More A Way Of Life… Look, this is just between you and me

Schism Is A Great Word

Seriously, it's one of those words that always sounds so dramatic.

It's been in my mind today as a result of having heard the news about 'liberal' US and Canadian churches being excluded from the Anglican Consultative Council. Regular readers will be aware that I've followed the situation in the Anglican Church with some interest and a small amount of glee. Watching any religious institution tearing itself apart over anything is always going to trigger mirth, but watching the C of E at war with itself is just getting better and better.

I heard one guy on the radio this morning saying that the 'choice of a gay lifestyle' was incompatible with God's love. Funny, I always thought that choices were things that you, well, chose. The guy absolutely rejected the idea that God made gay people gay, but it's a fantastically nonsensical argument. "God wouldn't make gay people, so they have to make a choice to be so, and my evidence for that is that I don't think God would make gay people."

If I accepted the existence of a god as creator I'd have to ascribe my gayness to it, because it's catagorically nothing I chose, and nor was I forced into it by the vast array of positive gay role models and influences that worked upon me during my formative years. And I'm certainly not the only one in that position. But apparently the conviction that it's a choice and can be overcome remains rooted in certain branches of Christian thinking.

Witness for instance the delightful organisation 'Love in Action' (no, I'm not linking to the fuckers - you want to find them, go look). This is one of those groups that claims to offer ministry for "the prevention or treatment of unhealthy and destructive behaviors facing families, adults, and adolescents", including of course the dreaded curse of homosexuality. This lot will take kids (under their parents' instruction) and attempt to 'cure' them.

The depth of Christian Love represented by this delightful organisation is perhaps best exemplified by its Director, the Reverend John Smid, who is quoted thusly:

"I would rather you commit suicide than have you leave Love In Action wanting to return to the gay lifestyle. In a physical death you could still have a spiritual resurrection; whereas, returning to homosexuality you are yielding yourself to a spiritual death from which there is no recovery."

Yes, he's actually advocating suicide over being gay. Lovely man.

And of course the CofE's latest ruck comes less than a week after the new Archbishop of York said that he wanted to banish homophobia from the church.

Best of luck with that, Bish.