Sofia Gay Parade Organizers Want Church to Stop Its Calls for Violence
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Pictured: the 4th annual Sofia Pride gay parade which took place in June 2011. Photo by BGNES
The organizers of Bulgaria's Sofia Pride gay parade have once again demanded that the Bulgarian Orthodox Church distance itself from the recent calls for violence against the parade.
On June 5, Father Evgeniy Yanakiev from the Sliven eparchy made an outrageous statement regarding the upcoming parade, saying that "stones should be thrown" at its participants.
As a result, the Sofia Pride initiative committee came up with an official statement insisting on the Holy Synod's firm and public demarcation from any calls to violence against the parade on behalf of its representatives.
However, instead of condemning any calls for violence, the Holy Synod said in a statement that "homosexuality is an unnatural passion that undoubtedly harms the personality, the family and the society."
The Bulgarian Orthodox Church declared that it strictly opposed the event, which it considered to be "immoral."
The Bulgarian Orthodox Church further called upon parents and teachers to prevent children from participating in the parade – or even witnessing it, claiming it would be a "harmful demonstration that violates the rights of Orthodox Christians."
June 30 will see the fifth edition of Sofia Pride, a march for equal rights of persons of different sexual orientation or gender identity.
Sofia Pride has so far been backed by the embassies of the USA, Netherlands, Belgium, UK, Germany, Slovenia, Finland, Norway, Austria, France and Switzerland and a number of non-governmental organizations.
Bulgaria's senior clergy was rattled by a scandal in January, as it turned out that most of its members are former Communist State Security spies.
And may I ask what is wrong with you, "mitko pitko"?
You might as well say "If you consider yourself and animal, then it's fine too have green eyes.
Homophobic nonesense, as usual.
Thanks for the reply, Ter/Rhaego, and let me be short: apart from what You've mentioned this time, there are much more sophisticated texts in the Bible, texts which may provoke-and provoke-serious disputes...I'm prepared for them, btw...As for Your "God doesn't condemn it but endorses it", obviously in connection with "Again Your favorite Leviticus 25:44-46 NIV"-cordial thanks though "my favorite" is the whole Holy Book- so, God, yes, "doesn't condemn it", but, please---for getting better what exactly is endorsing by God---re-read my previous explanations, OK?
NOW: "I mean why go to the lengths of protecting the rights of animals from bestiality assaults but dismiss the human rights of those in bondage?"-----here we are. The main. The main which was behind the veil, right, my friend? So, point me at those bastards who offer to: place in shelters, castrate, poison, exterminate or somehow else "euthanize" "those in bondage"...Any facts?
I needed to re-register, now Ter is Rhaego.
Sasha, "The Holy Writ doesn't condemn directly, doesn't condemn "on the whole" the practice of slavery"; Indeed, and not only that God doesn't condemn it but endorses it.
"Your male and female slaves are to come to you from nations around you; from them you may buy slaves ... You can will them to your children as inherited property and can make them slaves for life." (Again Your favorite Leviticus 25:44-46 NIV)
If God had said that slavery was wrong and it's moral bankruptcy, placed at least below that of cursing your father, then the argument that God is real, or at least just, would have a little more credibility. Rather, God lists the commercial terms and conditions of buying and owning slaves, including the command that Isrealites are not to be kept as slaves, as all Jews are his chosen people. Uhuh!
I understand the hardship of the people at those old times, and perhaps the necessity to prostitute your family members for the sole survival, but this is God's only book and it wouldn't be better if God demonstrated a little bit of enlighten foresight to tell his people that what they were doing was morally reprehensible, just as shagging the goats is? I mean why go to the lengths of protecting the rights of animals from bestiality assaults but dismiss the human rights of those in bondage?
Whoops - I think you'd better go for THIS one, Sa-sha... ;)
http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQGa9F_qsXTceIKbIP3cCGU5Y_gcwjZkCp-VWy0uMdgJCUIwc2M_uB0hz8p
Ter, (1) "the Exodus not Leviticus, my bad."--- Thanks. Exodus, sure.
