Latvian religious leaders discuss gay issues
12/03/2007
By
Juris Lavrikovs
I found yet another disturbing article on website of the christian sect 'New Generation', one of the most vocal opponents of gay rights in Latvia. Below is my translation of this article, it can be found in Russian (plus images from that meeting) on their website:
http://newgeneration.lv/rus/novosti/?doc=2292
Meeting on the highest level
10.03.2007.
Last Saturday US human rights activists Scott Lively and Kenneth Hutcherson continued their visit to Riga. Half of the day they explored the city, its landmarks and learned its history. Later there was a meeting which surely can be described as the most important.
It was a meeting organised by Janis Vanags, Archbishop of the Latvian Evangelical Lutheran Church, where leaders and representatives of all main denominations of Latvia met at the Consistory (governing body of the LELC).
Janis Pujats, Cardinal of the Latvian Roman Catholics, Peteris Sprogis, Bishops of the Latvian Baptist Union, Aleksejs Ledjajevs, pastor of the ‘New Generation’ church, Vilnis Gleske, pastor of the ‘Joyful News’ church, Viesturs Rekis, Bishop of the Latvian Seventh Day Adventists, Janis Ozolnkevics, leader of the Pentecost church, father Nikolai Tihomirov, representative of the Russian Orthodox church attended the meeting with Scott Lively and Kenneth Hutcherson.
Janis Smits, chairman of the Parliamentary Human Rights and Social Affairs Committee, Talivaldis Talbergs, president of the Latvian Christian radio, Inta Feldmane, MP, and Aina Krukle, representative of the Riga City Council and others also participated in this discussion.
Interesting fact – the US guests did not need introduction - their human rights and anti-gay movement activities widely known in Latvia.
This meeting was chaired by Talivaldis Talbergs. We live in difficult times, he says, when a human being is surrounded by many problems which they cannot resolve. And this leads to idea that we need to unite our efforts, our intellectual and financial resources. Therefore today’s meeting provides new and fruitful step on how to overcome the issues of the day, he stressed.
Later the floor was given to K. Hutcherson. It is a huge honour for me to be in such a company, he says, and I will try to be useful in resolving the problems which we all care about. Homosexual pressure is experienced today by many countries. Where the danger was not identified timely and the destructing forces of homosexualism were not evaluated timely, we see how homosexualism is spearing widely and becoming legal. There many countries on the world today where same-sex marriages are leaglised, where same-sex adoption in possible, where education of a new generation is based on sexual diversity and family transformation. We need to talk today about the fact that the people simple overlook how homosexualism step by step forcefully taking space.
This topic was developed by Cardinal Janis Pujats. He touched upon the subject how Latvia is faced with fact of indoctrination of homosexual culture in widest layers of society. We learned that organisation of sexual minorities Mozaika developed a national programme of tolerance and calling on a state level to educate on civil tolerance, respect towards people of different sexual orientation. The programme was accepted by the government for consideration and agreed in principle. Nobody was confused that the programme is not discussed within society and the church was not informed about this programme. And only after a stir was raised in society this lengthy document was sent to cardinal Pujats. He expressed his view asking several questions – to consider or nor gays, lesbians, bisexuals as risk group? If ‘yes’ what legal equality we can talk? What is meant by the terms of ‘sexual orientation discrimination’ if these people already equal in their rights with all other people? The US human rights activists considered these arguments very important and interesting. They asked to make a translation of the text into English that they can let know the US society.
Janis Smits told how professionally homosexuals’ organisations work using international support. He provided the participants of the meeting a lengthy document prepared by Mozaika and which demonstrates that this organisations has its ‘hands’ and ‘ears’ everywhere. This document event quotes MP and politicians’ expressions and recommendations to supporters and opponents of homosexuals made at the lobby. All this is evidence that these sexual minorities are well organised force.
Main question asked by all present was absence of a plan of resistance, united centre able to resolve organisations and practical issues. Aleksejs Ledjajevs, pastor of the ‘New Generation’ church expressed concrete ideas – first of all we need to unite our efforts of religious and non-governmental organisations. It is important to organise wide educational work to teach people what dander they are facing. Society needs to use the rights of a majority to resolve any issues in a democratic way and not the way of lobbying legislative amendment prepared by homosexuals. This meeting is important step to start consolidation of our efforts, Ledjajevs stressed.
Concluding the meeting Talivaldis Talbergs called on all present to continue joint efforts and with a help of Dr Scott Lively to develop joint concluding document which coule become a declaration of Christians churches reflecting their views and principles on homosexual culture and its spread in society.
