

  • Jonathan Harvey had the perfect clap back for “gay sin” bigot

    Jonathan Harvey had the perfect clap back for “gay sin” bigot

    When one the world’s most famous gay authors makes a clap back against religious bigotry towards gay people – he does it well.

     

    Beautiful Thing writer, Jonathan Harvey had a few words for a person on Twitter who claimed that giving into sin, and in particular being gay, could “ruin” us if we let that sin “rule” us.

    In the Tweet, Lisa Bedrick, who describes herself as having a BA in English and a “minor in Bible” wrote, “Maybe gay people are born gay. We are All born with an inclination toward some sin, but we can either have self control over that sin or we can let it rule us and ruin our lives”.

    https://twitter.com/angel28kc/status/1159958159689166848

    The Tweet has gone viral with over 7,000 responses to it.

    Gimme Gimme Gimme creator Jonathan Harvey wasn’t having any of it and clapped back, “Jesus would be ashamed of you dear. Your humble braggery about your perfection is a fuckin sin dear. Pipe down.

    He then tweeted Lisa directly, adding, “I’m a bit worried about your claim that Jesus loves you. I’m not sure he will if you spread incorrect information like homosexuality is caused by child abuse. He’ll see that as bearing false witness and the bible considers that a no-no.”

    However, Jonathan wasn’t the only celeb to get involved, Lord Michael Cashman wrote, “Take your opinion about other peoples lives wrap it in tinfoil and place it in the fridge of your god and if you really are a true believer allow them to decide.

    “You commit the ultimate blasphemy by sitting in the place of your god and telling and judging others. Move along”.

    While Drag superstar Lady Bunny, wrote, “Maybe some straight people are born straight. Even though they’re born with an inclination to yell at sports games with hot dogs on their breath while wearing fanny packs & Uggs, gays pray that they’ll exercise fashion self control b4 they ruin the world!”

    “Is homosexuality caused by a fear of having children?”

    Inexplicably, Ms Bedrick followed the tweets a few other questions and comments which were beyond EXTRA.

    One read, “This might make some of you mad but I think this is a valid question. Is homosexuality caused by a fear of having children?”

    In another, she said that she thought that homosexuality was caused by sexual abuse, saying “Regarding homosexuality, my heart goes out to those who are because I could have been there. I think it is caused by being sexually abused, and I was. But All things are possible with God. You might not like the opposite sex due to fear from sexual abuse, but you can overcome. ;)”

    Jonathan had a response to this doozy of Tweet, saying “The only thing I’ve ever been abused by is your humongous ego, y dozy melt. Yours, a gay.”