Kenyan Anglican Bishop Julius Kalu reaches out to LGBT people with affirmation and hope

Anglican Bishop Kalu of Mombasa, Kenya: "Homosexuality is not a choice but homophobia is."

by Rev. Steve Parelli - an abridgement of an article by Rev. Kimindu and Joyshee Gideon

August 13, 2012

Gros Islet, St. Lucia

Rev. Michael Kimindu, President of Other Sheep Africa, in a news flash released on August 13, 2012, by email, reported that Anglican Bishop Julius Kalu of Mombasa, Kenya, upon openly meeting with Rev. Kimindu, LGBT persons and others, publicly stated that "from what I'm gathering from you, I say homosexuality is not a choice but homophobia is." 

The Bishop said this was his first time ever to see or meet with LGBTI people from Kenya or anywhere. He said it is indeed a shame for him that he has been shepherding LGBTI people in the Anglican Church without even knowing it.

The Bishop, reminiscent of Peter's words to the Jerusalem Council when he spoke on the early church's potential discrimination against Samaritans, said that wherever homosexuals manifest the fruit of the Spirit of Galatians 5:22-23 (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, and self-control), "where is the difference then" between them and us.

The Bishop strongly condemned the brutal killing of Mjomba, a Kenyan living and working in Tanzania where he was murdered, as a "heinous and cowardice" act and expressed the wish that someday soon LGBTI people will live in a free world without "violence and discrimination."

Kimindu called upon the Bishop to instruct his clergy to pastor and shepherd homosexuals without discrimination. 

The Bishop agreed that his meeting and comments with Rev. Kimindu and the LGBT community were to have "wide circulation."

For the full original report, as given by Rev. Kimindu and Joyshee Gideon, click here (Changing Attitude).

News Flash: Steve and Jose of Other Sheep featured on "atv" Martinique

by Rev. Steve Parelli, August 6, 2012
Schoelcher, Martinique

At this link, select "Journal du 05 Août." The TV segment on Jose Ortiz and Steve Parelli begins at 7:02 (however, it appears you cannot fast forward).

The "Journal du 05 Août," according to reporters who made the interview with Parelli and Ortiz of Other Sheep, will be available for one week only.

It was aired last night twice here in Martinique: at 7:00 PM and 11:30 PM.

Parelli, who lived here in Martinique in 1970 (when he was 17) for four months with American missionaries, was told by an interested Martiniquean friend of 42 years who has watched the developments around Other Sheep's visit to Martinique, that evangelical Christians who know Parelli were taken back, but that the stone has been cast - that serious dialogue among evangelicals will have to follow at some point now that a familiar Christian face has been placed on the issue.

Parelli and Ortiz are in Martinique for two weeks. They are contacting pastors, laity and churches by phone, email, and in person. They are making a tour of the island by car distributing two writings to churches: one on Parelli's "ex-gay" experience and the second on what the Bible does and does not say about homosexuality. The papers, in French, are listed (and linked to) on the Other Sheep French-language resource page.

In addition to the TV news coverage, Parelli and Ortiz have been interviewed by a newspaper journalist and a radio news commentator. Both have stated that their respective news items should come out within the next few days.

Le retour d'un Baptiste gai à la Martinique

Notre numero de mobile est: 0696 44 32 69 jusqu'à ce Aout 11

Bonjur le Pasteur,  

Steve (à gauche) avec Jose en face de
la maison de la famille Weeks, Vauclin, la Martinique,
où Steve a vécu pendant une semaine en 1970

Cette lettre est pour vous informer que Stephen Parelli, qui durant son adolescence est venu à la Martinique en 1970 pour vivre avec des missionnaires baptistes évangéliques pour quatre mois à Le Robert (Les Austins; and Les Weeks au Vauclin), est maintenant de retour comme le directeur exécutif de Other Sheep (d'autres brebis)-une ONG qui travaille dans le monde entier pour l'inclusion des chrétiens qui sont gais et lesbiennes. Pendant le temps qu'il était dans Le Robert avec la famille Austin et Le Vauclin avec la famille Weeks, Stephen savait qu'il était gai. C'était quelque chose qu'il ne pouvait pas partager avec sa famille, l'église ou les missionnaires avec lesquels il s'est rendu. Il ne retourne pas à la Martinique seule.