Latvia is a Christian country, Kenneth Hutcherson stressed, and we need to do everything to ensure that even in the European Union it does not loose its principles. It is a holy right of any nation to decide I what society to live.
http://newgeneration.lv/rus/novosti/?doc=2292
Meeting on the highest level
10.03.2007.
Last Saturday US human rights activists Scott Lively and Kenneth Hutcherson continued their visit to Riga. Half of the day they explored the city, its landmarks and learned its history. Later there was a meeting which surely can be described as the most important.
It was a meeting organised by Janis Vanags, Archbishop of the Latvian Evangelical Lutheran Church, where leaders and representatives of all main denominations of Latvia met at the Consistory (governing body of the LELC).
Janis Pujats, Cardinal of the Latvian Roman Catholics, Peteris Sprogis, Bishops of the Latvian Baptist Union, Aleksejs Ledjajevs, pastor of the ‘New Generation’ church, Vilnis Gleske, pastor of the ‘Joyful News’ church, Viesturs Rekis, Bishop of the Latvian Seventh Day Adventists, Janis Ozolnkevics, leader of the Pentecost church, father Nikolai Tihomirov, representative of the Russian Orthodox church attended the meeting with Scott Lively and Kenneth Hutcherson.
Janis Smits, chairman of the Parliamentary Human Rights and Social Affairs Committee, Talivaldis Talbergs, president of the Latvian Christian radio, Inta Feldmane, MP, and Aina Krukle, representative of the Riga City Council and others also participated in this discussion.
Interesting fact – the US guests did not need introduction - their human rights and anti-gay movement activities widely known in Latvia.
This meeting was chaired by Talivaldis Talbergs. We live in difficult times, he says, when a human being is surrounded by many problems which they cannot resolve. And this leads to idea that we need to unite our efforts, our intellectual and financial resources. Therefore today’s meeting provides new and fruitful step on how to overcome the issues of the day, he stressed.
Later the floor was given to K. Hutcherson. It is a huge honour for me to be in such a company, he says, and I will try to be useful in resolving the problems which we all care about. Homosexual pressure is experienced today by many countries. Where the danger was not identified timely and the destructing forces of homosexualism were not evaluated timely, we see how homosexualism is spearing widely and becoming legal. There many countries on the world today where same-sex marriages are leaglised, where same-sex adoption in possible, where education of a new generation is based on sexual diversity and family transformation. We need to talk today about the fact that the people simple overlook how homosexualism step by step forcefully taking space.
This topic was developed by Cardinal Janis Pujats. He touched upon the subject how Latvia is faced with fact of indoctrination of homosexual culture in widest layers of society. We learned that organisation of sexual minorities Mozaika developed a national programme of tolerance and calling on a state level to educate on civil tolerance, respect towards people of different sexual orientation. The programme was accepted by the government for consideration and agreed in principle. Nobody was confused that the programme is not discussed within society and the church was not informed about this programme. And only after a stir was raised in society this lengthy document was sent to cardinal Pujats. He expressed his view asking several questions – to consider or nor gays, lesbians, bisexuals as risk group? If ‘yes’ what legal equality we can talk? What is meant by the terms of ‘sexual orientation discrimination’ if these people already equal in their rights with all other people? The US human rights activists considered these arguments very important and interesting. They asked to make a translation of the text into English that they can let know the US society.
Janis Smits told how professionally homosexuals’ organisations work using international support. He provided the participants of the meeting a lengthy document prepared by Mozaika and which demonstrates that this organisations has its ‘hands’ and ‘ears’ everywhere. This document event quotes MP and politicians’ expressions and recommendations to supporters and opponents of homosexuals made at the lobby. All this is evidence that these sexual minorities are well organised force.
Main question asked by all present was absence of a plan of resistance, united centre able to resolve organisations and practical issues. Aleksejs Ledjajevs, pastor of the ‘New Generation’ church expressed concrete ideas – first of all we need to unite our efforts of religious and non-governmental organisations. It is important to organise wide educational work to teach people what dander they are facing. Society needs to use the rights of a majority to resolve any issues in a democratic way and not the way of lobbying legislative amendment prepared by homosexuals. This meeting is important step to start consolidation of our efforts, Ledjajevs stressed.
Concluding the meeting Talivaldis Talbergs called on all present to continue joint efforts and with a help of Dr Scott Lively to develop joint concluding document which coule become a declaration of Christians churches reflecting their views and principles on homosexual culture and its spread in society.
Latvia is a Christian country, Kenneth Hutcherson stressed, and we need to do everything to ensure that even in the European Union it does not loose its principles. It is a holy right of any nation to decide I what society to live.
