Sydney archibishop re-ignites ACL gay health controversy
Though Australian Christian Lobby (ACL) chief Jim Wallace may not have found too much support for his controversial claim that smoking was healthier than the “gay lifestyle” it seems he has one reliable ally in Dr Peter Jensen, the Anglican Archbishop of Sydney.
The remarks by Wallace last week during a debate on marriage equality in Tasmania were quickly and loudly criticised by a wide cross spectrum of the community, including doctors, mental health experts and politicians.
The comments which many labelled offensive even resulted in Prime Minister Julia Gillard declaring Wallace to be “heartless and wrong” and deciding to pull out of a delivering the keynote address to the ACL’s national conference early next month.
Appearing on ABC TV’s Q&A last night, Dr Jensen (pictured) however seemed to agree with Wallace’s views on gay health after he was asked by a studio audience member whether he supported the comments.
Dr Jensen, like Wallace an opponent of marriage equality, said he was “generally supportive” of the ACL and that an “opportunity to talk about something significant” had been provided.
“It’s very hard to get to the facts here because we don’t want to talk about it and in this country censorship is alive and well,” he said.
“As far as I can see ... the lifespan of practicing gays is significantly shorter than the ordinary so-called heterosexual man. That seems to be the case.
“What we need to do is to look at why this may be the case and we need to do it in a compassionate and objective way.”
Dr Jensen then seemed to suggest he was aware that the views he held on sexuality could be a factor for some young queer people to attempt suicide.
Australian Marriage Equality national convener, Alex Greenwich, said he would be contacting Dr Jensen to seek an apology.
“Although we have come to expect extreme anti-gay statement from the Australian Christian Lobby, for a religious leader like Archbishop Jensen to make such cruel claims is a betrayal of his duty of care to his parishioners, especially those who are gay or have gay friends and family members,” Greenwich said.
Labor Senator Trish Crossin, who is a co-sponsor of one of the four marriage equality bills currently before Federal Parliament, told reporters in Canberra today that she found Dr Jensen’s comments grossly insensitive.
“Particularly for people who have smoked, who have developed cancer as a result of that, and (for) loved ones who have lost families,” she said.
- Tags: ABC Television, Alex Greenwich, Anglican Church, Australian Christian Lobby, Australian Marriage Equality, Blaze, Christianity, Health, Jim Wallace, Julia Gillard, LGBTI Health, Marriage Equality, MCV, Mental Health, Peter Jensen, Q&A, Queensland Pride, Religion, Same-Sex Marriage, Smoking, SX, Trish Crossin
Comments (6)
Greenwich has got to be joking. An "apology"? He's as bad as Jenson, if not worse, running with the ball on queer marriage while supporting anti-discrimination legislation that allows the likes of the Archbishop to say we're immoral?
THE COMPANY WE KEEP, THE USUAL SUSPECTS.
YOU JOIN THE DOTS AND READ CAREFULLY!
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/belief/2011/jun/28/gafcon-homosexuality-anglican-mission
The Global Anglican Future Conference is being called by those who took part in the Nairobi Consultation:
* ARCHBISHOPS PETER AKINOLA (Nigeria), HENRY OROMBI(Uganda), Emmanuel Kolini (Rwanda), Benjamin Nzimbi (Kenya), Donald Mtetemela (Tanzania):
* ARCHBISHOP PETER JENSEN (Sydney) and Archbishop NICHOLAS OKOH (Nigeria).
* Bishop Don Harvey (Canada) and Bishop Bill Atwood (Kenya) who also represented Archbishop Greg Venables (Southern Cone)
* Bishop Bob Duncan (Anglican Communion Network and Common Cause USA.) and Bishop Martyn Minns (Convocation of Anglicans in North America),
* Canon Dr Vinay Samuel (India) and Canon Dr Chris Sugden (England)
* Bishop Michael Nazir Ali (Rochester, England) and Bishop Wallace Benn (Lewes, England) were consulted and also form part of the Leadership Team.
