Serial:

AC04-R07-01

PEP Argument Briefing Paper

Title:	Diocese in Special Position to Help Prevent Persecution

Applicable to:	Resolution 9: Anti-Violence & LGBT Individuals

Author:	Lionel E. Deimel

Date:	10/26/2004

Summary

This is not a “pro-gay” resolution, but one that seeks to prevent gays from being persecuted merely for who they are. Action on this resolution is consistent with 1998 Lambeth resolution I.10. This diocese may be in a special position to minimize persecution of gays because of our friendships with clergy in the Third World, where much of the persecution takes place.

Argument

· Care is needed in arguing for this resolution, as many deputies are likely to have a negative reaction to anything “favoring” homosexuals, irrespective of its actual intellectual content. It needs to be made clear that this resolution is about respecting the dignity of every human being. It is about protecting human rights, and it is neutral as to the moral value of sexual activity of any kind.

· The use of “LGBT” in the resolution may be a problem for some deputies, either because it is a code word used by gays or because they simply do not understand the term. It may, in fact, be best simply to speak of “gays.” (“LGBT people” does not fall trippingly from the tongue!) If necessary, definitions may be helpful: Lesbians are female homosexuals. (We do not suggest offering any explanation or definition for “homosexual.”) Gays are male homosexuals. Bisexuals experience themselves as both
homosexual and heterosexual, and may enter into sexual relationships with either men or women. Transgendered persons present themselves as members of the opposite sex or may have undergone sex-change operations. The term “LGBT” only begins to capture the variety of non-mainstream human sexual experience, and does not explicitly recognize, for example, people born with nonstandard sexual morphology or genetics. It is not likely the discussion will go in this direction, but it is important to know that, behavior aside, “male” and “female” do not exhaust the options for describing a person’s sex.

· This resolution was inspired by a book, Sex, Love and Homophobia by Vanessa Baird, with a foreword by Desmond Tutu, recently published by Amnesty International UK. In his foreword, Bishop Tutu recounts his answer to a student who asked him what his wish would be to reverse injustice. The bishop first mentioned debt forgiveness for developing nations. “The other,” he said, “is for the world to end the persecution of people because of their sexual orientation, which is every bit as unjust as that crime against humanity, apartheid.”

· We assume—correctly, we pray—that most deputies, even if they believe that God proscribes homosexual acts, do not believe that gays should be jailed, tortured, or executed for them. (The Holiness Code of Leviticus, however, does prescribe death for gay sex: “If a man lies with a male as with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination; they shall be put to death; their blood is upon them.” [Leviticus 20:13] One could ask why, if the prohibition is valid for Christians, the God-prescribed penalty is not. Other aspects of the Holiness Code, even those involving harsh penalties, are regularly ignored by everyone, however.)

· The often-cited 1998 Lambeth Resolution I.10, while calling homosexual practice “incompatible with Scripture,” nevertheless “calls on all our people to minister pastorally and sensitively to all irrespective of sexual orientation and to condemn irrational fear of homosexuals.” Condoning the jailing, torture, or execution of homosexuals would seem to be incompatible with this admonition. (As an aside, it should be said that conservatives tend to view I.10 as the definitive Anglican teaching on homosexuality. The Lambeth Commission on Communion took this teaching as a given, for example. Others mostly recognize no such definitive authority in the resolution.)

· The resolution is important, not simply to express the sentiment of the convention. The Diocese of Pittsburgh has made common cause relative to the theology of homosexuality with prominent Anglicans in places such as Nigeria and Uganda, countries where gays are subject to persecution. We could be accused of complicity in this persecution if we do not use our influence to encourage our Anglican brothers and sisters to oppose the homophobia that is an ingrained part of their cultures.

· In particular, Archbishop of Nigeria Peter Akinola, a strong supporter of those opposed to the consecration of Gene Robinson, was widely quoted as having said, on June 21, 2003, “I cannot think of how a man in his senses would be having a sexual relationship with another man. Even in the world of animals, dogs, cows, lions, we don’t hear of such things.” He has also said, “We argue that it is a blatant lie against almighty God that homosexuality is their God-given urge and inclination. For us, it is better seen as an acquired aberration.” Akinola has been repeatedly accused by the Guardian as having called homosexuals “lower than beasts,” though conservatives argue that he has been misquoted. In any case, the archbishop seems not to have taken to heart the Lambeth resolution’s instruction “to listen to the experience of homosexual persons.” He seems to be misinformed about the variety of sexual phenomena in the animal world, and the implication of the June 21, 2003, quotation surely is that he views homosexuals as beneath “dogs, cows, [and] lions.”

· Advancing this resolution is not an attempt to “embarrass our bishop,” as was suggested at one of the pre-convention hearings. On the other hand, the resolution provides an opportunity for our bishop to help his Third World episcopal friends avoid embarrassing themselves.

· It is surely uncomfortable that Uganda has a complex history of both homosexuality and Christianity and that the Archbishop of Uganda will attend our convention. It is unclear whether Archbishop Orombi is in need of Christian admonition regarding his attitude toward gays. He has not long been Archbishop, and we have no special reason to believe that he holds the sort of uncompromising attitudes regarding homosexuals as does, for example, Archbishop Akinola. Gays are surely persecuted in Uganda, however, and we would hope that he would be part of the solution and not part of the problem there. It would certainly be appropriate to ask Archbishop Orombi about what he is doing and has done to protect gays and to welcome them into the church in his country.

