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Saturday, 21 June 2008

Blessed be buggered!

The gay marchers of Brighton are going to get religion whether they want it or not, it seems.

For the second year running, the Rev. Debbie Gaston will "bless the Brighton Pride parade", according to this story on the GaydarNation website.

Not only will atheists and agnostics have to be "blessed", but those of religions other than Christianity, too. The story continues:

The vicar from the Brightwaves Metropolitan Community Church will give the parade her holy best wishes before it goes on its way through the streets of Brighton on Saturday 2 August.

How outrageous. It reminds me of when, some years ago, the Terrence Higgins Trust used to have prayers said at its candlelight vigils in Trafalgar Square (which GALHA managed to put a stop to), the blessing of the banner at Leicester Pride a while ago and the long-running column in Gay News entitled "Our God Too"!

A service is being held for Pride the following day, anyway. Surely, Christians could just go to that, or hold one before the march so those who actually wish to be "blessed" can be "blessed".

It's good that churches such as the MCC are taking part, along with countless other groups, no doubt, but isn't it a bit presumptuous to believe that the entire march will feel better for having a Christian "blessing"?
Posted

1 comment:

  1. AnonymousMon Jun 23, 09:50:00 am BST

    What I find objectionable is that the organisers of Pride Brighton should give extra status to someone because of their belief in what they call a religion.

    They would do so for a mere philosophy.

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