Forget about Your "bad". You simply knew that "somewhere there, in the depths of the Bible...;-).........Still Your "this is sickening" (with reference to Exodus, 21:7) may turn Your real "bad". Look, The Holy
Writ doesn't condemn directly, doesn't condemn "on the whole" the practice of slavery, this is true. But the key problem here is to understand that the slavery at those old times (btw, not "sexual slavery", not "sexual pleasure" but "slavery" and "pleasure" is written, though the sexual aspect was inevitable, sure, slavery is slavery), so, slavery at those times was- for some people, for some families- the only possibility to survive. And it was their own-forced by the circumstances-choice, choice between 'to die' and 'to survive'
Bible/Church can not condemn it contrary to the forcible and racial slavery (like that one of the last ~500 years) which is condemned and which was/is really sickering.
(2)"It is very democratic of you..."---It is merely normal "of me".
(3)"I wasn't aware that Dostoevsky was the new messiah"--- What a pity...My condolences.
(4)"...what other ways to remedy...?"---The Court.
1) "Yeah but Leviticus says that I may also sell my daughter into sexual slavery"---can't You submit the relevant link from Leviticus?"
I am sorry Sasha, I believe it is the Exodus not Leviticus, my bad. It is exactly the Exodus, that our Lord, has so graciously and profoundly dedicated on slavery.
"When a man sells his daughter as a slave, she will not be freed at the end of six years as the man are. If she does not pleasure the man who bought her, he may allow her to be bought back again." (Exodus 21:7-11 NLT)
I am sorry Sasha, but this is sickening.
2)" the whole idea of Christianity is just so stupid"---views differ, Ter.
I am glad you see it that way. It is very democratic of you to have different views, don't you think so.
3) "The world will become the beauty of Christ," Dostoevsky answered in one of his notes to "The Devils".
I wasn't aware that Dostoevsky was the new messiah.
4)"Gay people still continue to be harassed"---'marching in the street is hardly a wayto remedy that',can't but agree with Seedy."
Well, what other ways to remedy you have to suggest, Sasha?
Seedy,
I see eye to eye with you for the most part, I think you are bright man. Although, I didn't mean for gay students to be part of the march, what I meant was that for other people to stand up for them against their resentment and harassment at school and the street. If we leave this matter quietly out of public we risk to have this aggression continued, as it is ok. And have more of this;
"On 01.10.2008, the 25-year-old Mihail Stoyanov was found beaten to death by two alleged skinheads for „looking like being a gay“. The two prepatrators were said to be a part of a group aiming to „clear“ one of Sofia’s largest parks of gay people. The police announced officially that it solved the case in 2010 but no information about a sentence is available by the end of 2011. During the investigation several other incidents of aggression against „gay-like“ people in that park were reported.
The incident provoked protests in Sofia against the stereotypes in the Bulgarian society and the manifestation of hate against LGBT people. The protesters called for strict prosecution of such crimes."
You say that there already laws to take care of this problem but no, for our own grief and Stoyanov's family, the criminals are free and left unpunished for taking one's life (even if it was a gay one). Unfortunately, in Bulgaria unlike other countries crimes based on racial profiling and sex orientation remain of lesser importance from judicial point of view. And, I don't mean they should have more importance either, just EQUAL.
Once again this march isn't about SEX it is about RIGHTS and JUSTICE.
Ter, (1) "a good Christian like Sa-Sha"---alas, I'm not, though I try... (2) "Yeah but Leviticus says that I may also sell my daughter into sexual slavery"---can't You submit the relevant link from Leviticus?
(3)" the whole idea of Christianity is just so stupid"---views differ, Ter. "The world will become the beauty of Christ," Dostoevsky answered in one of his notes to "The Devils".
(4)"Gay people still continue to be harassed"---'marching in the street is hardly a wayto remedy that',can't but agree with Seedy.
rfp, to be insulting doesn't mean to be wise.
Seedy, "Sasha...is currently at the Kremlin receiving next week's
orders from Vladimir..."---as the special CIA agent You are, sure, in a current of all Vova' orders to me, and the last one was: "Do box that Seedy's ears!". "Mission is not possible, Vova, she's a woman"-I replied, "Oh, then...then kiss her on my--and on the whole Mother-Russia--name. And kiss very-very brutally!" So, I kiss You, agent Seedy ;-)
