OSEA_R_2008_Nairobi_Seminar_on_the_Bible_and_Homosexuality_July

REPORTS

Gay and Christian in
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TANZANIA, RWANDA
AND BURUNDI

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ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY

BOOK REVIEWS

DIRECTORIES

ILGA WORKING PART Y ON RELIGION

12. Obama quote: " . . . nor am I willing to accept a reading of the [b]ible that considers an obscure line
in Romans ['against nature'] to be more defining of Christianity than the Sermon on the Mount." The
Audacity of Hope, p222.

From: Other Sheep East Africa <sparelli2002@yahoo.com>
Subject: Report on July 7-9 Other Sheep Kenya Seminar
Reply: sparelli2002@yahoo.com
Date: Sent July 15, 2008, from Nairobi, Kenya, through Constant Contact, Other Sheep eNews server

Other Sheep East Africa eNews, July 15, 2008
Other Sheep Kenya Seminar: A Report
by Rev. John Makokha and Steve Parelli
July 15, 2008, Nairobi, Kenya

The ethos of any religion is honesty with
GOD and honesty with oneself. Integrity is the business that every human being
must undertake and in doing so, becomes a pilgrim who
finds meaning and satisfaction in life by searching out and doing truth. On July
7-9, I was privileged to share a room with pilgrims who seek truth. I wouldn't mind
having them as mansion mates someday in Heaven where all will be at rest in Him, the source of all truth."

The above remark was made by an anonymous seminar attendee

Reports on the following
sessions:

1. What Africa doesn't know

2. The bible says what?

3. Beware the "ex-gays"

4. Support pro-LGBT clergy

5. Religious liberty for all

6. Spirituality and the gay man

7. We are not 'sick'

8. Education is the answer

9. We are not lesser than . . .

10. A straight ally speaks

11. Gays criminalized in the HIV-Aids
issue

12. Quote: Obama on Romans 1

Dear Other Sheep Friend,

Other Sheep Kenya, in conjunction with Other Sheep, hosted a three-day
seminar on Christianity and homosexuality for the gay community, clergy and
laity, and family and friends of gays and lesbians. The participants attended
workshops on various topics regarding discrimination, rejection and ignorance
in the church and society as it pertains to sexual orientation. The seminar was
held in the Arkland Hotel, Nairobi, July 7-9. Six different speakers lead a total
of 12 workshops. 18-24 participants attended per day. No clergy attended.
Some clergy, who had said they would attend, later said they were afraid to
attend for fear of being stigmatized by the religious community.

The following report was written by Rev. John Makokha, UMC minister and
Other Sheep Kenya Coordinator, and Steve Parelli, Executive Director of Other
Sheep.

Editor's note: In this issue of Other Sheep eNews you will find the word "Bible"
written in the lower case as "bible." This is intended for effect. In regards to the
issue of homosexuality, it is time for the churches of Kenya to lay the Bible
aside for a while -- make it "bible" for a while -- and seriously consider other
sources, including accepting theologians, non-religious disciplines, and the
testimonies of gay Kenyan Christians who have the Word of God written in their
hearts.

Other Sheep is an ecumenical Christian ministry that works for the full inclusion of LGBT people of faith
within their respective faiths worldwide.

" . . . connecting people with people and people with resources . . . "

Other Sheep | 16768 Old Jamestown Road | Florissant | MO | 63034

1. Kimindu: "There's a wide gap between what Africans know and what Western society has
learned in the area of the bible and sexual orientation."

Rev. Michael Kimindu, an Anglican priest, MCC minister and Other Sheep Coordinator for East Africa,
said, "we should not cherish ignorance, you can't thrive on ignorance. Anglicans who are conservatives
are losing. They should learn to listen to others and should be open to education."   He highlighted the
fact that there is a wide gap between what Africans know and what Western society has learned in the
area of the bible and sexual orientation.

Kimindu called upon denominational leaders to be willing to listen and learn. He said clergy should not
be quick to judge other clergy who are considering inclusion and affirmation of LGBTI people within their
respective faiths.   "Gays and lesbians are our children, brothers and sisters and they live in our society."

He said that the mission of Other Sheep is the recognition and inclusion of LGBT people in society and
the church. "We want the churches to understand that sexual orientation isn't a choice.   We are
supportive of an inclusive and affirming church."

He said that homosexuals are ignored by society and the church and therefore they suffer and must be
heard. They need to rise and argue for their rights.

2. Parelli: On the bible and homosexuality: "We are reading someone else's mail."

Steve Parelli, Executive Director of Other Sheep, in his workshop on the Bible and homosexuality, said,
"You have to look at the bible in the context of its culture and social background. The letters of Paul
were not written to us but to a different people in a different time and setting. We are reading someone
else's mail when we read the New Testament epistles."

Parelli distributed a 20 page handout on the bible and homosexuality. The handout summarized the
PowerPoint presentation which he showed in three parts, a different part each day in the first session of
the three day seminar.

3. Parelli: The "ex-gay" movement is not about change, but behavior modification.

In his workshop on the evangelical "ex-gay" movement in the United States, Parelli said that what the
"ex-gay" movement calls change and healing is simply behavior modification. He said many former
supporters of the "ex-gay" movement now say it doesn't work. He said that, with time, the "ex-gay"
movement may come to the churches of Nairobi and that gay Christians here should beware.

