Haat en Christenskap?

Ek het vroeër berig dat Byna Liefde een van hierdie jaar se “pienk boeke” is vir die Pink Loerie Mardi Gras.

Wel, intussen het ’n groepie mense in die naam van die kerk ’n aanval geloods op die Mardi Gras. Hulle wou summier Christenskap gebruik om die fees stop te sit. Die groepie word na bewering gelei deur ene Errol Naidoo en ’n Pastoor Jerome Nel.

Hierop het Prof Pierre de Vos, van die UWK se regsfakulteit, ’n baie interessante antwoord geskryf. Ek haal slegs drie dele aan:

A campaign to stop gay men and lesbians from celebrating their hard-won freedom and their identity as fully respected members of our society is deeply reactionary and shows an intolerance reminiscent of that shown by the apartheid state to all black people in South Africa. (…) If Mr Naidoo and Nel feels offended by the celebration of diversity at the Pink Loerie Mardis Gras, they have every right not to be forced to attend this event. The rest of us, in turn, have every right not to attend their Church and not to donate money to their church in order to line the pockets of these gentlemen. This is what democracy and freedom is all about. (…) I was taught that Christ required us to turn the other cheek. True men of Christ would have done just that and would have respected the right of others to celebrate their freedom. Given the fact that the participants to the Pink Loerie Festival are not harming anyone, not stealing anyone's money, not forcing anyone to do anything against their will, there is no decent or reasonable justification for this campaign. The fact that these gentlemen are incapable of grasping this very obvious and fundamental fact, says much about their faith and the kind of God they think they are worshiping and really is no advertisement for their religion and the faith they profess to embrace. They should be ashamed of themselves.

Die organiseerders van die Mardi Gras, en die redaksie van GaySpeak, het nou ’n kampanje van stapel gestuur om die Mardi Gras se voortbestaan te verseker.

As julle meer wil weet, of wil deelneem aan die kampanje, stuur gerus ’n e-pos aan Juan Lerm; die adres is juandon@mweb.co.za.