Friday, June 1, 2007

LGBT Affirming Church in Jamaica faces Violence!


I agree with fellow blender Pam on this:" the hate takes your breath away.

"The Rev. Grant Lynn Ford appeared on a recent Caribbean radio program hoping to improve relations between Jamaicans in South Florida and the gay and lesbian community. Instead, the pastor from Sunshine Cathedral, which recently started a gay and lesbian congregation in Jamaica, endured a hostile radio audience.
Jamaican callers chastised him for promoting homosexuality in their country. One caller said Ford would get a bullet through his head if he set foot on the island.

"What surprised me was the violence of it, and saying it on public radio," Ford said. "I probably wouldn't invite any of them to my next family picnic. I might be the roasted pig."

Sunshine Cathedral, which is affiliated with Metropolitan Community Churches, faces a government that has little interest in addressing homophobia, and the hate it tolerates.

"Jamaican Consul General Ricardo Allicock, of Miami, said he was unaware of rampant abuse of gays and lesbians on the island. Jamaican media attributed some of the recent killings to crimes of passion between lovers, he said.
...But ministers at Sunshine Cathedral disagree. They have traveled to the country in recent months to challenge homophobic attitudes among government and religious officials, they said. Ford said he travels with bodyguards for his protection.

Church leaders said the choir director for their Jamaican church recently was beaten to death because of his sexual orientation. Church members held his funeral April 8 at a church unaffiliated with the denomination. A crowd from a nearby community surrounded the building armed with machetes and knives. They threw objects through the church windows while the funeral was in process, according to the Jamaica Forum for Lesbians, All-Sexuals & Gays".

Justice MH's Final Thoughts: Jamaica is a island that's on my do not visit list. If i ever visit there, i would have to be arm, and with some bodyguards. I agree with my fellow blogger Darian that Jamaica needs a culutral change. As Oprah would say:" where is that Christian love?

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Any church that honors, praise and perpetuate homosexuality, sin, carnality and immorality is NOT a church of Jesus Christ. These are the religious establishments that may have the form of Godliness, but deny the power thereof.

Justice MH said...

@Captian: Any church that promotes dogam, hypocrisy, and being judgmental is NOT a church of Jesus Christ. Get your facts "straight". Not that you ARE!

Anonymous said...

You're right, any church that promotes homosexuality, hypocrisy, sin, immorality, prejudice, carnality is not founded in Jesus Christ.

However, there are some issues that must be judged. Without judgement, we will never keep to an account on what is right and what is wrong. We are suppose to judge.

Justice MH said...

@Captian: Don't put words in my mouth! Yes there are rights and wrongs. However, a person's sexual oreintation doesn't fall in that field. The fact still remain " don't judge"!