Thursday, June 26, 2008

Jerusalem Gay Pride Parade

The annual Jerusalem Gay Pride Parade was held today, to the consternation of 1,000 conservative Anglicans meeting elsewhere in the city. From Iain Baxter:
...I am marching in the Jerusalem pride march today because, as a Christian, I believe that Jesus came to set people free from legalism, that God loves us just as we are. Jesus said the greatest commandment was to "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and all your soul, and all your mind". And the second was like it: "Love your neighbour as yourself."

We are marching to claim the right to love; the right to be loved by our parents and families for who we are and to share our love for them; the right to love and care for our children and others who need our help; the right to love one another, and have that love acknowledged and regarded; and for those of us who are believers, the right to know and share God's love.

We are the lucky ones, we are free to march and live our lives. In many, many, countries around the world, including many in which Anglican church leaders are powerful politically, as well as religious leaders, such as Nigeria, Uganda and Kenya, people are still harassed, arrested, tortured and killed for their failure to love the right person; their failure to be a "real man" or "real woman". We are all real people, made in the image of God. That is why it is such a privilege for me to march in Jerusalem...
The Lead has links to more stories about this unusual sharing of venues.

J.

No comments:

Post a Comment