NIGERIA
In September 2006, the Standing Committee of the Church of Nigeria, headed by ARCHBISHOP AKINOLA, issued a Message to the Nation… "The Church commends the law-makers for their prompt reaction to outlaw same-sex relationships in Nigeria and calls for the bill to be passed since the idea expressed in the bill is the moral position of Nigerians regarding human sexuality." [37] The bill in question, as well as criminalising same-sex marriage, also proposed to criminalise "Registration of Gay Clubs, Societies and organizations" and "Publicity, procession and public show of same-sex amorous relationship through the electronic or print media physically, directly, indirectly or otherwise", on penalty of up to 5 years of imprisonment.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/belief/2010/jul/26/archbishop-okoh-nigeria-homosexuality
Nigeria is at risk from an "invading army of homosexuality, lesbianism and bisexual lifestyle", proclaimed the country's most senior Anglican cleric, ARCHBISHOP NICHOLAS OKOH. Speaking earlier this month at "our maiden press conference since our assumption to the primacy of the church", he declared "Same sex marriage, paedophilia and all sexual pervasions [sic] should be roundly condemned by all who accept the authority of scripture over human life." His views affect the lives of large numbers of Nigerians and, increasingly, Anglicans elsewhere. So it is worth trying to understand the basis of his beliefs.
UGANDA
http://kiwianglo.wordpress.com/2012/06/14/uganda-religious-leaders-seek-return-of-anti-gay-bill/
The Anglican Primate of Uganda, ARCHBISHOP HENRY LUKE OROMBI, has added his name to the list of religious leaders in UIganda who are now demanding that the Anti-Homosexuality Bill – proposed by David Bahati – which had been shelved by the Government of Uganda – now be resurrected and brought into legislation against the Gay Community in that country.
• A 7-year jail sentence for consenting adults who have gay sex;
• A life sentence for people in same-sex marriages;
• Extradition and prosecution of LGBT Ugandans living abroad;
• The death penalty for adults who have gay sex with minors or people with disabilities, consensual or no, or who communicate HIV via gay sex, regardless of condom usage or consent;
• Jail for anyone who doesn’t report suspected gay people within 24 hours;
• A ban on the “promotion” of homosexuality so open-ended that it would endanger HIV/AIDS treatment and sexual health clinics in the country and could effectively exclude gay people from petitioning the courts by making those representing them liable for criminal action;
• A mandate to break all ties with international commitments and laws opposing the Anti-Homosexuality Bill.
Rwanda
http://thinkprogress.org/security/2010/10/28/176346/kobach-christ-church/?mobile=nc
……Its previous Archbishop Emmanuel Musaba Kolini likened homosexuality to “moral genocide” and his successor Most Rev. Onesphore Rwaje has vowed to carry on his predecessor’s policies
Great post JackAlison, thanks for that!
Arch-Bishop Jensen is linking homosexuality to cancer- we kill cancer. The man is an utter disgrace to the Christianity. He reminds me of the early ravings of the Nazi Party, using the Bible to create hate and get people killed. The police should go in and arrest him.
Why could us homosexuals be living a shorter life span than our heterosexual counterparts? Possibly because of the hate crimes and violence against us, orrrr I don't know, the additional stress that we carry around of whether or not our partner will be taken care of if something were to happen to us. If my partner gets sick, will my work allow me time off to take care of her? These are things the heterosexual married couples don't worry about, because it's entitled to them through their marriage, yet denied to us homosexuals. How about looking into THAT ACL?!
I watched it.
But the bigger issue is not so much about smoking.
It is about our health and wellbeing.
We, like our indigenous relatives are suffering because we cannot get full equality and acceptance as easily as mainstream does. We are continually being marginalised.
Until we address this issue, our health and well being will suffer and our lives will end up shorter than the rest of the population.
And suicide rates will continue to rise.
As for smoking. You have been educated enough to tell you that they a bad for your health.