Il m'a apporté, Jose Ortiz, son partenaire et son mari depuis 15 ans. Je suis le coordinateur de Other Sheep pour Afrique et en Asie. Nous serons ici en Martinique jusqu'à ce Aout 11. Voici une petite description de qui nous sommes et ce que nous faisons:

La mission de Other Sheep est de montrer de façon concrète l'amour inclusif de Dieu à la communauté gaie et lesbienne et aux églises chrétiennes c'est-à-dire que Dieu ne condamne pas les homosexuelles. Pour réussir à cette mission, nous fournissons du matériel pédagogique et des séminaires qui partagent des informations à partir de la science théologique récente, les sciences sociales et l'expérience personnelle.

Quant à la perspective personnelle, tout les deux Parelli et Ortiz ont obtenu des diplômes de baccalauréat dans la Bible et Parelli a une maîtrise en théologie. Durant son adolescence, il est venu à la Martinique en 1970 pour vivre et travailler avec les missionnaires évangéliques. Pendant ce temps, il savait qu'il était gay, mais a également eu un grand désir d'être un prédicateur. Parelli est devenu un pasteur baptiste d'une dénomination évangélique conservateur pendant 20 ans. En 1997 Parelli rencontré Ortiz dans un groupe de soutien pour les chrétiens qui tentaient de surmonter leur attirance pour les personnes du même sexe. Après avoir assisté à neuf mois, ils avaient décidé de ne pas poursuivre la tentative infructueuse de changer et d'accepter l'amour qu'ils éprouvent pour l'autre.

Leur relation amoureuse a duré 15 ans. Ils ont été mariés légalement dans l'État de Californie en 2008. Toutes ces années Parelli dit Ortiz qu'un jour il reviendrait à la Martinique avec Ortiz. Maintenant 42 ans plus tard et après plus de 10 ans de recerche, Parelli est de retour en Martinique pour partager les bonnes nouvelles que Dieu aime et accepte gais, lesbiennes, bisexuels et transgenres.

Nous serons disponible ici en Martinique jusqu'à Août 11 à discuter de toutes les questions que vous pourriez avoir concernant le sujet des chrétiens qui ont l'orientation homosexuelle et la base pour les acepter pleinement dans les eglises chretiennes. Notre numero de mobile est: 0696 44 32 69.

Jose Ortiz

Other Sheep Coordinator

pour Afrique, et Asie

Steve et moi voudrions partager avec vous les liens de notre site Web qui contiennent des informations en français sur notre travail pour les droits de l'homme et ce que la Bible dit concernant l'homosexualite

Les voici:

La page des resources en francais: http://www.othersheepexecsite.com/French_Resources.html
des autres liens:
 

La Bible est un placard vide (The Bible Is An Empty Closet)
par Ralph Blair ©Ralph Blair, tous droits réservés (Traduction : Fred Wells)

Peut on vraiment devenir « ex-gay » ?

Une évaluation du mouvement américain « ex-gay » sur la base des expériences de l' auteur,ainsi que sur les écrits des dirigeants du mouvement « ex-gay »Par Stephen Parelli, théologien, directeur de « Other Sheep » www.othersheepexecsite.com, www.othersheep.org (en juin 2006). Traduit de l'américain par Stanley Hanks et Jean Vilbas (2012).

Police Prevent Kampala Other Sheep Conference from Shutting Down

190 attend full-day Kampala religious seminar sponsored by Bisexual Movement Uganda

Reporting on Uganda from Istanbul

by Rev. Stephen Parelli, Executive Director of Other Sheep, July 20, 2012, Istanbul, Turkey

On Wednesday July 18, Bisexual Movement of Uganda conducted a one-day seminar at a public establishment in Muyenga, Kampala, on "Religious Freedom in the Context of Theological Diversity and Human Sexuality." Brian Ochieng, director of Bisexual Movement Uganda, reported that 190 people, including 36 university students, 80 plus high school students, local community people, and clergy, attended. 

Morning Session on 'Liberty of Conscience'

In the morning session, Rev. Stephen Parelli, Executive Director of Other Sheep, spoke on ‘Liberty of Conscience,’ a human rights’ principle that teaches that in matters of faith and practice each individual’s conscience is free to answer to God alone without the interference or molestation of the government.  Parelli said the anti-gay-marriage laws in America, and the Uganda anti-gay bill are, in effect, a denial of the free-exercise of the individual’s ‘liberty of conscience’ in matters of what God has or has not said about homosexuality.