· The resolution should be read carefully, as it provides more background information than do most resolutions.

Supporting Information

From pages C10 and C11 of the materials provided to deputies to the 2004 Annual Convention:

PROPOSED RESOLUTION #9

Anti-Violence & LGBT Individuals

Whereas the majority of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender (LGBT) individuals live in the approximately eighty countries, mostly in the Global South, that persecute them through their penal codes with punishments ranging from imprisonment and mutilation to death; and

Whereas state-sponsored violence against LGBT persons so pervades these societies that Christians come under attack for being associated with institutions that offer support to LGBT persons; and

Whereas, for these millions of persons, preserving their life and liberty is their daily concern, and properly the concern of all Christian people; and

Whereas the 1998 Lambeth Resolution (I.10) on human sexuality commits Anglican bishops “to listen to the experience of homosexual persons” (c) and “while rejecting homosexual practice as incompatible with Scripture, calls on all our people to minister pastorally and sensitively to all irrespective of sexual orientation and to condemn irrational fear of homosexuals, violence within marriage and any trivialization and commercialization of sex” (d); and

Whereas the Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh has extended its support on numerous occasions to the people and churches throughout the world, but particularly in the countries noted above,

Therefore be it resolved that:

1) The Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh condemns any violence, hatred, or persecution shown towards LGBT persons;

2) The Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh calls upon Christians in the Global South to stand courageously against their cultures by opposing any violence, hatred, or persecution shown towards LGBT persons or persons who provide support to them; and

3) The Episcopal diocese of Pittsburgh particularly calls upon the Anglican primates of the Global South to embrace all elements of the 1998 Lambeth Resolution on human sexuality by speaking out against persecution of and violence towards LGBT persons; and

4) The Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh affirms its commitment to listen to the experiences of LGBT persons and to minister pastorally and sensitively to all persons irrespective of sexual orientation, and calls upon all parts of the Episcopal Church and the Anglican Communion do to likewise; and

5) The Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh culls upon the nations of the world to uphold the dignity and to protect the rights of all persons, and to reject those matters of law or custom that do otherwise,

Rationale

Having suffered persecution for many centuries, Christians should be particularly concerned to oppose persecution wherever it is found, whether of themselves or others. They should oppose persecution even when it is shown against those who live or worship in ways many Christians do not countenance. They must not allow any element of Christian faith or tradition to be perverted to a justification for showing violence or hatred towards anyone.

This is not always an easy world in which to be a Christian, It is also not an easy world in which to be lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender. Particularly in the Global South, the situations of people in either group, or in both, can be fraught with especial danger. Here is a partial list of countries and their maximum penalties for LGBT activity:

Bangladesh – Life in prison

Botswana – 10 years in prison

Ceylon – 10 years in prison

Jamaica – 10 years prison

Kenya – 14 years prison

Mozambique – 3 years hard labor

Nigeria – 14 years prison

North India – Life in prison

Pakistan – 100 lashes/death

South India – Life in prison

Sudan – death

Tanzania – 14 years in prison

Uganda – Life in prison

In some, but not all, of these countries – and in others not listed here – being a Christian or proselytizing for the Christian faith carries similar penalties. Also, even in countries whose constitutions offer full protection for human rights, LGBT people, and people of religious faith, are all too frequently subjected to the most violent forms of discrimination, including violations of the right to life.

When Christians anywhere speak in favor of tolerance for LGBT activities, Christians in these contexts can be subject to persecution – which is intolerable. However, when Christians speak out against LGBT activity, they exacerbate homophobic tendencies in state and society, often with murderous results. These are also intolerable. Those who, by conviction, believe LGBT activity to be contrary to the will of God therefore have a particular obligation to ensure that such convictions do not fuel violence or hatred towards LGBT persons. Likewise, those who, by conviction, believe LGBT activity to accord with the will of God have a particular obligation to ensure that such convictions do not fuel violence or hatred towards Christian persons in homophobic societies.

The spiral of violence and hatred towards LGBT persons – and to Christians in societies that persecute LGBT persons – readily escalates. Because people fear guilt by association, they try to demonstrate their position by ever-increasing homophobic comments and actions. In fear of their own lives, they can find themselves driven to extreme acts to demonstrate they that are not “tainted.” The murderous consequences of this to LGBT persons are obvious - and a present reality.

Unguarded remarks from some Global South bishops who have said LGBT people are “dogs” or “worse than beasts,” inflame an already explosive situation. In many places, homosexuals are seen as subhuman and killing them is seen as a purifying act. In some cultures, new popular songs encourage the murder of homosexuals. Parallels can be readily drawn with the persecutions shown to Christians in empires ranging from Rome to Hitler’s Germany or Mao’s China – and to LGBT persons in the latter two instances.

Historically, LGBT persons have been invisible victims, along with those with learning difficulties or mental illness and with the chronically-sick elderly, and have been amongst the first to be swept away in times when democracy is weak or totalitarian regimes hold sway. They have also been among the last to see persecution acknowledged and liberties restored.

LGBT people often hear from Christians that they are loved, and that it is only their sinful sexual practice that is at fault. It is up to Christians to show that love in a practical and positive way to stop their suffering.

By means of its continued and increasing support for the Global South, this diocese has an influence that could save many lives. For it to do otherwise is to make itself complicit in crimes against humanity.

Diocese in Special Position to Help Prevent Persecution

Summary

Argument

Supporting Information