religious fundamentalism

Christina Engela's picture

Will The Real Ruling Party Please Stand Up?

Submitted by Christina Engela on 11 March, 2010 - 10:39
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What the hell is going on in South African politics?

The ANC has been coming apart at the seams since last year, with the split that resulted in the formation of COPE - something that seems to be continuing today with the threats of the President being removed through internal politic. A blood-feud between the ANC, SACP and Cosatu goes beyond threatening to tear their fragile alliance apart - and is actually making good on it. Chaos is a theme these days it appears, with mounting evidence of growing conservatism in the halls of government and a generous infusion of religious fundamentalism to boot.

If you look at the past two years or so, we've had quite a ride. Hate speech in the media by Jon Qwelane - the homophobic bigot journalist expected to appear before the Equality Court for his hate speech, who has been appointed Ambassador to Uganda while having mysteriously vanished at the same time - a curious state of affairs indeed. Next, we shall probably hear he has been in Kampala all along, carrying out duties there on behalf of the SA government (and all the taxpayers whose rights and dignity he publicly defecated on in his article in which he equated to pedophilia, bestiality and incest - and refused to apologize).

Last year, the Minister of Home Affairs threatened to table a bill to place a global ban on pornography - which less savvy people failed to realize would in effect open the door wide for the re-introduction of state censorship of all media. This in the midst of the de facto Government-slash-ruling party take-over of the national broadcasting service.
Christina Engela's picture

Churches, Always Keep It Real - Remember, I'm Watching You

Submitted by Christina Engela on 11 March, 2010 - 01:08
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Have you seen this? Billboards and media coverage all over Johannesburg. Go have a look now - this is what you will see:

"Men be men. Women be women.

Real men are in short supply. Children are missing them. Women are missing them. The city is missing them. And what is a real man anyway? Boozing with the boys, posing at the gym, looking slick in a suit, or sipping herbal tea during a facial? Will the real man please step forward! Drawing from the book of Proverbs, this series will help men be men, women be women."

The participating churches as listed are:

"GODFIRST
KEYSTONE CHURCH
URBAN LIFE
SANDTON CITY CHURCH
JUNCTION CHURCH
CITY LIFE CHURCH
EASTSIDE CHURCH"

Wow, that's arrogant.

Billboards don't come cheap. And some ass-hat also registered a domain and built a website to promote this horse manure as well. Somebody really, really wants to get this message out there Obviously some churches have way too much money to waste on telling people how to live. What a load of misogynistic, sexist bullshit!
Christina Engela's picture

Survival Of The Oldest

Submitted by Christina Engela on 8 March, 2010 - 15:46
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What came first? Gay and trans people or religion? Far from setting off another "chicken or the egg" debate, I'm being quite serious. What is the answer? Well, since we are a part of the human species, it is fairly obvious to me that we did, long before some bright, inspired person invented gods and a need to believe in something - or to make up stories to threaten the kids to eat their yak-butter or the Great Glarp would come and steal them away in the darkness.

These days, there are many enemies of human rights, equality and the right of everyone to walk freely as equals together. Of these, there are Pride, Envy, Hatred - but to me, the worst at the present time, is religion - specifically in our case in the West and South - the Christian Church, a sprawling body of mis-matched groups that can often not agree on a single thing - except on who to hate, persecute and oppress.

Us.

Somebody once said: "To be rid of ones enemies, outlive them". I'm not sure who this was, but I am fairly certain it was somebody very wise. I am drawn to wonder if he or she is still alive.
Christina Engela's picture

It's Our Turn Now

Submitted by Christina Engela on 3 March, 2010 - 12:12
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If I can accept into church a straight person who may be a gambler, a closet alcoholic - or a tattoo artist or shellfish salesman, why do some take issues with us for being gay, bi, transgender or intersex?

Did we make ourselves? They believe God made everyone - except us. Somehow, we were supposedly responsible for making ourselves. We are in their eyes, illegitimate - while they see themselves as blessed, righteous and perfect.

Hypocrisy.

I will say it again: HYPOCRISY.

Because they think we will not stand up for ourselves. Because they think nobody else will take our part. Because they have forgotten the church is God's house - and they are NOT God.

Last week I engaged in a spirited debate on a Facebook group set up to support Ecclesia de Lange, a Methodist minister who has been dismissed by the Methodist Church of SA for marrying her long time girlfriend, Amanda in a private ceremony which was performed by another church denomination. I was debating with a man calling himself a Christian, whose argument proved to me that he held no affiliation with the same Christ figure that came to this Earth to love all people abundantly, inclusively and unconditionally.

This argument by Amiel Joshua indicates to me the schizophrenic nature of the Christian religion, not just today, but as it has always been.

If the spirit of Christ is missing from the church, what does that say of the church? Is it still "Christianity" - or is it "Ianity"?

Let's pick up where we left off yesterday.
Christina Engela's picture

Revival of the Fittest

Submitted by Christina Engela on 2 March, 2010 - 08:34
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Its not that God isn't a God of love, patience, kindness etc... it's just that some people who claim to follow God aren't - and see fit to single others out - but not themselves.

While I have been a Christian and now consider myself an agnostic and spiritual, I differ personally in my views of the value of the bible as any form of authority as it has been shown to have been manipulated and edited to suit those who use it as an instrument of control. This is of course, a point which is actively disputed by those who happen to agree with points of view which are bolstered and encouraged by these manipulations, mistranslations and other errors in a document which many would use as a rule-book by which to live, run society, judge others, and even condemn people to death.

