Due to some physical handicaps I unfortunatly was not able to visit two project's events on the weekend, instead I had to lay on the terrace in the sun, learning some spanish, writing mails, eating strawberries. How sad!
Even more happily, since just in time on this saturday, there was a queer event taking place in the ISEDET - although its really hard to believe for anybody who is living here. So I did not have to move a lot to get in contact with an activist group of queer rights, the Cegla Argentina, which is formed by gay, lesbian and other queer cristians. Quite a big topic in a world which is much more formed by religion and religios conservatism then most of European places. While it's obvious what's the catholic point of view, here, also the evangelical churches think in their majority of homosexuality being a sin or at least the conduction of it. Many of them might be even stricter then the often laissez-faire day-to-day life in catholic congregrations. Especially the big movements from the US, the Pentecostal churches, but also other "historical" protestant churches formulate a hard standpoint. Among some popular answers on homosexuality, one can get healed from the demon directly in some services in Buenos Aires or participate in a group of Exodus International ("freedom is possible").
In this cultural context, the church I am working for, the IERP, can surely be seen to be one of the most liberal evangelical churches in Latinamerica. Nevertheless, so far it also followed the strategy of the three apes and never stated a clear opinion on the issue of homosexuality. Now time has to change. The case of an openly gay vicar, has forced the IERP to work in an official comission on the issue. While it might just serve to delay any answer, or even worse, state against homosexuality, my hope is, that they find a way to open the doors to the queer folk . It would be the first official statement of evangelical churches in the cono sur of the issue.
But back to the movie night: Astonishing many people were visiting the movie, and while looking around I couldn't help but wonder, that there were obviously some people in my religios sourrounding being more attached to the issue then I ever expected. To me it demonstrated that church, maybe due to Jesus' central message of love, has always attracted also the queers. Even more impressive was a second situation that night. I talked to one of my housemates about the movie. After watching the sad and at the same time optimistic stories of 4 cristian families in the US struggling with a homosexual child, she told me that yes, its a good movie, but she is still not quite convinced that homosexuality really could not be a sin. With all my commitment to the issue, I first thought that she makes an ironical joke. Well, but after talking a bit more, it turned out to be her serios thinking. Confrontated with varios forms of homophobia in my life, from violent aggression in Cologne to right wing confrontations in Krakow, that was the first time that I met somebody being so formed by its cultural background, that their was simply no doubt in stating something like that. Wow. It might be a good example for the conservative parts of my sourrounding here. Afterwards I told her about my own orientation and I am sure their will be some more dialogue in these days about the topic. As well, as in the commission of the IERP. And I will keep you informed!
Even more happily, since just in time on this saturday, there was a queer event taking place in the ISEDET - although its really hard to believe for anybody who is living here. So I did not have to move a lot to get in contact with an activist group of queer rights, the Cegla Argentina, which is formed by gay, lesbian and other queer cristians. Quite a big topic in a world which is much more formed by religion and religios conservatism then most of European places. While it's obvious what's the catholic point of view, here, also the evangelical churches think in their majority of homosexuality being a sin or at least the conduction of it. Many of them might be even stricter then the often laissez-faire day-to-day life in catholic congregrations. Especially the big movements from the US, the Pentecostal churches, but also other "historical" protestant churches formulate a hard standpoint. Among some popular answers on homosexuality, one can get healed from the demon directly in some services in Buenos Aires or participate in a group of Exodus International ("freedom is possible").
In this cultural context, the church I am working for, the IERP, can surely be seen to be one of the most liberal evangelical churches in Latinamerica. Nevertheless, so far it also followed the strategy of the three apes and never stated a clear opinion on the issue of homosexuality. Now time has to change. The case of an openly gay vicar, has forced the IERP to work in an official comission on the issue. While it might just serve to delay any answer, or even worse, state against homosexuality, my hope is, that they find a way to open the doors to the queer folk . It would be the first official statement of evangelical churches in the cono sur of the issue.
But back to the movie night: Astonishing many people were visiting the movie, and while looking around I couldn't help but wonder, that there were obviously some people in my religios sourrounding being more attached to the issue then I ever expected. To me it demonstrated that church, maybe due to Jesus' central message of love, has always attracted also the queers. Even more impressive was a second situation that night. I talked to one of my housemates about the movie. After watching the sad and at the same time optimistic stories of 4 cristian families in the US struggling with a homosexual child, she told me that yes, its a good movie, but she is still not quite convinced that homosexuality really could not be a sin. With all my commitment to the issue, I first thought that she makes an ironical joke. Well, but after talking a bit more, it turned out to be her serios thinking. Confrontated with varios forms of homophobia in my life, from violent aggression in Cologne to right wing confrontations in Krakow, that was the first time that I met somebody being so formed by its cultural background, that their was simply no doubt in stating something like that. Wow. It might be a good example for the conservative parts of my sourrounding here. Afterwards I told her about my own orientation and I am sure their will be some more dialogue in these days about the topic. As well, as in the commission of the IERP. And I will keep you informed!
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