Pride Protest

C.A.L.L.

(Catholic Action Life League)

Cape Town, South Africa

Making a stand for Truth

We love our homosexual brothers and sisters this is why we say "Change is Possible !"

Members of Prolife, C.A.L.L. and other lay people protested in silence and prayer

outside The Sacred Heart Church before and during the

Gay Pride "Dignity and Diversity" Interfaith Service

on the occasion of PRIDE week in Cape Town

"Dignity and Diversity" was an initiative of "In the Pink" - South Africa's only Gay and Lesbian Talkshow

Monday, 10th of December 2001, 20h00 - Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Somerset Road

Programme

Welcome: Dean Rowan Q. Smith

Song: I am what I am

Dignity and Diversity - a Christian view & prayer: Fr.Stefan Hippler

Instrumental

Koran & GLBT - a Moslem approach & prayer: Islamic Scholar Muhsin Hendricks

Instrumental

Compassion. a Buddhist approach & prayer: Mrs. Anne Norgarb

Instrumental

Diversity in life - a Hindu view & prayer: Guru Divar

Instrumental

Torah and the love of God -Jewish thoughts & prayer: Mr. Marc Feitelberg

Instrumental

The candle of Peace: Dean Rowan Q. Smith

Sending out and Blessings

The following is the text of Fr. Stefan Hippler's address:

(Note: words in italics are assumed (but may be incorrect) - our recording was indistinct in these places.)

In my Church you have a feeling that we have already put our gay brothers and lesbian sisters in a small box, far away, labeled "not suitable for Church Life". Most Christian Churches attack homosexual activities as a disorder. Only so long as one keeps quiet and decent there's mostly a sort of tolerance. They punish priests and bishops coming too close to the GLBTI [gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgendered and intersexual] community, or much more cruel, they often simply silence or kick out whoever feels it is called to be a gay person and a religious person and wants simply to live his or her life.

Fr.Stefan Hippler

And most of the judgement is based on the scriptures so many church leaders say. They mention the story of Sodom and letters from Paul to underline their opposition against homosexual activities. Interpretation of the Bible has changed in our days and even if most of the new knowledge is not acknowledged yet in our Churches still it's true. Biblical judgements against homosexuality are not relevant in today's (events), not because the Bible is irrelevant, not at all, but simply because the bible does not address the issues (of the modern) in our days.

A second place of judgement is problematic - in terms of sexuality generally. Sexuality is the language of love. Sexuality is the expression of friendship. Sexuality shows me as an entire person in body and spirit. Sexuality is simply so much more than an act in a marriage to produce kids.

Another place of judgement is the idea people have of gay men - the classical "queen" scenario and some aggressive attitudes demanding gay rights and at the same time threatening all good family values. I realised actually when the first protests were coming in against using a Catholic Church (for this event) last Friday, a lot of good Catholics (I'm sure also the people [protesting] outside) feel that everybody would come in drag messing up the Church.

I feel that it's good to see religion coming to the people here in this so called "Gay village." It is good to see representatives of faith celebrating dignity and diversity, and to acknowledge that there's no reason for any Church to condemn the GLBTI [gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgendered and intersexual] community simply because God loves you all.

And this unconditional love skips religious teaching which is so narrow minded by reducing relationships to biological acts and failing to acknowledge the depth of feeling and commitment. God's love skips religious teaching which declares the nature of gay and lesbians as immoral and sinful because where there is real love there is no sin. For me, sinful is only not to love your brothers and sisters. Sinful is not to acknowledge the struggle of gay and lesbian people for their human rights, and their rights within Churches and religions. Sinful is not to acknowledge the suffering of gay people and lesbian people - for me as a German especially the concentration camps of Nazi Germany.

Sinful is not to acknowledge the gifts of people everybody has been given in the light of God's loving creation. Sinful is to ignore modern scientific findings about homosexuality and ignorance about homophobia - unfair rejection still in our days.

And last but not least, sinful is not to apologise for the pain our Churches have caused in condemning the sexual identity which is not chosen but God-given.

God's love reaffirms that everybody in his or her diversity is a mirror of the Creator. And this is the source of your dignity in a Christian sense. Live this dignity with pride. Fill this dignity with commitment and love and spirituality and responsibility - commitment to your partners and friends, love to the people around you, spirituality as a source of finding a sense in your life, .... and responsibility in various fields like HIV-AIDS, human rights, equality. And in doing so you don't have to copy the so called "straight" world. Develop you very own way, and contribute so often to a gay and lesbian theology. Show your very own efforts and be an example that God did nothing wrong in creating you the way you are and you feel. Dignity and diversity.

And yes, it is strange for me as a Catholic priest to stand here in this context but I can say for myself "I do it with pride." God Bless you.