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Ukrainian clergy unite against public defense of gay rights

CHURCH LEADERS URGE AUTHORITIES TO PREVENT GAY PARADE IN ODESSA AND TO REMOVE POSTERS OPPOSING DISCRIMINATION AGAINST SEXUAL MINORITIES IN ZAPOROZHE

Religiia v Ukraine, 12 August 2015

 

Leaders of Christian churches in Odessa sent to city authorities a request not to permit a gay parade in the city.

 

In these days an archbishop of UPTs in Zaporozhe expressed indignation over public posters against discrimination of sexual minorities, Religiia v Ukraine reports, with reference to Invictory.

 

Several days ago, news media reported that the LGBT community is planning to conduct a gay parade in the center of Odessa on 15 August. The heads of Christian confessions of the city and province expressed their position. One letter to city authorities for the first time was signed by representatives of UPTsMP, UPTsKP, RKTs, UGKTs, and many protestant confessions.

 

"We understand that the views of the LGBT community are their personal choice. Nevertheless, the popularizing and imposing of antibiblical and antitraditional views is impermissible, and it will lead to the destruction of our society," the appeal says.

 

"Based on what is stated above, we direct to you our request not to permit the conduct of the announced event in Odessa, for the sake of preserving peace among residents and guests of our city," the ministers appealed. "In our turn, we will pray for the salvation of these people and that the light of divine truth will illuminate their reason."

 

In these days, Archbishop of Zaporozhe and Melitopol Luka expressed indignation over public posters against discrimination of sexual minorities. "As ruling bishop of the Zaporozhe see, I share the indignation expressed by the Orthodox residents of our divinely protected territory who have turned to me because of the appearance on the streets of our city on billboards erected in populous places of Zaporozhe with explicit propaganda of homosexuality," the bishop's appeal to Zaporozhe Mayor Alexander Sin and local deputies says.

 

Archbishop Luka emphasized that the church does not condemn the sinner, "but it condemns his sin, feels his sufferings, and sorrows over his weakness, but God does not tolerate sacrilege and is intolerant toward those who do not repent."

 

"I beseech you, Alexander Chensanovich, and respected deputies to listen to the appeal of the Orthodox residents of Zaporozhe and to protect our residents from moral corruption and degradation that lead to sin, as the church understands it, and to the debasement of culture and civilization, according to secular understanding," the document says.

 


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