Global Precap: Religion and LGBT in 2015

[cbayer]

http://religiondispatches.org/global-precap-religion-and-lgbt-in-2015/

BY PETER MONTGOMERY JANUARY 2, 2015

There’s no reason to think the increasingly global culture war between advocates and opponents of LGBT equality will let up this year. In fact, the opposite is true: opponents of LGBT equality are working hard to build a stronger transnational coalition of conservative religious and political leaders whose agendas go far beyond resisting the advance of marriage equality to rolling back LGBT rights and reproductive choice and criminalizing even the advocacy of LGBT equality.

The alliance between Russian strongman Vladimir Putin and the Orthodox Church is flourishing and is funding right-wing political movements throughout Europe even as the Russian government attacks LGBT groups, civil society, and basic freedoms within Russia. In Uganda, anti-gay lawmakers are certain to try to overcome President Yoweri Museveni’s resistance to passage of a new Anti-Homosexuality Act. In Gambia, viciously anti-gay President Yahya Jammeh has portrayed his vehement anti-gay stance as a heroic effort to defend Islam and African independence from European influence. In 2015, Gambia will celebrate 50 years of independence, which will give Jammeh plenty of opportunities for anti-gay posturing. In December, the U.S. dropped the country from special trade status under the African Growth and Opportunity Act.

Here are some of the overlapping and interconnected stories we’ll be watching in 2015.

Pope Francis and the World Meeting of Families

Catholics and non-Catholics alike will be watching intensely as the papacy of Francis continues to unfold and as conservatives in the hierarchy resist even rhetorical softening in the church’s position on sexuality issues. The bishops’ fall 2014 synod on the family was the scene of high-profile sparring over language referring to gay people, which conservative forces seem to have won.

more at link

[Bluenorthwest]

1. I really wish those in the faith community would do this, but this article mentions Russia and the

Orthodox Church, Gambia and Islam, but when speaking of Uganda it does not report that it is almost entirely Christian, with the largest group being Catholic, followed by Anglicans.
The piece also makes the claim of rhetorical softening just before this nasty quote by the host of this Francis and the Family Confab:
"The the World Meeting of Families is a Catholic event organized by the Pontifical Council for the Family. Philadelphia’s ultraconservative Archbishop Charles Chaput, an ardent culture warrior, will be hosting. Chaput, who disparaged the bishops’ synod for sowing confusion about church teachings on sexuality, has made clear that marriage equality is not on the agenda of the World Meeting of Families, dismissing “the neuralgic sexual issues that seem to dominate the American media.”

Neuralgic sexual issues, objectively disordered, influenced by Demons, but who am I to judge?

God this PR push is getting old and tired. 'Let's leave out the part about Uganda's Bishops, 'cause the narrative is the Pope is cool!!!!'

[cbayer]

2. I like Peter Montgomery. He does a weekly recap on LGBT issues as they

are impacted by religion. He is by no means a cheerleader and is highly critical of religious groups, including the RCC.

[pinto]

4. I don't get the use of the tern "neuralgic" in his statement. ??

I understand it to refer to an experience of pain. To rewrite it - "the painful sexual issues that seem to dominate the American media." The Archbishop may seem them as painful - obviously a personal, subjective assessment.

That said, there is a schism at play in the RCC hierarchy, moving exceedingly slow that may yet show some positive results. We'll see...

[hrmjustin]

3. As an Episcopalian, it us mortifying to see my fellow Anglicans support anti-lgbt legislation.