He advised clergy and laity to stop "thinking biblically." The bible is not a book on sexual orientation.
Other disciplines like the social sciences and psychology must be studied.

4. Parelli: "The gay community in Kenya needs to support openly pro-LGBT Kenyan clergy.

Parelli said Other Sheep does not start churches per se, but is rather a facilitator between already
existing LGBT religious organizations, including LGBT church planting organizations like MCC
(Metropolitan Community Churches), and individual LGBT people of faith who are looking to be
connected. He said the gay community needs to support clergy who are supportive of the gay
community. Specifically he called upon the participants of the seminar to support Rev. Kimindu and Rev.
Makokha, who are both openly pro-LGBT clergy.

5. Parelli: On government, homosexual laws and religious liberty: "The question is -- who
gets to choose what is right -- the church, the state or the individual?"

In another session, Parelli spoke on government and law making and the place of religion in a
democracy. He said government is the government of all the people, that government must not make
laws based on any one religious teaching. The bible's supposed teachings against homosexuality cannot
be grounds for civil laws. It is the government's mandate to guard the liberties of all its citizens, religious
and irreligious, and not to legislate into law the teachings of any one faith or any one religious institution.
Otherwise, government has limited the liberty of the individual in matters of faith and practice. Parelli said
homosexuality is primarily a religious question. Parelli said the question is not is homosexuality right or
wrong; the question is who gets to decide if homosexuality is right or wrong: the government, the church,
or the individual? Parelli said the individual gets to decide; not the church, not the government -- that's
religious liberty.

6. Ortiz: Spirituality is not a code to follow but a process that begins with self acceptance.

In his workshop on spirituality, Jose Ortiz, an Other Sheep Coordinator for Africa, said his experience in
the twelve steps support group gave him a different view of spirituality. He said spirituality is not a list of
rules but rather "a process that starts by recognizing where you are right now." He said to accept and
love yourself right now as you are, both the positive and the negative, is the starting point from which you
begin to progress towards where you want to be. The rules of conduct given by the church are just
another way for us to be harsh and unforgiving toward ourselves. He said God showed him a new path
that gave value to his experiences in life so that now he sees spirituality differently.

7. Ortiz: Psychology and research show that gay people are not "sick."

In another workshop, Ortiz said that research in psychology has shown that homosexuality is not a mental
disorder. Many professionals in some parts of the world still tend to think that homosexuality is a disorder.
With time and more education, anti-homosexual teachings will change because research clearly shows
that gay people are not "sick."

8. Makokha: Homophobia is the problem. Coming together to educate is the answer.

Rev. John Makokha, United Methodist minister and Other Sheep Kenya Coordinator, said the continent of
Africa is on fire because of homophobia. Clergy, poorly grounded in theology and sexuality, and
homophobic evangelical curriculum taught in theological schools, have escalated the crisis. "There
should be some deliberate attempt to institute a training facility for clergy and laity on issues of the bible
and sexuality. There should be some serious discourse on this subject with open doors, open hearts and
open minds."

He said Reconciling Ministries Network (United Methodist Church), Integrity USA (Episcopal), Changing
Attitude UK (Anglican), More Light (Presbyterian), Dignity (Catholic), Soulforce and others should join
hands and work together under the umbrella of Other Sheep in addressing homophobia in Africa. "We are
not going to win this battle if we are divided on denominational lines. Homophobia knows no boundaries of
denominations. There is dire need in Africa for more partnership with other LGBT organizations locally
and internationally."

9. Wanyama: Speaking as a gay Anglican layperson: "We are not a lesser people."

Peter Wanyama, an active Anglican layperson, said that as children of God, gays need to benefit from
spiritual growth just like heterosexuals. "We pray that the stigma, due to homophobia, will be removed
from our society; that gays will be seen as normal human beings who function normally, who have feelings,
and need understanding. We need to be loved as God's children. God is love."

He said, speaking as a gay man, "We are not a lesser people in society." He said there are many gay
people in high offices, the church, and education. They do not identify as gay people because they are
afraid and do not want to be marked and marginalized. He asked, "How long will gays and lesbians be in
the closet?"

10. Baraza: For this straight ally, experience and education revealed the truth

Anne Makokha Baraza, Other Sheep Kenya Counselor and Advisor to gays and lesbians, parents and
friends, in her workshop on counseling LGBTI Kenyans in the Kenyan context, said she came to
understand sexual orientation through experience and by questioning what her evangelical professors
were teaching her. In 2001, Baraza learned that her older sister was a lesbian. Because of a pastoral
counseling class, in which the professor said homosexuality was demonic, she was challenged to study
more to learn for herself. She said she wrote a paper for class in which she wrote that a person's sexual
orientation can not be changed. She said the professor told her to rewrite the paper, that she was
misinterpreting the bible. She decided she wanted to turn the tables. She said gays cannot go on living in
the closet. The truth has to be known.

11. Parkinson: Gay men with HIV-AIDS have been sidelined

Angus Parkinson, a health and sexuality consultant, brought a workshop on HIV-AIDS and men who have
sex with men (MSM). He said the gays have been sidelined, yet they have been in the forefront in the fight
against the disease for 26 years. He said gays have been criminalized and forgotten in this public health
issue. The workshop was co-facilitated by The Kenya National Aids Control Council. The Nairobi Star and
Kiss100 reported the session.

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The Nairobi Seminar Program

Emmanuel
Kamau's mother
attends the Nairobi
seminar