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In Trinidad and Tobago, youth and faith join hands to fight homophobia
Trinidad and Tobago hardly seems a likely battleground for America's culture wars. But recent months have seen a drama there involving visits by American pastors with an anti-gay agenda, a response by locally based rights groups, and engagement of international organizations, especially UNAIDS, which coordinates international responses to HIV/AIDS. At a United Nations training session in Turin, Italy, last month, the Trinidad and Tobago story was presented as a case study of challenges and tentative success. In this case, an intelligent response seems to have cooled what threatened to be a nasty confrontation.
The story begins with announcements of a planned visit by American pastors sent by His Way Out Ministries (HWO), a group based in Bakersfield, Calif. and Guyana. As reported in a Trinidad and Tobago newspaper, the visit's purpose was pretty clear: "Local Christian groups, under the umbrellas of The Hospital Christian Fellowship, Lawyers for Jesus and the Emmanuel Community, have declared war on the issue of same-sex attractions. In what they describe as the first phase of the war to be fought, through media sensitization, the groups have invited to Trinidad and Tobago, Pastor Phillip Lee of the United States for a series of talks on the issue." HWO and other groups are seen to be targeting Caribbean countries because homophobia is very much present and relationships between churches and governments are often close.
Meanwhile, a local group, CAISO (The Coalition Advocating for Inclusion of Sexual Orientation), had opened a dialogue with faith groups about inclusion and acceptance of diversity. CAISO and the community working to combat HIV/AIDS were especially concerned by HWO's plans to target young people with an anti-gay agenda. CAISO feared that its positive messages and outreach, which were garnering a positive response, could be spoiled, and anti-gay sentiment could be fueled. CAISO was aware of the devastating impact U.S. evangelical groups had in Uganda, where a legislator proposed an anti-gay bill imposing the death penalty for some forms of gay sex.
What was the best tactic to pursue? Trying to prevent the HWO visit seemed unwise and probably futile. Instead, CAISO alerted public health, HIV, and youth welfare officials to their concerns about the likely damage the visit could do to sexuality education and the effort to combat stigma and discrimination. They challenged leaders to stand up. However, Trinidadian faith leaders were reluctant at first to enter into what promised to be a nasty and contentious fray. Their worries were fueled by earlier faith-linked public debates where positions advocating openness and inclusion (for example on gender rights) had been linked to spiritual doom and the invasion of foreign values.
In Trinidad and Tobago, the National AIDS Coordinating Committee has a good relationship with faith-based groups, and interreligious organizations have been part of a seven-year effort to build alliances. As part of the effort, Canon Gideon Byamugisha, an Anglican priest with AIDS, has visited the country. Their longer term goal is to reframe the national conversation on sexual culture to one that embraces sexual rights and autonomy and considers sexuality as a part of personhood. Despite initial doubts, the alliance, including faith-linked partners, came together to support a proactive response to the HWO visit.
So when the HWO pastors arrived (in October), young people associated with CAISO themselves financed youth participation at two HWO activities. They almost outnumbered the supporters at one event. In radio and television interviews, CAISO spread the message that these young people were engaged in public advocacy, demonstrating commitment to a cause bigger than individual self-interest. It contrasted action by young people to protect each other's rights from violation, to those of adults who were declaring war on vulnerable young people. In short, the threat of the HWO visit helped to motivate a new level of advocacy--from NGOs, the youth who took leadership on the issue of sexuality, and U.N. agencies.
There is a heartening message here about how far the dialogue about faith and HIV/AIDS has traveled. What was clear from this case was that a wide spectrum of faith-linked organizations now understand the reality of the HIV/AIDS epidemic and value their partnership in the national AIDS response. This year World AIDS day on December 1 also seemed to reflect a more thoughtful debate about how faith and AIDS are and are not linked. The lowering of the temperature is heartily welcome.
Katherine Marshall is a senior fellow at Georgetown University's Berkley Center for Religion, Peace and World Affairs, a Visiting Professor, and Executive Director of the World Faiths Development Dialogue.
By Katherine Marshall |
December 6, 2010; 12:14 AM ET
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Faith in Action
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Posted by: slowe111 | December 7, 2010 3:29 PM
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JUDEO-PHOBIA is Real:
May "ECL{AT" (aka "IT") shine xtra-Photons on & Bless the great "SABRA-STATE" & or The "3rd-TEMPLE" of Today's SECULAR-[Made]-ISRAEL; So, To He{{{ll With the "JEW-STATE" Of Israel.
Note: Best to kick-out All The European {IMPORTS] HEREDI/TEDI, ORTHODO, HASSIDIM/HASSIDIK, living in Israel Today into IRAN! Note: There are many of Them (90%) Who are ANTi-SABARA STATE of the modern State of ISRAEL/ERETZ! DEPORT THEM under a "Sedition" act or National Security Act!Or Send Them Back to POLAND, HUNGARY, RUSSIA or any Arab Country.PS: That Goes For The "LUBAVITCH"ER TOO! America Should do the Same Next! Anybody?