Let me make it clear in no uncertain terms that that document, while having value as a set of rough guidelines and inspirational verse, is not infallible, inerrant or even an authority.
Christina Engela's picture

Hate Is Not A Religion

Submitted by Christina Engela on 22 February, 2010 - 18:18
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It is not a new thing in the world for people to call and campaign for the death penalty for gay people 'as punishment' for being gay, although it certainly is fairly new on the political scene in South Africa.

This is a disturbing trend among radical gay-hating people, who are usually fanatical fundamentalists or literalists ascribing to one of many religions. Their hatred for those who differ from themselves overflows and overrules common sense, logic and compassion for fellow human beings. We can only attribute its arrival here to the heavy influence of the American religious right groupings who have overrun the US Republican Party and used the gay community as a scapegoat and rallying point to try and institute a theocracy in that country over the past 8 years - and certainly the dangers of mixing religion with politics can be seen in this. For many years right wing fundamentalist "missionaries" have been coming to SA and assisting these groups under the guise of "church planting".

Many groups have sprung up in SA which were inspired by and even named after US groups and who followed their lead in persecuting the pink community. In many cases even the rhetoric they espouse is supplied by the foreign groups. Sadly this ideology and fanaticism seems to have found a home in South Africa in the form of "ex-gay" groups and political parties such as the ACDP and CDA.
Christina Engela's picture

Lead, Follow Or Get Out Of The Way

Submitted by Christina Engela on 18 February, 2010 - 01:50
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Herewith an exclusive special offer - Full Membership of the Methodist Church of South Africa - if you are straight, perfect and sinless - and 2nd Class Membership if you happen to be gay and desperate enough to put up with our hypocritical bullshit to enter the House of God (cough, cough) - but that's just because we can't actually ban you (on account of that annoying Constitution), so we'll just let you in and annoy you, exclude you while seeming to include everybody, keep you at a distance and shame you into eventually going away when you get sick of bashing your head on that well-placed glass ceiling. Welcome to the Methodist Church of South Africa, where we take the Christ out of Christianity.

Last night I posted an article on the dismissal of Ecclesia de Lange, a Methodist minister, for daring to marry her partner. It seems that her being lesbian and a minister was not really an issue here, but the fact that she chose to formalize her relationship with her partner over what the church still views generally as "living in sin", is. Such things force me to question the morality of the Church, the hypocrisy of Christians - and the precise definition of "living in sin".

Instead of grabbing this opportunity to make a real difference and to embrace our community, the leadership of the MCSA instead have just by this act alone, alienated every single GLBTI person in the country and effectively undone and sabotaged all the community building done by activists and inclusive ministers over the past few decades.
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Bonfire Of The Diversities

Submitted by Christina Engela on 16 February, 2010 - 16:30
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A few very interesting things have grabbed my attention in the international news this week and I thought I would mention them here.

Right at the top of the list, possibly because I am transgender myself, I want to mention that "France has become the first country in the world to declassify transgenderism as a mental illness. A health minister signalled the change would be made last May and this was confirmed last week by a government decree." And about bloody time too! I can't wait to see which countries will follow this sterling example.

"South African man wins Mr Gay World 2010 A South African man has scooped the title of Mr Gay World 2010. Charl Van den Berg, a 28-year-old restaurateur from Cape Town, was named the winner at a ceremony in Oslo, Norway, yesterday." Fantastic! This is one of the first good reasons I have had to feel proud of this country in ages!

"The European Parliament has confirmed that upholding LGBT rights is a condition for nations to join the European Union"- this is fantastic, and means that if any other country in Europe wishes to join the EU they WILL have to respect and uphold the civil rights and equality of the pink community within their borders." I only hope this will also apply retroactively to all countries ALREADY members of the EU, on pain of expulsion or other penalties should they go back on this principle.
Christina Engela's picture

These Colors Don't Run

Submitted by Christina Engela on 9 February, 2010 - 16:20
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Considering the events of the past few days, weeks and months - it is quite easy for me to feel negative - but I am not going to.

Nope. Not me, not today.

If you're wondering why, I will tell you. Because there are folks out there who want us to fail, they want our community to be complacent and silent and happy with the way things are. They love our apathy and false sense of security. They love it when we sit quietly by and accept every slap in the face and every kick in the butt they deliver. And because being negative will play into their hands, I am inclined to not play along.

I dance to my own tune, folks, I drum my own beat.
Christina Engela's picture

Mob Rule

Submitted by Christina Engela on 1 February, 2010 - 07:55
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Unfortunately, it is human nature for people to hate and despise what they don't understand, and to torture and kill those whom they don't want to understand. When such groups of people are presented to larger groups as a threat, or a scapegoat, they often seize the opportunity to point out that "there are more of us, so you must be wrong, unnatural and evil". It also needs to be said that such people, when placed in control of a government - certainly don't need to understand. They just need someone to blame.

"It is their fault for the bad rains, the earthquakes, the floods, the tsunami's - all because we tolerate their existence" these people claim. Some can see reason and sense in the likelihood that nature and tectonic crust movements could be governed by noble morals and the ritual sacrifice of minorities made guilty of manufactured crimes by prejudice and bigotry. People in the hot-seat point fingers in order to shift blame and to cling to power. Give the mob someone to blame, anyone to keep them busy and focused on someone else, anyone else but me. Ah, the ancient art of misdirection. It is an old, old story, as old as the pyramids, if not even older.
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