Fundie Homohaters Now "Praying (Driving Out) teh Gay" From Their Homes

[RetiredTrotskyite]

Fundie nutbags in Toronto have a campaign to drive GLBT couples out of their homes. Already one lesbian couple has been driven out of their home and neighborhood.

Having worked for a Catholic organization in the past, plus being someone who generally enjoys religion despite its crazy faults, I've been to my fair share of vigils. Vigils to end the death penalty? Too many to count. Vigils to stop the war? Multiple times. Vigils to end cancer? Yup (and that one was quite moving).

There's definitely a time and place for throwing a vigil. There's also a wrong time and place to throw a vigil, not to mention a totally senseless and ridiculous time to throw a vigil. Case in point, a group of anti-gay religious leaders in Toronto who dressed up in suits and carried their Bibles to a house in Leslieville. Their goal? To pray away gay residents from the neighborhood.

Yes, to paraphrase Bon Jovi, these are the types of peeps who give religion a bad name.

The folks came from a Church known as Highfield Road Gospel Hall. They go door-to-door carrying out their evangelical mission, but when they stumble upon a gay household, the apparently page other members of their flock to organize a demonstration. And they've been successful at least once before, driving a lesbian couple so batty that the couple decided to move.

Video of the demonstration is after the jump. Thankfully, many residents in the neighborhood decided to confront the folks at Highfield Road Gospel Hall. These neighbors saw the demonstration as nothing short of bullying and harassment. Which is essentially what it's called when you show up at the doorstep of someone's home and call them a sinner.

Per the Torontoist: "What makes this incident noteworthy is its context within Toronto's relatively tolerant religious commixture: overzealous evangelism is uncommon here, and this type of interference is seen by many as a form of harassment. Torontonians are known for welcoming people of all beliefs into the cultural fabric, but we're also protective of our citizens' right to live in peace."

Yes, don't let this incident give Toronto a bad name.

http://gayrights.change.org/blog/view/you_cant_pray_gay_people_away_from_their_homes

http://www.edgeboston.com/index.php?ch=news&sc=&sc2=news&sc3=&id=109456

[LostinVA]

1. Honest question: is this not harassment under Canadian law?

And, maybe even a hate crime?

[RetiredTrotskyite]

2. I Would Think So...

Time to start suing these creeps. You got to pay if you want to play. Also restraining order would be a great idea. But people need to get together and hold their officials responsible to do something about this.

[Not Me]

3. Time to "Water the Lawn"

"Oh, did I get you wet? I am so sorry.

[RKP5637]

4. Time to get the shotgun out! n/t

[HillWilliam]

5. That's precisely what would happen

if it were my yard. I don't live in Canada. But that's why I have shotguns.

[NMMNG]

6. Run them off with humor

A couple of scantily clad male go-go dancers would probably do the trick with those uptight ninnies. (It's worked with the Phelps clan before.) Some of the neighborhood guys might be willing to take up the task, particularly if it meant getting rid of the idiots.

[gh2]

7. "apparently" is the key word - story needs to be fact checked

This group wasn't targeting this house or even preaching against gays.

Their response to this story is listed here

http://life.nationalpost.com/2010/08/24/street-preachers-deny-homophobia/

Their beliefs are found here www.gospelhall.org

[MNBrewer]

8. gag....cough.... sputter

“It’s not like we’re going, forcing religion down people’s throats.”

[LostinVA]

9. That article does NOT discredit the charge of homophobia

Nice try.

:eyes:

[RetiredTrotskyite]

10. Bullshit!!!

And if people want to be evangelized they know where the churches of their choice are.