***
Campaigners plan march in memory of Michael Causer
Aug 4 2008 by Richard Down, Liverpool Daily Post
OUTRAGED friends and campaigners are planning a march and a three-minute silence to mark the death of a popular teenager killed in an alleged homophobic attack.
Michael Causer, of Whiston, died on Saturday, a little more than a week after being attacked.
The 18-year-old was walking past a quiet cul-de-sac on Tarbock Road, on the morning of Friday, July 25, when he was attacked.
He was admitted to Whiston Hospital at 11am and later transferred to the Walton Critical Care unit where he remained in a critical condition for eight days.
Doctors at Liverpool’s Walton Neurology Centre performed emergency surgery in an attempt to stem the swelling on his brain. But police confirmed he died at 12.30pm.
Detectives have described the incident as a “homophobic hate crime”.
Now people such as campaigner Matthew Fox, of Liverpool, are gearing up for a march to commemorate Michael’s life and stand up against homophobia.
He said: “Marches take a little while to get organised, you need police approval and city council approval and you need lots of trained volunteer stewards.
“We could also have a minute’s silence in St John’s Garden at the memorial to victims of prejudice next Saturday.”
A march along Tarbock Road has been suggested in a fortnight, once the local authorities have been informed.
The city council’s first openly gay councillor, Steve Radford, said the Lesbian Gay Bisexual Forum will discuss the idea at the Quaker Meeting House this Wednesday....more:
http://www.liverpooldailypost.co.uk/liverpool-news/regional-news/2008/08/04/campaigners-plan-march-in-memory-of-michael-causer-64375-21459419/
***
The LGBT position of the Church of Englands Bishop of Liverpool:
Bishop quotes Jesus as he backs same-sex relationships
By NICOLA BODEN
February 2008
The Bishop of Liverpool suggests Jesus might have had a physical relationship with a disciple
A senior bishop appears to have performed a complete U-turn by suggesting the Bible might sanction same-sex relationships.
Bishop of Liverpool, the Right Reverend James Jones, claims in a new book that the bond between Jesus and John the Disciple, as well between David and Jonathan, are possible examples of close relationships between two men.
The conservative evangelical's comments are all the more remarkable given his vehement opposition to the appointment of gay cleric Dr Jeffrey John to Bishop of Reading in 2003.
He was one of a group of bishops who wrote a letter of objection at the gay man's selection for the high-profile role, leading to him ultimately turning down the post.
In the book, A Fallible Church, Bishop Jones calls for Anglicans to "acknowledge the authoritative biblical examples of love between two people of the same gender most notably in the relationship of Jesus and his beloved [John] and David and Jonathan."
Referring to the Theology of Friendship report, he discusses John "leaning against the bosom, breast, chest of Jesus".
The Bishop also describes an "emotional, spiritual and even physical friendship" between David and Jonathan, who appear in the Old Testament books of Samuel.
When Jonathan, the son of Saul, King of Israel, first meets David after he slays Goliath against the odds, the Bible describes him as being immediately struck by the young man.
It reads: "And it came to pass, when he [David] had made an end to speaking unto Saul, that the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him with his own soul."
The Bishop asks: "Was their friendship sexual? Were they gay? Was at least one of them homosexual? Were they both heterosexual? Were they bisexual?"
Answering his own question, he then writes: "You assume that it is a person's sexual inclination that defines their personhood. Is it not possible to say that here are two men with the capacity to love fully, both men and women?"
Gay cleric Dr Jeffrey John was controversially selected to be Bishop of Reading in 2003. The Bishop of Liverpool and seven others opposed his appointment and he stood down
In the article, entitled Making Space for Truth and Grace, the Bishop of Liverpool also apologises to Dr John for opposing his appointment to Bishop of Reading more than four years ago.
The gay cleric turned down the job due to the furore but later caused more controversy when he became Dean of St Albans in 2004 and "married" his partner of 30 years in a civil ceremony in 2006.
Bishop Jones writes: "I deeply regret this episode in our common life.
