This is a sad example of just how far Christian wingnuts will take their campaign against gay people, and just how personally they administer it.  They always say they “hate the sin, but love the sinner,” which is, of course, one of their greatest lies, but they have no qualms doing everything they can to, for instance, make Bishop Gene Robinson’s life miserable:

CONCORD, N.H. — The first openly gay Episcopal bishop said Saturday that he will retire in 2013, due in part to the “constant strain” on him and his family from the worldwide backlash against his election seven years ago.

Bishop V. Gene Robinson, whose consecration convulsed the global Anglican fellowship, said he was announcing his retirement early so the transition would be smooth for the Diocese of New Hampshire. He assured congregants that he is healthy and sober after seeking treatment for alcoholism five years ago. He will be 65 when he steps down.

Robinson revealed his plans at the annual diocesan convention in Concord.

“The fact is, the last seven years have taken their toll on me, my family and you,” the bishop said, in prepared remarks released by the diocese. “Death threats, and the now-worldwide controversy surrounding your election of me as bishop have been a constant strain, not just on me, but on my beloved husband, Mark.”

He deserves a break. The work he’s done, just by being the pioneer, is beyond measure.

[h/t AfterElton]

Interested in attending an American Prayer Hour event? Want to organize an APH event in your town?

CLICK HERE

Media Contact: Wayne Bessen, American Prayer Hour Coordinator
Phone: 917-691-5118 E-Mail: wbesen@truthwinsout.org
Website: www.AmericanPrayerHour.org

Multi-City Prayer Hour Offers Alternative to the National Prayer Breakfast Whose Leaders Have Apparent Ties to Uganda’ Draconian Anti-Homosexuality Bill

What: On Tuesday, February 2, 2010 key religious leaders will hold a press conference to announce the formation of The American Prayer Hour, a multi-city event on Thursday, February 4, 2010, with key events in Washington, DC, Dallas, Chicago and Berkeley. The American Prayer Hour events will affirm inclusive values and call on all nations, including Uganda, to decriminalize the lives of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people. The American Prayer Hour provides an alternative to the National Prayer Breakfast, which is sponsored by The Family (aka The Fellowship), a group with disturbing ties to those spearheading Uganda’ oppressive Anti-Homosexuality Bill.

When: Tuesday, February 2, 2010 — 10:30 a.m. (EST)

Where: The National Press Club (Washington, DC) Murrow Room
529 14th St. NW, 13th Floor – Washington, DC 20045

Who: Bishop Gene Robinson, the first openly gay bishop in the Episcopal Church

Frank Schaeffer, author, “Crazy For God: How I Grew Up
As One of the Elect, Helped Found the Religious Right and Lived to Take
All of it Back.”

Harry Knox, The Human Rights Campaign, Director of Religion and Faith

Moses, A gay Ugandan man seeking asylum in The United States

Rev. Elder Darlene Garner, Metropolitan Community Church, Vice-Moderator, Board of Elders

Bishop Carlton Pearson, Senior Minister at Chicago, Illinois’ Christ Universal Temple

Background: Uganda is considering the Anti-Homosexuality Bill 2009, put forth by parliamentarian David Bahati and initially backed by President Yoweri Museveni. If passed, the new law would unleash a vicious campaign of persecution against LGBT citizens. Bahati and President Museveni are members of The Family and are among their “key men” in Africa. The Family hosts the annual National Prayer Breakfast in Washington. The American Prayer Hour will show that such cruelty and extremism does not represent most people of faith.

Sponsors:

National Black Justice Coalition

Religion and Faith Program
Human Rights Campaign Foundation

Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation

National Religious Leadership Roundtable
National Gay and Lesbian Task Force

Metropolitan Community Churches

Full Equality Now DC

PFLAG National

Truth Wins Out

…besides that they elected another gay Bishop. And when you get right down to it, probably they count this sin as even more unpardonable. From the New York Times…

Church Aids Expansion of Shelter for Gay Youths

Since 2002, when he opened the Ali Forney Center, which helps homeless gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender youth, Carl Siciliano says, he has often witnessed the baleful effects of some religious institutions on some young people. He said he had regularly heard stories about priests verbally or physically abusing youngsters who had come out to their parents, urging them to suppress their sexuality and telling parents to disown their children.

So when the Episcopal Community Services of Long Island contacted Mr. Siciliano about creating a shelter for homeless gay youths, he paused.

Not hard to understand why. But this time he was dealing with a Christian church that wants to act like a Christian church and not the right hand of God Almighty. There were no pray-away-the-gay strings attached. These Episcopalians genuinely wanted to support and give comfort to kids in need. And gay kids can be among the neediest. The Times article mentions a study by the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force and National Coalition for the Homeless that estimated that up to 40 percent of homeless kids in the Land Of The Free And The Home Of The Brave identify as either gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender.

The Episcopal donation provided for a new 16 bed shelter, and sadly even that is still not taking care of the problem as every night a list of 150 or so kids…children…go wanting for shelter. Contrast this, with the Catholic church in Washington D.C. threatening to stop feeding and sheltering the homeless…on the taxpayers dime no less…if they’re not allowed to discriminate against gay people. Timothy Kincaid over at Box Turtle Bulletin thumps his pulpit a good one on this odd difference in approach to Christian social justice…

“Then the King will say to those on his right, “Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

“Then the righteous will answer him, “Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

“The King will reply, “I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’

In Uganda the righteous would send them to the gallows. Thanks in no small measure to American culture warriors who wear their Christianity on their sleeves, but not in their hearts. Charles de Gaulle once famously said that patriotism is when love of your country comes first, while nationalism is when hatred of everyone else comes first. Not for nothing has the term Christian Nationalist or Christianist been gaining currency lately.

