14 November 2008

20 Years Later, We Still Have to Stop the Church!

My ACT UP comrade, Peter Staley had a mouthful to say about the recent protests against Prop 8 on Joe My God. I can't say I disagree with him. (Original Post here)

So far the message and the method have been a bit tame. That's not to say that I am not thrilled that there are thousands of people on the streets protesting. But "God Loves Gay Marriage" is a far cry from "Stop the Church" and in the end isn't that what this is STILL about? This struggle is still a struggle between the Catholic Church, Mormons, Evangelicals and Fundamentalists who are not only preaching intolerance and hate to their congregants. But also continue to actively work to impose their agenda as public policy. Exactly the same reasons ACT UP went to Saint Patrick's Cathedral in 1989.

Back then Cardinal O'Connor and the Church heirarchy was actively trying to squash the implementation of the "Children of the Rainbow Curriculum"a program to teach children about diversity which included gays and lesbians, and to block condom availablity and safer sex education in the
public schools
.
I am thrilled that people are once again out in the streets by the thousands fighting for their right to live their lives as they choose, without interference from religious zealots. These are the same religious leader hypocrites that protected hundreds of pedophiles for decades, the same ones that look the other way while polygamist pedophiles set up whole towns for their sick abuses. The same preachers that preach fire and brimstone for gay people while they hide their own crystal-meth fueled sexcapades.

These are the people who want to take away people's rights, rights given them by the proper interpretation of the Constitution and law.

There is still more work to do. These so called leaders won't go down without a fight. But they will lose. Hypocrisy and intolerance cannot withstand being exposed. I believe that we will have to raise the ante to get there, but they will fall.

I had a dream not long ago and in it I was asking, "will the church ever fall? It has been the single most wicked thing on the planet. Wars, inquisition, genocide. How will it ever end?" The answer was that it would fall just like the Berlin Wall. It will just no longer make sense to anyone.

There are many people in the world who use their religion to spread love and kindness. I mean no disrespect to people of faith who understand the issues and respect the separation of church and state. None of my comments are directed at these people who do so many good things for humanity.

But to the preachers of intolerance, to the hypocrites and liars, to the closed minded bigots of the world. Your days are numbered.

It's Coming!

Now More Than Ever -- Stop the Church!


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