Religious denominations protest Gender Policy in Orange Walk
The Christian anti-gay movement has gone on tour of the country to promote the message that persons who are lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender should not enjoy the same rights as heterosexual men and women. The movement gained some momentum when LGBT poster boy Caleb Orozco took on the Attorney-General in a legal battle to amend section fifty-three of Belize’s Criminal Code. With the decision in that case due later this month, the anti-gay warriors have turned their sights on the National Gender Policy. They say the wording is ambiguous and may be interpreted as giving rights to homosexuals. Today, those Christian soldiers joined with the Association of Evangelical Pastors and Churches in Orange Walk in a march and rally to say NO to the Gender Policy, but what they’re really saying is NO to homosexuality. Mike Rudon has the story.
With placards proclaiming the sanctity of the constitution, condemning the National Gender Policy and promoting heterosexual union, about two hundred pastors, church-goers, supporters and anti-gay activists paraded on the main streets of Orange Walk today. That was followed by an old-fashioned fire and brimstone rally at the Barracks led by some familiar faces in the cause.
Louis Wade, Pastor
“The people of Belize need to choose who they will listen to. That the people of this nation will decide for themselves who is speaking the truth and who is speaking the lie from the fires of hell.”
Patrick Menzies, Activist
“That’s equal rights to male and female. If they wanna call themselves something else that is there business but God made them male and female. Giod didn’t create Adam and Steve he created Adam and Eve.”
The primary target is the gender policy. Even though Prime Minister Dean Barrow has promised to make some concessions on some of the points presented by these pastors, they simply do not believe him.
Oscar Barrera, President, Association of Evangelical Pastors and Churches
“I think as Belizean you can understand and you are aware that you cannot believe everything that our Government tells us. Hence the reason we wanted to show them. We want to action we don’t want to just sit down and lay back and listen and wait until they are ready. Hence we want to send a message. And we want to send that message throughout the country.”
Scott Stirm, Pastor
“The primary concern and preoccupation that we have with the present gender policy has to do with the fact that once you include the term sexual orientation it tweaks and it adjust the meaning of the word gender. The Prime Minster has told us that when I say gender I mean male and female exclusively. That’s not what this gender policy is saying. As Louis Wade mentioned this morning; last week Diane Haylock was on Love TV saying that gender is a social construct and you can change your gender. And what we are saying is that’s exactly what we are talking about.”
Christine Perriott, Concerned About Gender Policy
“I am studying in the US and over there they have right and I see the difference. I see where it heads to. I see all the craziness, and coming from Belize even when you have an issue over there and when you are asked your opinion I stick to the point. God made man and woman not man and man, not woman and woman not a half nothing; he made a man and a woman. Adam and Eve nothing else.”
But it was clear from the placards and comments of those who spoke on the rostrum and who attended that this is about much more than the gender policy – this is about the sinister homosexual agenda.
Scott Stirm, Pastor
“The whole homosexual agenda; it’s the beginning nuisance. It’s the attorneys that have looked over that gender policy and come back and say this is shocking. And they compared it to the 2002 gender policy and attorney are calling this thing radical extreme. And I am not talking about politically aligned attorneys, so it’s not just us that are seeing that as the church. So again if you understand that terminology you understand where it’s coming from and where it’s going. But yes the full board LGBT AGENDA. We call it the gender blender message. Diane Haylock pegged it right on the head, thank you very much for saying that. That’s what we have been saying the gender policy is saying you can change your gender. In the Peace Corp HFLE manual they identified gender identity as whatever gender somebody feels that they are at any given time. And that’s why we are saying bologna. And we are not going to allow our nation to go this direction.”
Lance Lewis, Evangelical Bible Church, Belmopan
“It’s the start of something tremendous against evil, against homosexuality, against that which is morally depraved and morally wrong. So I am glad to be part of those standing up today against the gender policy. We see it as a backward step and a step that will do more damage than world war two to this world. So we are praying to Jesus that this policy be removed and that Gods will and Gods word will triumph. And that will triumph, Jesus Christ will triumph in the name of Christ.”
Oscar Barrera, President, Association of Evangelical Churches and Pastors
“We cannot allow any of this at all to come in. And yes it has a lot to do with homosexuality. We are totally in contrary with what they are trying to input or instill in us. I think the Bible is clear concerning that; hence we want to stand up and say no we don’t allow that.”
Uplifted by the spirit of love and Christian fellowship, the crowd chanted, sang, held hands high to God and were united in one strong stance – the homosexual agenda must be sent back to the pits of hell from whence it came.