A document on Exodus International’s web site has, since 1996, rejected the notion that the world’s homosexual or LGBT people are entitled to human rights.

In a PDF file located on the Exodus site (backup copy here), Exodus affirms antigay Episcopalians’ failed heresy trial against Bishop Walter Righter for ordaining a noncelibate gay Christian man.

Regarding the human rights of homosexual persons, Exodus says (emphasis is ours):

The casting by Bishop Righter and his supporters of the trial as a trial of “justice” is inflammatory and disingenuous. They act as if their idea of justice was self-evident. In fact, their justice is clearly a reflection of a secular radical ideology that dilutes the category of basic human rights by applying rights language to interest and lifestyle groups.

Here’s an image copy of this text:

The footer of every page clearly indicates that the document is being hosted and automatically generated (or re-generated) by Exodus International. (Click the image for a full-size view.)

The document concludes:

This document was prepared and distributed in support of the Presenting Bishops by: Concerned Clergy and Laity in the
Episcopal Church, Post Office Box 36433, Grosse Pointe, Michigan 48236. More information on the purpose and work of
CCLEC may be had by calling 1-800-307-7609.

The document is dated February 1996.

For up to 13 years, it appears, Exodus has hosted this document which leaps far beyond the topic of Bishop Righter to reject the basic human rights of sexual minorities.

When I consider Exodus’ keynote role in the March 2009 conference which launched Uganda’s campaign for antigay genocide — and Exodus’ refusal to condemn the campaign until seven months later — I am not surprised by this finding.

Nor am I surprised, given this document, that antigay Anglicans who collaborated with the Righter document have likewise refused to condemn the Uganda campaign.

This weekend, Integrity USA expressed “grave concern” over the Uganda anti-gay death-penalty bill that is queued for approval by the Ugandan Parliament early in 2010.

Integrity said:

If passed, it will make the very important ministry of inclusion of the gay and lesbian baptized in the Anglican Communion something punishable by fines and imprisonment. Organizations that teach reconciliation and the inclusive love of God could be faced with a blanket ban to cease all operations, including our partnership with Bishop Christopher Senyonjo and Integrity Uganda.

The new bill would outlaw Integrity Uganda and would put clergy, physicians and relatives who support their gay and lesbian neighbors and family members at risk for severe fines and possible imprisonment. The proposed law may mean neighbors who do not inform on each other for supporting LGBT civil rights are subject to punishment. We have not seen such a draconian system of isolation and institutional rejection of a minority community in Uganda since the anti Jewish laws passed by the Third Reich.

Since about half of Uganda’s annual budget comes from foreign handouts, Integrity called upon U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to investigate the abuses of human rights and to re-evaluate the United States support of the Yowero Museveni regime.

Clinton has taken no action thus far, despite a prior appeal by four members of Congress.

Integrity added that the Anglican Communion may be complicit in Uganda’s human-rights crisis:

Dr. George Carey, the former Archbishop of Canterbury, was the architect of Lambeth 1:10–the resolution widely quoted in the Church of Uganda’ official response to this legislation last week; legislation which it largely supports. Canon Ogle wrote to Dr. Carey in 1998. Ogle predicted that the anti-homosexuality resolutions would be used by church and state alike to inflict violence and death against LGBT Anglicans. Eleven years later those predictions are coming true.

Integrity called upon all bishops to clarify the meaning and intent of Lambeth 1:10.

Southern California already had its hands full with an invasion of giant squid when another squishy invertebrate washed ashore. At the Episcopal Church’ conference in Anaheim, California, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, wrapped his amoral tentacles around a proposal to allow more gay bishops.

Williams kicked off the convention with a deplorable speech urging the American church to, once again, abandon their gay friends and family members. His sole mission was to hold together the worldwide Anglican Communion and appease conservatives, even at the expense of the denomination’ decency and dignity.

“I hope and pray there won’t be decisions in the coming days that will push us further apart,” sniveled the feckless Williams.

Williams should understand that a church that uses bigotry as the glue that binds is not worth saving. Furthermore, his obsession with church growth has led to the embrace of sordid tyrants like Nigerian Archbishop, Peter J. Akinola, who is associated with shady activities, if not outright atrocities in Africa.

Fortunately, the American bishops made history and voted 104-30, with 2 abstentions, in favor of the pro-gay measure. The homophobes, of course, offered a heaping helping of hysterics and histrionics. It seems they just can’t find spiritual fulfillment without stepping on the dreams and aspirations of other people.

“It is breaking my heart to see the church destroy itself,” whined Bishop William Love of Albany, clearly betraying his family name.

Don’t you just adore how these divisive souls carelessly wield the wrecking ball yet always accuse other people of division and destruction? Without gay people to kick around, these troglodytes might have nothing better to do than focus on God. What fun would that be?

Now that the Episcopal Church has made a bold decision, one wonders if it can survive. The denomination of two million members decreased six percent between 2003-2007 and the recession has affected its finances.

It seems they are banking on the radical idea that a church can expand by promoting “inclusivity.” I hope that they are proven correct, but I have my doubts. It is no secret that the fastest growing churches have branded themselves as bastions of intellectual stagnation and social intolerance. The slogan for such places might read: “America may have changed, but you don’t have to.” (Read More)