Box Turtle Bulletin
News and commentary about the anti-gay lobby“Now you must raise your children up in a world where that union of man and box turtle is on the same legal footing as man and wife…”
News and commentary about the anti-gay lobbyMarch 12th, 2009
New Direction is a ministry in Canada for those individuals who struggle with sexual and gender identity issues. Until last year they were an affiliate of Exodus International, but chose to disassociate due to a difference in view about the purpose and direction of ex-gay ministries. New Direction strongly believes in staying out of politics and is more interested in engaging gay people than in winning battles at the ballot box.
However, the situation in Uganda is beyond the typical rhetoric or political positioning. And it has compelled Wendy Gritter, the leader of New Directions, to respond regarding what God’s calling for His people:
It is not just to advocate for the criminalization of gay people. Currently, gay people in Uganda face the possibility of life in prison. This ought not to be! And those who name the name of Jesus need to speak up and say so.
It is not just to coerce gay people into therapy. Disputes about the harm of reparative therapy aside, forced therapy ought not to be. And those who know the invitational character of Jesus need to speak up and say so.
It is not just to stir up fear and hatred of gay people. Blaming gay people for the genocide in Rwanda cannot be tolerated. Equating homosexuality with pedophilia when the research clearly refutes such a notion is inexcusable. It must be challenged for what it is – inciting hatred and potential violence towards gay people in an already volatile context such as Uganda. Such hatred is completely inconsistent with God’s call to shalom. And those who follow Jesus need to speak up and say so.
Wendy invites other Christians to join her in countering the behavior engaged in by the Uganda conference participants.
I invite others to join me in calling for the decriminalization of homosexuality throughout the world. I invite others to join me in standing for justice for our gay neighbours – in Uganda and throughout the world. And I invite others to do all they can, through relationship and in word & deed, to overcome the incitement of hatred with love.
I hope that those who seek to be followers of Christ will pay careful attention to Wendy’s words.
Click here to see BTB’s complete coverage of recent anti-gay developments in Uganda.
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Ben in Oakland
March 12th, 2009
I came across Wendy Gritter last year at XGW. Mostly, she impressed me, though we did not completely agree.
But this: I have to hand it to her. No equivocation, just an out-right THIS IS WRONG!
what a change. a Christian who actually prefers morals to moralizing.
Mike Airhart
March 12th, 2009
Hear, hear, to both Wendy Gritter and commenter Ben.
Emproph
March 12th, 2009
Here, here, here, to Wendy and Ben and Mike.
I never got around to reading the EGW discussion with Wendy Gritter, it’s still in my guilt-pile of things to do.
That said…
Wendy, bless you. I so appreciate your vocal condemnation of these human rights abuses. Coming from your “side†of the issue, it’s refreshing in a very wholesome way.
-Patrick :)
grantdale
March 13th, 2009
We are more than pleased to say our first impressions (and criticisms) of Wendy have not continued. Her break with Exodus did the deal — if she had continued as a ‘member’ of any sort (either herself, or for ND) our opinion would not have changed. But, Wendy did the correct thing: Exodus is inappropriate, Exodus does not care about human rights. Exodus is not an organisation one should associate with.
There is so much we (we’re sure) DO NOT agree with Wendy and ND, but we would be more than happy to stand arm-in-arm with Wendy and defend those who are being persecuted in Uganda. If we could.
Whatever differences about how one should live, decent people can agree on the basic, decent treatment of people who chose to ‘disobey’. Wendy can do that, it seams. Alan Chambers cannot.
Even if Wendy thinks we’re hell bound in a basket, at least she’s not trying to make life hell on Earth for us right now. Or for people in Uganda etc.
We can cope with that. Yeh, we can.
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