Ukrainian people’s gay pride and sinful behaviour caused the Russian invasion into their country, says Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill. Taking to the pulpit Kirill told the people that spiritual danger justified his country’s invasion of Ukraine. Depicting the war in spiritual terms, he said, “We have entered into a struggle that has not a physical, Read more
At the same time as the Race Relations Commissioner is encouraging religious leaders to take a stand against hate speech, the head of the Anglican Church in New Zealand has spoken out about the stance taken against gay and lesbian clergy by Bishop Brian Tamaki, the leader of the Destiny Church. During a sermon last Read more
Legislation is being considered in the Cook Islands that could see sections removed from a 1969 Act that criminalise consensual sex between two men. The proposed Crimes Bill 2017 was presented after the Cook Islands Parliament established a committee to review public submissions about amending the Crimes Act. Some religious leaders are opposing the change. ”If Read more
Police will not be charging an Auckland pastor who said gay couples deserved a bullet in the head. A police spokesperson said on Thursday they had finished making inquiries into a video of Logan Robertson, pastor at Westcity Bible Church in Avondale, making “concerning comments” and would not be charging him with an offence. Continue reading Robertson Read more
United Nations new Secretary General Antonio Guterres’s appointment is not everyone’s choice. The ninth man to lead the UN in its 71-year history has drawn opposition from gay rights and women’s groups. Guterres will replace Ban Ki-moon when he retires at the end of December. The devout Catholic is against abortion, marriage equality and gay Read more
Tonga’s acting attorney general, ‘Aminiasi Kefu, believes there will be strong opposition to the calls from Tonga’s LGBTI community to revise the Criminal Offences Act. Tonga’s homosexual and transgender community will be calling on government leaders to revise legislation in order to protect LGBTI people. Tonga’s Leiti Association has planned a national consultation with government Read more
The recent arrest of two girls for allegedly being lesbians in Banda Aceh, capital of the predominantly Muslim province of Aceh, which has implemented Shariah law since 2001, violated human rights, church officials said. On Sept. 28, the local Shariah police known as Wilayatul Hisbah arrested the girls identified by age and initials as 18-year-old Read more
Vatican sources are denying that an American gay-rights activist group received special treatment at a papal general audience last week. The Associated Press and Reuters reported that New Ways Ministry received VIP treatment and were given tickets to be in the front row of the audience. The group said this contrasted with previous occasions when Read more
A group of United States gay and lesbian Catholics was given VIP treatment at a papal general audience in St Peter’s Square on February 18. Fifty members of New Ways Ministry, which ministers to homosexual Catholics and promotes gay rights, made a pilgrimage to Rome. Their requests for VIP seats at the weekly audience were Read more
Mainline churches had divided opinions on the issue of same-sex marriage at a forum in Dunedin on August 11. It had been a year this month since marriage law was amended in New Zealand to allow same-sex marriage. Fr Mark Chamberlain told the forum that Roman Catholics remain opposed to same-sex marriage. “In the Catholic Read more