Parelli, referencing the Iowa Supreme Court April 3, 2009, decision for gay marriage, cited the court’s statement that religion was the driving force behind the laws against gay marriage throughout America, and that, therefore, state governments, by legislating religious teachings, are acting unconstitutionally.  Parelli said the Iowa Supreme Court upheld ‘Liberty of Conscience.’ 

Throughout the morning session, Parelli gave out complimentary copies of the book The Children Are Free to attendees who answered correctly questions Parelli put forth on ‘Liberty of Conscience.’  Parelli wove his personal story throughout the presentation, illustrating his theme, keeping the interest and connecting with his audience.  Four individuals from the audience volunteered to come to the platform and represent four different historical characters from the Reformation and British-American Colonial periods as Parelli related the historical development of ‘Liberty of Conscience.’

Afternoon Session on Theolgoical Diversity and Human Sexuality

In the afternoon session, Parelli and Mr. Jose Ortiz, Other Sheep Coordinator for Africa, enacted a conversational dialogue on what the Bible does and does not say about homosexuality.  Brian Ochieng, who had attended the 2008 Other Sheep Kampala seminar, translated the Parelli-Ortiz enactment into Luganda with spirit, conviction and animation, himself familiar with the material being presented.  One hundred copies of the paper “Talking Points” on the Bible and homosexuality were made available to the attendees.

NGO/ Religious Leaders Comment

Following the seminar, Eddy Kalayango, Executive Director of Rainbow and Diversity Organization Uganda (RADO) texted Rev. Parelli saying “thanks for your teachings and sharing this knowledge with us; I hope one day society will accept the LGBTI community in Uganda and respect its liberty of conscience” (used with permission).

Rev. Michael Kimindu, President of Other Sheep Africa, sent greetings to the attendees from Nairobi, Kenya, which Parelli relayed to the audience. 

Bishop Christopher Ssenyonjo of Kampala expressed his support of the meeting in emails to Rev. Parelli.

Police Prevent Local Official from Stopping the Conference

Following the morning session on ‘Liberty of Conscience’ the seminar was put on hold when a local official entered the grounds demanding that the police, already present by arrangement of the hosting NGO, immediately shut down the conference.  The local official maintained that homosexuality was being promoted illegally.  An attendee of the morning session had left the grounds to report his disapproval of the seminar to the local official.  Police protection had been arranged prior to the conference by the NGO organizers of the day-long seminar. 

Parelli, after finishing the morning session, was escorted by a police officer to an area on the grounds, a distant from the conference hall, where he was asked to remain while other police, the objecting local official, the offended attendee who reported to the objecting local official, and Brian Ochieng, discussed the matter.  Mr. Jose Ortiz accompanied Parelli.  Lively but controlled and subdued dialogued ensued between Brian, the police and the objecting local official.  Brian maintained that the conference was on the Bible and religious freedom, and not the promotion of homosexuality as a lifestyle.  Upon the arrival of another NGO leader who had assisted Bisexual Movement Uganda in obtaining the police protection, the matter was resolved and the conference continued without being aborted.  Police protection continued.  

Objecting Local Official, Addressing Attendees in the Conference Hall, Apologizes for Interruption

While attendees waited, seated in the conference hall, for the final preparations for lunch to be completed, the objecting local official asked to speak to the gathering.  He spoke in Luganda.  According to one NGO leader who spoke with Mr. Ortiz, the objecting local official apologized for the interruption he caused and announced that the seminar would continue.  The room erupted into applause.

In keeping with certain accepted practices as the norm, because the objecting local official was working on behalf of his community without compensation, after the police refused to cooperate with him, he requested Other Sheep to cover his cost of transportation for reporting his objections to the police on behalf of his community.  Other Sheep, following the recommendation of NGO leaders, covered the traveling costs of the objecting local official.

190 Assisted with Meals and Transportation

A light breakfast, lunch and transport money was provided the 190 attendees. 

