| New Westminster defies Anglican primates
VANCOUVER — Although top Anglican leaders in February had requested there be a complete moratorium on same-sex blessings worldwide across the Anglican Communion, the Synod of New Westminster has not complied, and voted on May 14 for only a partial moratorium. The Synod adopted a report recommending that same-sex blessings be allowed to continue in seven parishes and then squeezed in an eighth that was only revealed after the vote. An amendment that would have allowed all parishes to conduct the controversial rite, if they wished, was lost 104-192. Another amendment to impose a full moratorium, as the primates had requested, was lost by a show of hands. After the final vote, Michael Ingham, the diocesan bishop, announced that he had approved SSBs at St. Barnabas, New Westminster. On April 3, the parish vestry had voted for SSBs, but needed Ingham’s consent. He announced it publicly after the Synod vote. Ingham said, “I believe we have taken the Anglican Communion very seriously.” At the same time, by allowing the rite in eight parishes, he said the Synod “continues to affirm gay and lesbian Christians.”
SASKATOON — William (Bill) Whatcott was convicted and ordered to pay $17,500 in damages to several homosexuals, as a result of a flyer he distributed in Regina between September 2001 and April 2002. Whatcott’s literature contained warnings against the dangers of a homosexual lifestyle. The province’s Human Rights Tribunal deemed it was “hate speech” and ordered Whatcott to pay homosexual Guy Taylor $2,500 and $5,000 each to homosexuals Brenden Wallace, James Komar and Kathy Hamre for damages. The Canadian Press quoted Whatcott: “I believe homosexuality activity is a sin. To give me a $17,500 fine and say I can’t say that is, quite frankly, garbage and is not something I am going to abide by. If I have to sit in jail for the rest of my life, I am not going to be quiet.” The offending messages included, “Our children will pay the price in disease, death, abuse if we do not say ‘no’ to the sodomite desire to socialize your children into accepting something that is clearly wrong,” and “Sodomites are 430 times more likely to acquire AIDS and three times more likely to sexually abuse children!” Whatcott added Bible verses referring to homosexuality, noting, “The Bible is clear that homosexuality is an abomination.”
OTTAWA — Canadian government officials, claiming sperm shortages for artificial insemination, are calling for sperm donors. Health Canada is calling on reproductive clinics for aid “to develop and implement strategies to recruit altruistic (not-for-pay) donations of sperm and eggs in Canada.” Health Canada added: “The information gathered will be made available to all (reproductive) clinics across the country, to help them recruit altruistic donors and will be used by Health Canada to inform its policy development process,” Tanya Granic, a spokesperson for Campaign Life Coalition, said, “This act is an embarrassment to Canadians and an insult to taxpayers … is this the place the Liberal government feels it needs to place its attention?”
LONDON, Ont.— Julie Glaser, a London homosexual activist, is outraged that any city of London councillors are allowed to disagree with her. Glaser objected to the participation of city councillors Ab Chahbar and Rob Alder in a rally for the protection of the traditional definition of marriage and has demanded a public apology from not only the councillors, but also city council. Glaser, as well as the London Association for the Elimination of Hate, condemned Chahbar and Alder, labelling their participation in the rally hatred. LAEH said, “Councillors Ab Chahbar and Rob Alder are sending out a strong message to this community and across the country; unfortunately, a very negative message,” Glaser said. “I am afraid we live in an intolerant community,” leading one wag to note that it was her call for the councillors to be censored that was intolerant. Chahbar dismissed the notion that he was being homophobic, noting that he was expressing a legitimate religious point of view: “Nobody is going to tell me what to say or not say.” |
