The European Parliament takes on the Church of Nigeria
It seems that just about everyone who is not a either a Primate of the Anglican Communion, or a member of Bishop Martyn Minns' convocation on the Potomac is at least a little bit unsettled by the fact that the Church of Nigeria is advocating human rights violations.
The resolutions that the European Parliament will consider tomorrow on this issue are here, here, here, here, here and here. (Thanks, Simon.)
At the risk of becoming tedious: The Archbishop of Nigeria, who believes that gay people should be put in prison for holding hands, is dictating the Anglican Communion's policies on same-sex relationships, and the only people who don't seem to find this outrageous are the other leaders of the Anglican Communion.
A report from All Africa News on conditions in Nigerian prisons.
Posted by ann | March 14, 2007 3:13 PM
Here is the url.
http://allafrica.com/stories/200703120899.html
Posted by ann | March 14, 2007 3:14 PM
In this post Jim Naughton writes, "... the only people who don't seem to find this outrageous are the other leaders of the Anglican Communion."
Including our own Presiding Bishop.
Posted by EHCulver | March 14, 2007 3:22 PM
The Archbishop of Canterbury will likely lose whatever credibility he might have left in the public mind if he remains silent as the Anglican Church of Nigeria actively supports human rights violations against GLBT people, while simultaneously working so very publicly to oppose what he apparently sees as too much inclusiveness in the US and Canadian churches.
Does Archbishop Williams not realize the world is watching? Archbishop Akinola doesn't care, but Archbishop Williams should - and it's not enough to care in secret, but opt for political expediency in public.
Posted by christopherDC | March 14, 2007 3:43 PM
Come to think of it, what will people think now of the Anglican Communion in general, enabling, as it seems to desire to do, such crass contradictions? All in the name of a supposed "unity," the terms of which are apparently dictated from the very province - Nigeria - supporting human rights violations?
Posted by christopherDC | March 14, 2007 4:14 PM
I remember the times before and during the Civil Rights struggle in the U.S., with the injustice and cruelty that racial discrimination involved. When I look at he African Primates, advocating exclusion on grounds of sexual orientation, I think, "You don't know the history of the country to whom you are dictating discrimination. You don't know how it was."
As for Archbishop Akinola's indifference, I think that eventually the weight of world opinion will come to bear on him and those supporting the pending legislation in Nigeria. I sincerely hope so.
Posted by EHCulver | March 14, 2007 5:00 PM
Not about Nigeria but related. The National Council of Churches in Singapore, of which the Anglican Church is a member, has called on the government to criminalize 'lesbianism' after commending it for choosing to keep its sodomy laws.
Primary source:
http://www.methodistmessage.com/mar2007/penalcode.html
Secondary source:
http://www.yawningbread.org/arch_2007/yax-719.htm
Posted by tuckleong | March 15, 2007 10:23 AM
It's hard to imagine the depth of blind hate and plain stupidity that passes for needed moral "legislation" against LGBT Anglicans/Muslims initiated and endorsed by Akinola and his fellow cowards/accomplices in Nigeria.
Posted by Leonardo Ricardo | March 15, 2007 10:59 PM