I’ve been watching some of the Channel 4 stuff this week about the 40th anniversary of the decriminalization of homosexuality in England. (In England, Channel 4 – only in England).
One of the questions which has repeatedly been raised in this programming strand is whether there is really any problem for people being gay these days. After all, gay people have protection in the law and the worst kinds of homophobia are gone now, aren’t they?
Then I get this letter today, from someone who looks back with some fondness upon the time when there would have been actual violence in the streets against gay people parading themselves about. It is in relation to the broadcast that we did from St Mary’s recently, and particularly my sermon.
My correspondent writes:
Sir,
Sunday AM Broadcast Radio 4 – 01.07.07
I am shocked to heave heard your broadcast comment, that in the list of gatherings where you stated that the Holy Spirit would be – you included a “gay parade”!
I believe your comments are a disgrace and again a subtle promotion of homosexuality as an alternative life style. Where is your regard for the Word of God in Holy Scriptures?
It is a pity you cannot join the Bishops of Carlisle and Liverpool in their courageous stand against the decadence and Hellenistic trends in society, which are bringing God’s judgement upon the earth! Are you spiritually blind that you cannot see what is happening, when we come to the fact that British Policemen actually guard men parading in London’s main thoroughfare in female underwear! Years ago they would have been lynched.
Unlike you, I would give the opinion that the Holy Spirit is absent from such homosexual rendezvous.
Yours in absolute disgust, …
Charming. Whatever happened to, at *worst*, `love your enemies’, let alone `and who is my neighbour?’?
Has anyone written a sermon/rant/book on the link from supposed to real orthodoxy and thence to orthopraxy yet?
Hmmmm…..policemen in underwear….the mind boggles.
Does he really mean policemen in women’s underwear?
Actually, my correspondent was a women.
In which case, it’s interesting that she seems to think that the Gay Pride march is all about men.
The letter is as fine an example of misunderstanding and prejudice as one can get. Have you tucked it away safe for the ‘not-listening process’, or did you tear it up with gay abandon?
I tucked it away, with gay abandon.
It’s absurd enough to be a joke – only it isn’t. It’s foul.
And a lynching too! How very Christian of her.
Yikes Kelvin, hardly a nice letter to come back to from holiday. It’s so twisted and angry isn’t it? Obviously not much common humanity let alone Christian consolation there. I hope you didn’t get too many letters like that.
And I agree with Chris, it is foul.
One can be Christian and forgiving. One can seek to see the troubled soul behind the rant. One can pray that this person becomes more open and receptive and sets aside the pain and suspicion from which she clearly suffers.
However, I’d just tell her to f*ck right off, saddo. That’s my idea of the Church Militant.
Sorry forgot to put my name and email in the last posting. It’s me.
Roddy