I’m sorry, but using the argument “god created adam and eve” is inadequate. I can’t believe anyone would take the creation story literally… it’s a story. A sexist story that’s demeaning to women, but that’s a whole other argument.
Can’t you see how this is no different from the racial persecution of slavery/post slavery days? In fact, one of the arguments white people made from the Bible was that god said “dark people” were abominations and creations of the Devil. I’m glad we can all agree now that’s bull.
Let’s dip back into the oppression of women pot. What was that again, oh yes, women were considered inferrer to men, should therefor have less rights than men because they couldn’t think for themselves, should be see as property of men (and all their possession become’s the husbands once married), and considered crazy and would be locked up for suffering symptoms of menopause. The Suffrage Movement forced a change in women’s role in society, and we finally got a voice. Thank the Suffrage Movement, Christine, for giving you a voice to speak out for what you apparently believe.
My point, and you can argue against it as I’m sure you all will, is that what you’re doing now, trying to stop change, trying to oppress a group within our society, is no different from the history we’ve endured. Think about that…. and then if you still feel strongly about ostracizing people for daring to change, for daring to create a world where they can live in peace, then realize… blacks won, women won, and they will win. Not this year, not next, but within the next 50 years, and there is nothing you can do to stop it!
the same immorality that is being freed in the U.S.A (gay marriages) now it is taking it’s toll, looks what’s happening to the uncle sam, is that what we want to go through? uncle sam is going down slowly due to the fact that they have forgotten the Lord, when from time ago they use to invoke God in everything now they’ve forgotten, hope we open our eyes big enough to see it, they are our mirror to watch what happens when you stray away from the Lord.
If we do not revamp this gender policy, the very law that was made to protect us as a people will be used to persecute us. We will not be able to refuse certain types of service to certain types of people for fear of being persecuted. I cannot believe Christians are still being persecuted in this day and age.
@Reanna: AND THEN YOU SHOULD READ THIS ARTICLE AND SHUT UP AFTER THAT:
http://edition.channel5belize.com/archives/87513
I am ashamed at the bigotry and ignorance of these so-called Belizean people. Educate yourselves. Learn the global perspective. This discussion is moot and the world view is changing to be more inclusive. One day, hopefully in my lifetime, inclusion will be the creed of the land. Ignorance in the mind the greatest human tragedy. We have the capability to think deeply. Unfortunately these protesters have lost that valued characteristic. Belize is being left behind. Go and fight the government on the things that matter, like fixing the economy and increasing wages, hiring better educated ministers, and the list goes on. Bringing down this law will change nothing.
“The people of Belize need to choose who they will listen to. That the people of this nation will decide for themselves who is speaking the truth and who is speaking the lie from the fires of hell.”
Indeed Louis – hopefully they will all see that it is you, Pastor Stirm, and your so-called Christian brethren who are deliberately spreading lies and misinformation across the country, in order to become more powerful, and satisfy your greed and desire to be the ones telling everyone else how to live.
I so agree with you Belizean Pride. I live in the US and I can tell you that morality is at a low, deep down low here in the US. Just yesterday, I overheard a conversation with two men and four women. One of the men said, the pictures in the magazine that they were looking in shows men and women kissing, but not men and men and women and women and that they should include the LBGT couples too, the others agreed. I just sat there thinking, wow how much more perversion will be legalized and included in our lifestyle, what will they think of next??? Anything just about goes here in the US, the land of the free. They even have bars set up like restaurants where children can enter with an adult and watch them drink and serve alcohol. They call them “inns” not bars and they are popping up everywhere. It is so sick and continues to get sicker. I am thinking about moving back to Belize when I retire. I pray and hope Belize stand firm and the government do not buy into the corruption (as if we don’t have enough already) and perversion. But it looks as if,many of those in power are homosexuals themselves so they are pushing to make this lifestyle not only legal in the USA but, ALL over the world. America is making its own mess and falling fast. I am glad many of you can see this. Cudos to those of you who were protesting in Orange Walk!!!! Continue to say no to legalizing gay unions!!!!
