Post by askold on Mar 22, 2011 14:27:41 GMT -5
There is an (vile, hateful, stupid) campaign in Finland called "Älä alistu" or "Do not submit". This campaing is organised by a finnish christian youth organisation, backed up by several other lutheran organisations, and it encourages people to ignore peer pressure and be true to themselves. ...As long as they aren't gay.
The spokesperson for the campaign is a young woman "Anni" (her name has been changed to protect her.) who has a youtube video where she explains how she was cured of being bisexual with help from God. In the video she tells about her youth and how she was in love with a girl. Then she met another girl who helped her and asked if she could pray for Anni. Anni agreed to this and during the prayer she saw a vision of God. Later she went to a christian camp and was "cured" of her "gayness."
The campaign used to "Jos murhaaja voi tehdä parannuksen, niin miksei homokin" / "If murdereds can amend their ways, then why couldn't homosexuals."
That's right, being gay is as bad as murdering people.
Unsuprisingly that one sentence has ended up in every news report about the campaing. Personally I feel disgusted with this campaign, but most of all I am suprised. I actually believed that we would be better than this.
Even more amazing are the campaing organizers which include several organisations that are part of the Finnish Lutheran church. Although I was not suprised to find Luther foundation on the list. This organisation is made up from the finnish priests who oppose female priests (priestesses?) and same sex marriages.
www.nuotta.com/en/node/1879
The campaign is on this site, but I couldn't find an english translation.
The Youtube video can be found here, but atleast yet it does not have subtitles. www.youtube.com/watch?v=JfPjTvTx5-U
Comments have been turned off because of "threats and hateful texts."
After watching the video it appears that her choice was a bit more complex than just becoming ultra-religious. She says that while being with a woman she didn't "feel like a woman," that in such a relationship one person always is the masculine one. She herself didn't feel comfortable unless she felt like a "woman" and she didn't wan't to force another woman to experience that.
Just like the recent debate over gay marriages it is clear that most Finns either support or are ambivalent about the LGBT rights. This has caused the homophobics and fundamentalists to become even louder to make up the fact that they are on the losing side.
Also of note is that our elections are coming soon and this campaign might affect that as well. When the "Christian democrats" spoke against gay marriage they received an wave of new people joining the party. (1'000-2'000 compared to the 30'000 who left the state church in protest.)
And finally I can't get over the fact that their message is so self contradicting. Be yourself (but don't be gay) Don't let others control you (SUBMIT TO THE WILL OF GOD!) Do you think that being allowed to do what you want, as long as you follow the rules set by the society is freedom? (Be free BY FOLLOWING THE RULES SET BY GOD!) They even admit that the bible is a contradi I tried to ponder this and now my brains are trying to escape trough my ears.
The spokesperson for the campaign is a young woman "Anni" (her name has been changed to protect her.) who has a youtube video where she explains how she was cured of being bisexual with help from God. In the video she tells about her youth and how she was in love with a girl. Then she met another girl who helped her and asked if she could pray for Anni. Anni agreed to this and during the prayer she saw a vision of God. Later she went to a christian camp and was "cured" of her "gayness."
The campaign used to "Jos murhaaja voi tehdä parannuksen, niin miksei homokin" / "If murdereds can amend their ways, then why couldn't homosexuals."
That's right, being gay is as bad as murdering people.
Unsuprisingly that one sentence has ended up in every news report about the campaing. Personally I feel disgusted with this campaign, but most of all I am suprised. I actually believed that we would be better than this.
Even more amazing are the campaing organizers which include several organisations that are part of the Finnish Lutheran church. Although I was not suprised to find Luther foundation on the list. This organisation is made up from the finnish priests who oppose female priests (priestesses?) and same sex marriages.
www.nuotta.com/en/node/1879
The campaign is on this site, but I couldn't find an english translation.
The Youtube video can be found here, but atleast yet it does not have subtitles. www.youtube.com/watch?v=JfPjTvTx5-U
Comments have been turned off because of "threats and hateful texts."
After watching the video it appears that her choice was a bit more complex than just becoming ultra-religious. She says that while being with a woman she didn't "feel like a woman," that in such a relationship one person always is the masculine one. She herself didn't feel comfortable unless she felt like a "woman" and she didn't wan't to force another woman to experience that.
Just like the recent debate over gay marriages it is clear that most Finns either support or are ambivalent about the LGBT rights. This has caused the homophobics and fundamentalists to become even louder to make up the fact that they are on the losing side.
Also of note is that our elections are coming soon and this campaign might affect that as well. When the "Christian democrats" spoke against gay marriage they received an wave of new people joining the party. (1'000-2'000 compared to the 30'000 who left the state church in protest.)
And finally I can't get over the fact that their message is so self contradicting. Be yourself (but don't be gay) Don't let others control you (SUBMIT TO THE WILL OF GOD!) Do you think that being allowed to do what you want, as long as you follow the rules set by the society is freedom? (Be free BY FOLLOWING THE RULES SET BY GOD!) They even admit that the bible is a contradi I tried to ponder this and now my brains are trying to escape trough my ears.