Other Sheep, a Worldwide Organization

Other Sheep, situated in the USA, is a non-profit, faith-based organization with Coordinators in Asia, Africa, Europe and North and South America.  Rev. Parelli works full time as a volunteer with Other Sheep.  Since 2005, Parelli and Ortiz, legally married in 2008 in the state of California, have spoken in 17 countries worldwide.  Other Sheep works worldwide for the full inclusion of LGBT people of faith within their respective faith traditions.

NGO leader Brian Ochieng on the Conference and the Uganda anti-gay Bill

Brian Ochieng, commenting the day before the July 18 Kampala seminar was held said he is hoping people will see the Uganda anti-gay bill issue from a new perspective.

-----------------------------------------------------

Links to Parelli's papers: 100 copies of each of the following two papers were made available, free of charge, at the Kampala July 18 Conference:

On Liberty of Conscience with Application to Uganda

Talking Points - What the Bible does and does not say about homosexuality

______________________

Note: Other Sheep was in East Africa from July 3-19, 2012. Two separate NGOs in Uganda each sponsored one Other Sheep seminar; one NGO in Rwanda sponsored one Other Sheep seminar.

Other Sheep Rwanda Holds Seminar on Sexual Orientation

by Rev. Stephen Parelli
Gisenyi, Rwanda
July 15, 2012

Rev. J. Elie Gasana, Other Sheep Coordinator for Rwanda and Democratic Republic of the Congo, hosted a one-day workshop in Gisenyi, Rwanda, on July 14.  Other Sheep Executive Director Rev. Stephen Parelli offered two papers (in French) and Alfred Ssekabanja of Uganda Victim Support Organization was guest speaker. 

Twelve clergy and one lay leader, whose ministries range from the local to national level in Rwanda, participated. In addition, one participant was identified as doing “Other Sheep work in the DRC.”   

The attendees were arranged into discussion groups, with designated leaders, to read and interact between themselves on the two papers and to prepare written questions for Parelli to address before all the attendees.

The first paper, authored by Parelli, dealt with his own journey through his ex-gay experience.  The second paper, authored by Dr. Ralph Blair and used with permission, addressed the Bible texts traditionally used to condemn sexual minorities.  Each attendee received a hard copy of each paper.

The majority of the time was spent on the first paper with discussion and questions around homosexuality as an orientation.  Parelli said:  “Whatever questions you have about homosexuality, ask the same question about heterosexuality and you will have your answer.”  Parelli repeatedly followed that formula in answering questions from ‘is it a choice’ to ‘how does one become a homosexual’ to ‘what is same-sex sexual activity like.’

In discussing Parelli’s paper, one attendee, whose influence is on a national level within her denomination, commented that for the first time she now understands that it is not a choice to be homosexual.  She said she had looked at gays as she had looked at sex workers, that is, that whereas sex workers can elect to do something else (everything being equal), she now realizes the option to do something else does not exist for homosexuals.   Her paradigm shifted from equating gays with sex workers to understanding that homosexuality is an orientation like heterosexuality.  Her group leader reported that she said, almost in tears, why should gays be harassed for something they cannot change.

Speaking in the language of Kinyarwanda, Alfred Ssekabanja, guest speaker from Uganda and himself Rwandan, shared his personal story as to how he came to work on behalf of the human rights of LGBT people in Uganda.  He said he must help affirm the human rights of LGBT people even at the risk of being rejected by the church.  He said he cannot stand silent in Uganda and watch the discrimination, rejection and even the possible death of LGBT people; Uganda cannot become another Rwanda where people are judged ‘by their nature and not by their character.’  He said our Christian religion did not keep us from horrific genocide in Rwanda where 99 percent of the people profess the Christian faith.  He said our Christian faith, which is more about fearing God and less about loving one another, was not able to keep us from genocide; our beliefs must change. He said if we have learned nothing from the Rwanda genocide, we will still discriminate.

In group discussion, one member evoked the word ‘kwihanganirana’ which means:  “I am different; you are different; but we must live together.” The group leader reported that what is meant is tolerance, being patient with one another and accepting differences.

Ssekabanja served as interpreter between English and Kinyarwanda. Gasana, who acted as moderator, served as interpreter between English and French.  The meeting was conducted in the conference room of a local hotel establishment.