I DO AGREE THAT THIS WILL HAPPEN AND IS A NEW ERA OF A NEW GENERATION.. ALLL OF US OLD DINOSAURS THAT CLING TO OLD EXTTREMIST BELIEVES IN TEH NAME OF GOD WILLL DIE AND A NEW ORDER OF A NEW GENERATION MORE TOLERANT, SMART AND TECNOLOGICALLY ADVANCE IS HERE– LOOK AT THE NEW KIDS NOWADAYS… THEY ARE SMARTER AND ARE WIRED DIFERENTLY AND GET IT MORE THAN US FEAR MONGERING OLD PEOPLE.. I REMEMBER WHEN THE RADIO CAME OUT THERE WERE PEOPLE WHO TAUGHHT TI WASS THE DEVIL SPEAKING.. WHENN DIVORCE WAS BEING ALLOWED, FOR EVANGELICALS IT WOOULD BE THE NED OF THE WORLD, WITH BIRTH CONTROL PILLS IT SATAN FORM HELL MAKING IT HAPPEN AND ON AND ON AND LIFE CONTINUES… WE NEED TO BE BETTER PEOPLE BY BEING LESS HATEFUL, MORE INFORMED AND EVENTUALLY THIS CHANGE WILL HAPPEN AND NOBODDY CAN STOP IT.. IF WE WANT TO LOSE FINANCES AND TRADE AND PROTECTION FORM THE BIGGER POWERS BECAUSE WE WANT TO FOLLOW THE CRAZY LUNATICS THAT ISNTILL HATE ITS UP TO US BUT THE WAY I SEE IT , IT IS SWIFTING ALL ACROSS THE GLOBE..ITS PART OF THE NEW WORLD ORDER OF CHANGE WHERE WE FEARFUL OLD DIINOSAURS WILL NOT BE A PART OF SINCE WE WILL BE DEAD AND WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO ADAPT. AND I PERSONALLY BELIEF NOTHING WILL CHANGE. LIFE CONTINUES…
Reanna is one of the few people on here that have made sense in a long time. This issue basically is equivalent to the slave trade practice. It’s one group of people who are in power treating another group as if they are lesser human beings. Racism, bigotry, sexism and homophobia are one in the same!
It is the duty of those who are followers of Christ to stand up against sinful ways of men and women. Homosexuality is called ‘an abomination’ in the Bible and somewhere in There it also says that no homosexual will enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. That being said though, it must be understood by these church-goers that it is destined for these ‘depraved’ people to gain ground and become strong, for this is their place. Don’t forget the song that you sing “this world is not my home, am just passing through…” So it’s ok to demonstrate, but know that in the end, this place is not yours, they have more rights than you. That shouldn’t matter though, someday, if you are true to your faith and the One and True God, then you will live in a place where Righteousness and Flawlessness will be all around you and not just for a while. Make sure you live straight though, cause otherwise we will all end up in the same place as all those who practice such ‘abominations’. I see a stone being cut, not by the hand of a man, and it is about to fall on the toes of this ‘giant metal-man’. ” Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.”
Reanna ARGUE YOUR POINT OF VIEW from the other side. No bible, no comparison to slavery , women’s rights. Plain and simple natural law, the survival and continuation of the spaces. Do other species have homosexuality. Humans do as you well know, we love you in spite of your disease but we cannot accept it as the norm. you all can do whatever you crave with each other, and you cant curb your addiction, you know that. Many have tired to turn lesbians and homos, but they cannot, that does not mean its ok. I wish I could make all the blind see and the deaf hear, and men be with women and women be with men, but nature sometimes screws up, but we still love you in spite of your uncontrollable desires. If it makes you fell better, Ok but dont pee on us and tell me its raining.
@moses…Thats a pretty cool writing!!
moses – over 1500 species of animals have homosexuality. It is as natural as straight sex.
How does a gay couple being treated the same as a married couple affect anyone else?
That is total crap moses!
Not true Moses, when we plan to deceive what tangle web we weave?
Destiny; Are you straight. I assume you have scientific proof that 1500 species of animals have homosexuals. In any event,. My argument is that no one cares about what you all do or desire to do to each other.. I get it. You all can’t control what you feel. No problem. My neighbor likes to juk his dog. None of my business…but it ain’t right.
How does a gay couple being treated the same as affect anyone else.
It affects humanity. For arguments sake, lets assume as of today everyone in the world turns gay. No more sex with opposites..The last baby on earth would be born 9 months from now. Assuming they all live to 100 years that’s when the world will end for humans.
Moses, it does effect society but not solely in population. There may be a way quite soon where gay couples can have a baby with both their genetic material through technology.
I am not saying you are either right or wrong. Just saying that this might need to be considered within the next several decades.
Right or wrong it still bothers me the pressure that particularly people related to the Obama administration are putting upon societies such as Belize regarding homosexual and transsexual issues. . Each society should be able to decide for itself but that’s obviously much more difficult when you have a society like the United States trying to call the shots. You can tell that the international gay agenda is at work when they force into the discussion terms like LBGT since obviously that’s not a term that previous to a few years ago was uncommon outside of the United States (and even uncommon within many areas of the United States).