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Loading ...Russian Orthodox Church embraces gays
12.23.2009 8:28am EST
The head of the Russian Orthodox Church says that, although the church views homosexuality as a sin, homosexuality is a personal choice.
Patriarch Kirill says gays and lesbians must not be persecuted or discriminated against in any way, though the church still opposes same-sex marriages.The patriarch’s statements, a breakthrough for the Russian church, were made during a meeting Wednesday with visiting Council of Europe Secretary General Thorbjorn Jagland.
Opposition to gay rights remains widespread in Russia, where homosexuality was decriminalized only in 1993.
Several high-profile Russian politicians have spoken against gay rights. Moscow Mayor Yuri Luzhkov has described homosexuality as “satanic” and blamed homosexuals for spreading AIDS.
Given that the Russian Orthodox Church regards homosexuality as a choice and a sin– and that they oppose marriage equality– Patriarch Kirill is lying when he makes statements that he is opposed to persecution and discrimination against LGBT people. The fact is that by denying the best scientific and psychological information on LGBT people and opposing equality, this man is advocating both persecution and discrimination.
The headline is inaccurate. The Russian Orthodox Church is NOT Embracing LGBT people!
“Patriarch Kirill says gays and lesbians must not be persecuted or discriminated against in any way, though the church still opposes same-sex marriages. ”
How much clearer can it be, Wayne?
If this isn’t good news, I don’t know what is – short of him offering to blow you in Red Square at high noon.
But will the Russian Orthodox Church serve me communion it I am sexual active?
Will the Russian Orthodox Church serve me communion if I am in a committed relationship or not?
I recommend reading this article: http://en.rian.ru/russia/20091223/157334493.html
Kirill seems to be sending a message of anti-discrimination, albeit with an ignorance of what it means to be gay. He doesn’t advocate kicking/keeping gays out of the ROC, but still thinks gay relationships are sinful.
My interpretation is that this may lead to looking at gays as a lower class instead of enemies. It’s a small step up, but will it have an effect?
They still have it wrong. How can an institution say that they accept non-discrimination laws but deny the idea of being LGBT? That’s like if an institution said that they support braille on public amenities but still believe that blind people are faking it.
Why do we care what is said by a group which believes in bronze age mythology about a sky deity who sends his son, who is really himself on a suicide mission so he doesn’t have to send everyone on earth into eternal burning torment? Talking snakes with feet? Guys living inside of giant fishes? It’s like some sort of really badly written and edited science fiction novel. And yet we listen to what they have to say about us? Why? I don’t give a rat’s ass what they think. The sooner they drift into the debris of history, the better off we will all be.
pauliji said why do we care what is said by a group which believes ina bronze age mythology about a sky deity…? Simply put, because so many people believe that myth and embrace it. When the head of one of those religions say something positive, it makes it easier on all of us, because most people who believe, ALSO believe that the head of the religion has a direct line to God. Are you so strong that you can’t understand how much that can change things for us?
LOL. It might as well read “Patriarch Kirill condemns gays in the only way still socially acceptable.”
Funny how Kirill says “gays and lesbians must not be persecuted or discriminated against in any way” while also saying “the church still opposes same-sex marriages” in the same sentence since the latter statement is encouraging discrimination.
It’s also too bad they still haven’t gotten it through their heads that it is *not* a personal choice. There isn’t going to be much progress until people recognize that sexual orientation is not a mutable trait.
Yay
The patriarch only said it to placate visiting Council of Europe Secretary General Thorbjorn Jagland. Until the Russian Orthodox Church starts to follow his word, GLBT people shouldn’t take his opinion at face value.
Human progress has always consisted of two steps forward and one step back. If history teaches us anything, it teaches us that.
Be grateful for the two steps forward – and accept that there will be a step backwards somewhere in the mix.
If you do not accept that fact, you will have a miserable existence – never being able to accept the good while continuing to reform the bad.
“gays and lesbians must not be persecuted or discriminated against in any way, though the church still opposes same-sex marriages.”
Translation: The church will continue to discriminate against gays and lesbians, by denying them rites that are freely given to everyone else. But, gays and lesbians are welcome to sit in the pews and give money.
I wouldn’t call that an embrace. I think it is more likely that the Orthodox Church just needs money.
What do you think would happen if all gay and lesbian musicians, decorators, florists, and clergy just did not show up on Sunday? In most churches, they couldn’t put on the show.
Maybe we should call a “Gay Strike”. All gays and lesbians should refuse to go to Church on Sunday, until each church changes it’s hateful policies.
Steve, that’s a good idea, but in more oppressive areas of the world, where people are in the closet, it would be totally ineffective.
Pauliji: I totally agree with you. Screw religion, sue the state on Constitutional grounds and get your rights. If other minorities can do it, so can we.