'Liberty of Conscience' is Focus of Kampala Other Sheep Conference

By Rev. Stephen Parelli
Kampala, Uganda
July 12, 2012

A local pastor who attended the recent two-day Kampala conference on "Religious Freedom in the Context of Theological Diversity and Human Sexuality" told the attendees that he was especially impacted by the workshops on 'Liberty of Conscience.' The pastor said that in spite of the contemporary alternative view, as taught by the presenters, that Sodom and Gomorrah is about inhospitality, social oppression and rape, and not, therefore, a condemnation of gay love, he still believes the Biblical destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah is a condemnation of all gays. The pastor went on to say, however, that because of 'Liberty of Conscience' he now understands it is not parliament's place to write anyone's religious views or interpretation of 'Sodom and Gomorrah' or any part of the Bible into civil law.

The workshops on 'Liberty of Conscience' covered the origins of religious freedom in the West with an emphasis on 17th century Roger Williams' teaching on 'Liberty of Conscience' and its development and practice in the British colonies in America, and its present day application to Uganda. Rev. Stephen Parelli of Other Sheep, the workshop presenter, said the single greatest contribution of the 17th century to the advancement of human rights was the teaching of 'Liberty of Conscience.' Rev. Parelli said human rights cannot be sustained without 'Liberty of Conscience.'

In reference to Barak Obama's support for gay marriage, Rev. Parelli, citing a quote from Obama's book The Audacity of Hope, said Obama understands and supports the concept of 'Liberty of Conscience.' Obama, said Parelli, wrote: "Our argument [over gay marriage] is less about what is right, [and more] about who makes the final determination - whether we need the coercive arm of the state to enforce our values, or whether the subject is one best left to individual conscience and evolving norms."

Quoting again from Obama's book, Parelli said Obama sees the evangelicals in America today as out of touch with the evangelicals of 18th century America who understood the separation of church and state and wrote it into the Bill of Rights. Parelli said the evangelicals in America and the evangelicals in Uganda have both set aside the principle of 'Liberty ofConscience' and are using the government to make their religious beliefs the laws of parliament. Parelli said the Iowa Supreme Court's 2009 decision in favor of gay marriage discusses at length the unconstitutionality of the use of religious ideologies as the basis or motive for arguing for anti-gay legislation.

Other Sheep Coordinator Mr. Jose Ortiz, speaking on "A Theology and Ethics for Human Sexuality" said discrimination against sexual minorities thrives when all males must prove their manhood, and when all people in general must prove their worth.

Attendees in the workshops on "Talking Points (What you need to know and say when they say: 'But the Bible clearly condemns homosexuality!)," interacted with the presenters and one another in lively discussions around the paper "Talking Points."

Copies of the papers on 'Liberty of Conscience' and "Talking Points" were made available to conference attendees.

A complimentary copy of the book The Children Are Free: Reexamining the Biblical Evidence on Same-sex Relationships was presented to each attendee.

The conference, held on July 6 and 7 in the greater area of Kampala, was initiated, organized and sponsored by Uganda Victim Support Organization a faith-based NGO of Uganda. 31 people, including clergy, lay leaders, and human rights activists attended the conference.

Biola Queer Underground shakes up Christian college

Source:  Zionica electrionic news service

On the same day President Obama became the first U.S. president to come out in support of same-sex marriage, a group of students announced the presence of the “Biola Queer Underground” at this small evangelical university, touching off a highly-charged debate about Christianity and homosexuality.

The group launched a website and posted flyers around the Biola University campus May 9 with the following message: “We want to bring to light the presence of the LGBTQ community at Biola. Despite what some may assume, there are Lesbians, Gays, Bisexuals, Transgender, and Queers at Biola. We are Biola’s students, alumni, employees, and fellow followers of Christ. We want to be treated with equality and respected as another facet of Biola’s diversity.”

The emergence of the group, whose members remain anonymous, has shaken this 104-year-old Christian college in Southern California. Like many schools rooted in evangelical Christianity, Biola has a code of standards that includes prohibitions on sex outside of marriage and same-sex relationships: Sex is “designed by God to be expressed solely within a marriage between a husband and wife,” according to Biola’s student handbook, which goes on to say that “sexual misconduct, depending on the facts and circumstances of each case will result in disciplinary action.”

With debate raging over the group and its aims, Biola President Barry Corey told students that the school has no intention of changing its policy to “fit increasingly accepted ethical or moral norms. In particular, we don’t need to modernize or bend our biblically based position on sexual ethics.”