Dear Friends,
Thank you for your comments in the video I posted entitled "Homosexuality and Orthodox Christian Faith". I see it again, and I understand exactly how you felt watching it. I am truly sorry for the inconvenience I have caused and apologise for my unfortunate choice.
Many times a number of deeply religious LGBTI people communicate with me. As for many other people, for these people too religion is an important, internal matter that gives meaning to their lives and is part of their identity.
There are many religious LGBTI people in our country and are torn between the church's anti-LGBTI rhetoric and the LGBTI community's rhetoric against the church. Rhetoric that creates polarization, intransigence and confrontation.
It is important that these individuals do not feel excluded from the LGBT community because of their religious beliefs, without being able to express themselves or feel safe. They should not feel judged by us who realize first and foremost rejection and disapproval.
For this reason, I consider it important to make every effort to bridge opinions that seem impossible to co-exist. Additionally it is equally important to separate religion and the Church. An LGBTI person is able, and has the right, to be religious without identifying with all of the doctines of the Church of Cyprus. They should feel comfortable to do so, without fearing the reactions of his community, whether that's the religious or the LGBTI.
The church's view of homosexuality and LGBT people is difficult to substantiate, especially with the rhetoric used by its current representatives. But the recent example of the head of the Catholic Church, Pope Francis, proves that nothing is impossible when the right person is in the right place at the right time.
IIn our case, this is obviously not the case. This does not mean, however, that we must stop looking for bridges of communication, seeking first to change the rhetoric used by the Church of Cyprus when referring to our community, in a way that allows dialogue and does not seek to drag it away.
I considered the video I posted to be an example of how someone who expresses church positions can talk about homosexuality without resorting to provocations and debauchery. Obviously my choice was misplaced and thank you for your honest comments that helped me realize that the point I was trying to make is a matter of lesser importance than the substance of the positions it expresses.
What are your positions on the issue of homosexuality and orthodoxy? Is this a place you think we need to insist on?
Did you face problems, discrimination or love from clergy or people close to the church personally?
Leave a comment below or send me a message here or info@gavrielides.com.