"I still believe it was unwise to try to take us to a place that evidently did not command the broad support of the Church of England but I am sorry for the way I opposed it and I am sorry too for adding to the pain and distress of Dr John and his partner."
Fellow clerics regard his latest comments as the mark of a distinct change in his views on homosexuality.
Dr Mike Homfray, who withdrew from the Anglican church because of perceived homophobia, said it was a "most profound shift".
He said: "I think Bishop Jones is saying he is now more able to live with difference and diversity and that it is necessary to keep the issue open and allow continued dialogue.
"Unless he was open to the possibility of embracing change, then he wouldn't be suggesting this as a way forward. That doesn't mean he necessarily fully embraces it himself, though. Not yet anyway, but he has moved."
Of David and Jonathan, Dr Homfray added: "They may have had sexual contact - but that doesn't make them 'gay' in a Western sense. No-one in the Bible can have that lable because it is a term with all sorts of social and cultural meanings."
The diocese of Liverpool said in a statement: "The Bishop's essay is asking us to find a new and more open way forward that doesn't compromise people's convictions, respects conscience and understands people's hurts and vulnerabilities in this debate.
"He is making a plea for continued debate in which there is both truth and grace."
http://www.mailonsunday.co.uk/news/article-512607/Bishop-quotes-Jesus-backs-sex-relationships.html
Rowan Williams, Archbishop of Canterbury, please step down and let The Church of England and The Anglican Communion get on with the Commandment of "Loving Thy Neighbor"...well, you know the rest, except a reminder, "loving" doesn't mean ignoring, excluding or punishing/outcasting and demonizing your brothers and sisters at The Body of Christ.
_-_James_Tissot_-_overall.jpg)
Posts
7 comments:
God have mercy- and rest the sould of Michael.
Nero fiddles and Rome burns. Hairs are split and proof texts read off as lives are shattered.
Hi Leonardo--I think we should let the AC go. We can't compromise our support for full inclusion because they aren't ready. This won't be the first time in American history that we have had to stand up to the Brits less than sterling behavior.
Hi Bonnie and Fran,
I think the only way forward is to do what we do best...strive for honorability for EVERYONE...I think that they're all going to have to deal with their taboos and discriminating ways...even in Nigeria there is a NEW MCC Church in Logos...no wonder Akinolas trying to get laws passed to forbid LGBT/our families/our friends from gathering together (even in worship) with five year prison sentences for violators...I'm sorry but just because they can't talk about it (or don't culturally) doesn't mean inclusion isn't a life and death matter...it is, even in ENGLAND!
At the sidebar check out House of Rainbow...it tells the story of Nigerias MCC and their plans for a seminary!
http://houseofrainbowmcc.blogspot.com/2008/07/nigeria-web-link-house-of-rainbow-mcc.html
Meanwhile Peter Akinola doesn't think there are any LGBT people in Nigeria BUT if there were, they would be "lower than pigs" and our language doesn't have a "word for them."
I'm with Bonnie. If the AC insists on supporting this hatred, then they're not the kind of group we should be aligned with.
Whether he knows it or not, Rowan Williams has become an enabler.
We can't go on like this.
Hi Leonardo--"strive for honorability" I like that.
Michael Causer died on the birthday of our youngest child. As we were celebrating her life, Michael's parents were dealing with his brutal, senseless death. I do not know how they will bear it. Every year from now on, on August 2, I will light a candle for Michael and say a prayer for his parents.
And I think of the parents of the young men who did this to Michael. Will they spend the rest of their lives celebrating their birthdays in prison and how will their parents feel about this legacy of hatred they have sown.
We just have to stop enabling these people. I think our bishops can continue the friendships begun. That's a start. But, we don't have to be a part of the Anglican Communion to do that. They need to lead, not follow.
As a favorite/peacemaking Bishop of mine once said to me:
"Nobody knows the sexual orientation of Jesus Christ"
We continued to walk along on the Church grounds as I had been "stewing/spewing" about some State Legislation directed against LGBT people that was pending...I was speechless (and later the people of the State voted and defeated the legislation).
Post a Comment