Tatchell given standing ovation at Christian festival
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Ekklesia – The Christian think-tank and news website
UK - 30 August 2010
http://www.ekklesia.co.uk/node/12977
The gay human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell has received a standing ovation at the Greenbelt Christian festival.
Speaking about “the struggle for queer freedom in Africa”, he attacked
church leaders who condone homophobic abuse, but praised the “brave,
heroic Christians who refuse to go along with the persecution of people
who are gay, lesbian or bisexual”.
Greenbelt, one of Britain's largest Christian festivals, has drawn over
21,000 visitors over the weekend. Tatchell was speaking on Saturday
evening (28 August).
Prior to the weekend, Tatchell had told Ekklesia that he was “looking
forward” to the weekend and that, while not a Christian himself, “we
have more in common than divides us”. The turnout suggests that few had
heeded a call by the socially conservative group Anglican Mainstream,
to boycott Greenbelt because of Tatchell's presence on the programme.
Tatchell drew enthusiastic applause from parts of the audience, and
uncomfortable expressions from others, when he accused the Archbishop
of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, of “colluding” with the persecution of
lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people in Africa.
“The Anglican Church and Archbishop Rowan Williams have a lot to answer
for, because they have put church unity before human rights,” he said.
Tatchell outlined the contrasting legal situations facing sexual
minorities in various parts of Africa and elsewhere in the world. These
range from South Africa, which was the first country in the world to
outlaw homophobic discrimination in its constitution, to Uganda, which
plans to introduce the death penalty for a repeat 'offence' of same-sex
relations.
Pointing out that most homophobic laws in Africa date from the colonial
era, Tatchell said, “They're not genuinely African laws”. He added,
“They're laws that were inspired by a conquering imperial power”.
In response to questions, he emphasised that it is necessary for
Western advocates of human rights to support African LGBT people in
their campaigns, rather to open themselves to accusations of
colonialism by seeming to impose their values from outside.
Tatchell gave emotional descriptions of the abuse of LGBT people in
countries such as Nigeria and Kenya, where he accused Christian and
Muslim leaders of whipping up mob violence. He also attacked
conservative evangelical groups from the USA who have travelled to
Uganda to argue that the country's biggest problem is “not poverty, not
corruption, not human rights abuses, not rigged elections” but
homosexuality.
He was keen to make a distinction between Christians who oppose
homosexuality and those who encourage persecution. “It's one thing to
say that homosexuality is wrong, and people are entitled to that
belief,” he said, “What they're not entitled to do is to say that the
law of the land should discriminate”.
But Tatchell was quick to praise Christians who have stood up against
such attitudes. He singled out South African Archbishop Desmond Tutu
and Ugandan Bishop Christoper Senjyonjo, who has “paid a very, very
heavy price” and been denied his pension.
He also spoke passionately of LGBT African Christians, including Davis
Mac-Iyalla and Jide Macauley, who have risked their lives by being open
about their sexuality.
“For all of those, gay and straight, who do take a stand, I salute you, I thank you,” he concluded.
Tatchell was questioned on a number of points during in the
question-and-answer session that lasted for a long as his talk. One
questioner suggested that he had underestimated the importance of
church unity in working against persecution in the long term.
Tatchell drew laughter early on in his talk, when he began by “paying
tribute to Anglican Mainstream, who by their attacks on me and on
Greenbelt, have boosted ticket sales and ensured a successful
Greenbelt”.
He didn't refer to the issue again until it was raised by a questioner,
who asked about the possibility of legal action against Anglican
Mainstream, whose spokesperson Lisa Nolland had suggested that
Greenbelt had put children at risk by including Tatchell on the
programme.
But Tatchell insisted that, “I'm a great believer in free speech; that
includes people criticising me”. He said Anglican Mainstream had quoted
him selectively and out of context. He accused them of bearing false
witness. There was enthusiastic applause as he added, “I would urge
Anglican Mainstream to re-read their ten commandments”.