Mr. Big-Mouth 'OVADIA,' "JOSEF/YOSIF/YOSEF" the "King Of The Jew"s [aka God Players] and his alis-Yidishkites" followers should have been forced via Bayonets or Pushed or Systematically Dropped Into his-God/Made Inferno//forest "FIRE!" If i[WE] had me way i would have nailed him to a wooden Megan/Star-David or some tree and watched him burn to death eating a chocolate Covered Matza! And Then Lick me fingers when he stopped Screaming. Maybe Hitler was somewhat Right aye?
The Smell of him & Co, Burning would have made our day! Send Them All To Germany. Pay Fair-Market value for their Property; except if it's on Stolen-Land & Kick-Them All Out; Kids Too; NO EXCEPTIONS! This is how it should be done, Why Suffer?
It is anti-"GOY"/Kafir Bigots like Mr. OVIDIA & Co., who caused the Fury & Provoked Adolf Hitler to Annihilate THEM Heredi/Tedi/HASSIDIM but also caused the Wrongful Death of MY-FAMILY (47 People) None-Heredi, None Hasidim, None Orthodox to Perish too (Because of their "Gods Chosen-People Sindrome & their Goy/Kafir being 2nd Rate Humans [Caste's, Dhimmi's etc..].
They/Them PRE-Apocalyptarians; JEW-Heredi, Tadi, Orthodoxs, went around (Pre-www2) Europe, boasting in Germany et al Via their new "Jewish-Yeddish" (A Language borrowed from German inPrint, Papers etc.) that "GOD CREATED THE EARTH FOR JEWS" Not For GOYS who are enjoying Life Here because of Them Jews aka GODS Chosen People INSTEAD Of [US; Apocalyptarians] whom are proudly "NATURALLY SELECTioned", zero 'Gods-Chosen as if 'Naturally-Selected? OYEvay!).
They are IMPORTED "Religio-Mafioso"s "J-E-W_s? Living Off The Necks of US (real-SECULARS) None-JU-Religious.
Note: i[WE] am a SABRA, and Now an "EX-JU"!
Our 1st Father, of OUR "3rd-TEMPLE", BEN GURION & Others {pbuh et al} was right about "JEW" or Being "JEWiSH": That Anyone calling him/Her self "JEWISH" is a MISHUGA [CRAZY; Dementia'd].
FACT: Me Father {pbuh etal} was in the Haganna and his friends from Palmuch, and Argun, {Pre-1948 Israels Fighters-of-Freedeom} Warned US of HEREDI Will suck-blood &Kill or Steal our SECULAR-Israel, Not Their Israel" [Similarly said]. Now Who's Right?
Vote: DEATH to all Theocracy & all Monarchy on OUR S.pace-S.hip Earth, not Theirs! NO EXCEPTIONS. It is time S-A-B-R-A-ites. Lets Kick Out OVADIA & CO. NOW, Not Morrow!
Posted by: momasan1 | December 7, 2010 10:26 AM
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Yes, Slowe111, but faith is a very powerful and important thing to many many people, no different for GLBT people. It provides the promise that helps you get through life, a community, and an ethical framework. These can be really critical for gay and lesbian people who face a generally hostile world and for people in the Global South who are facing a different kind of daily insecurity than those in the North. And many GLBT people struggle mightily (and horribly in many cases) with their sexuality and what everyone has told them is the word of God. Leaving isn't an option or easy in many places. And even when a gay-affirming faith community exists, it may not provide the richness and history of the tradition you grew up with, so you still face loss.
Posted by: soucouyant | December 7, 2010 8:15 AM
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Very good but, it still baffles me why any gay or lesbian, or any woman for that matter, would choose to remain in a church or religion that condemns them and disrespects them? Religion and the churches are the very root and sustainer of sexism and homophobia. To remain a christian or muslim or jew or mormon, etc. is to enable and empower bigotry. As a gay man I say we must free ourselves of these ancient myths, invented by primitive humans and constantly proven wrong or evil by our progressive history. Wake up ! Grow UP!
Posted by: slowe111 | December 7, 2010 7:23 AM
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to soucouyant: you say.." but faith is a very powerful and important thing to many many people, no different for GLBT people."
But we GLBT folks have this enormously big reason to abandon and reject this religion!! don't you think?
"It provides the promise that helps you get through life, a community, and an ethical framework. "
I would rather depend on real live friends and family than an imanginary friend and sky-parent. Consider the ehthics of Humanism as a gay-friendly alternative to Biblical morality.
"These can be really critical for gay and lesbian people who face a generally hostile world "
Again, homophobic religions will NEVER provide real sollice for us. It just makes us hypocrites.
"and for people in the Global South who are facing a different kind of daily insecurity than those in the North." Again, religion will not protect them. Only human laws and law enforcement provided by real live humans will do this. Religion inspires the homophobes to do us and them harm.
" And many GLBT people struggle mightily (and horribly in many cases) with their sexuality and what everyone has told them is the word of God."
This is my point- religion is laying a guilt trip on them unnecessairly - it is the CAUSE of their guilt!
"Leaving isn't an option or easy in many places." I disagree - Leaving is ALWAYS an option! or, is committing suicide from guilt and shame or being killed by religious facists better?
"And even when a gay-affirming faith community exists, it may not provide the richness and history of the tradition you grew up with, so you still face loss."
The loss is worth it. Sometimes loss is necessary in order to advance, grow, and progress. Loss can be a new beginning! Let childish gods be dead.... long live reason and humanity as mature independent adults.