Holy editor says 'No' to gay pride

22 August 2011 - 02:43 By ANGELA GILLHAM
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A war of words has erupted between the publisher of a small Eastern Cape newspaper and organisers of Port Elizabeth's first gay-pride march - the paper has refused to publicise the event because "homosexuals are acting directly against the word of God".

The row began last week when organisers of the event, "Born This Way", received an e-mail from the publisher of the EC Mirror in which it was asked to take the newspaper off its mailing list.

"As far as I understand it, Pride is an organisation which promotes and sympathises with the cause of homosexuals. However, practising homosexuals are acting directly against God's holy word as laid down in the Bible.

"So, although we are not judging practising homosexuals (God is the only judge of all our actions) we wish to try to live in accordance with God's principles.

"Therefore we will not be promoting this kind of function at all. Please do not send us anything to do with Pride," the e-mail said.

Organiser and Eastern Cape Gay and Lesbian Association member David Hessey said: "Pride is about tolerance and love, which is God's holy word. If you were a Christian you would know that.

"I empathise with everyone's rights to be who they are, and do not tolerate any people that discriminate against anyone for race, religion or sexual orientation.

"This is made clear in all the holy books of all religions and also in the Constitution of this country. If you want to be intolerant, so be it, that is your choice and not God's."

Websites have carried reports of the newspaper's stand and it has been discussed on social networking sites.

Hessey said: "We have been given so much more publicity than before this happened."

Asked for comment, EC Mirror publisher Robbie Hift hung up and did not respond to further calls or to an e-mail. Hift is a Jeffreys Bay author who has published books about the town and a religious work, The Call to Worship .

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