Anglican Mainstream

My second concern relates to the further gayification of Greenbelt through its invitation to Peter Tatchell (among others).  Indeed, inviting Tatchell is more of the same.  In his essay, ‘The ABC of Sexual Health and Happiness’, from the book, Teenage Sex:  What Should Schools Teach Children?  (Hodder & Stoughton/Institute of Ideas, June 2002) and which is posted on his website,  Tatchell asserts that ‘All Sexualities [are] Equally Valid’.  Naturally  the  three mentioned are those already ‘out’ – heterosexuality, homosexuality and bisexuality (http://www.petertatchell.net/).  What about the others?      

Tatchell’s views are far removed from Christian ethics.  In the same essay he notes that ‘Although monogamy is usually the favoured option, open relationships can also be rewarding … Abstinence has its advantages, but so does promiscuity. Marriage is a must for many, but not for cohabiting couples who see love and commitment as more important than legal formality. While oral sex is the ultimate thrill for some, a majority get greatest satisfaction from intercourse – and a few get it from rubber and bondage.’

How do these views stack up with Christian sexual ethics?  They don’t. Nor do they stack up with the latest scientific and sociological research on sex, marriage and family. See for example the work of psychiatrist Miriam Grossman’s You’re Teaching My Child What? A Physician Exposes the Lies of Sex Education and How They Harm Your Child (Regnery 2009), Dr Joe McIlhaney Jr and Dr Freda M Bush’s Hooked:  New Science on how casual sex is affecting our children (Northfield 2008), and sociologist David Popenoe’s 2008 study, ‘Cohabitation, Marriage and Child Well-being: A Cross-National Perspective’ (http://www.smartmarriages.com/uploaded/Cohabitation.Report.Popenoe.08.pdf).

Moreover, Tatchell argues for the age of consent (AOC) to be reduced to 14. Consider the following extract from his lengthy interview with ‘Lee’ ( ‘I'M 14, I'M GAY & I WANT A BOYFRIEND’; http://www.petertatchell.net/):  

[PT] When you ran away from the children's home, where did you go? "I used to stay with this paedophile that I met in the gardens. He was okay. There was no pressure for me to have sex, but I did. I had sex with him because I wanted to feel loved and respected".

 What do you think of that man now? "Well, he didn't beat me up or hurt me like was happening in the children's home".

And what do you think about paedophiles in general? "It depends on what kind of paedophiles", says Lee. "Those who have sex with little kids should be strung up by the bollocks. The paedophiles I knew always asked me if I wanted sex. They didn't pressure me. If you consent to having sex with a paedophile, it's fine. If you don't, it's not".

How can a young child understand sex and give meaningful consent? Lee admits: "The really young ones can't. But I was 12 when I first had sex with an adult man. I knew what was happening. The other boys I know who had sex with men were in their early teens. They understood what they were doing".

Perhaps your friends were particularly mature for their age. Most young people are not so sophisticated about sex. "They shouldn't have sex then", according to Lee. "And other people shouldn't take advantage of them. No one should be having sex with a child who is very young or who has emotional and mental problems. You could have a relationship with them, but not sex – not until they are old enough to understand the responsibilities involved".

Many people worry that the power imbalance in a relationship between a youth and an adult means the younger person can be easily manipulated and exploited. It's a concern that Lee acknowledges: "Yeah, that can happen. It's wrong. But that doesn't mean that every kid who has sex with a man is being abused".

The drift here indicates something of the thinking behind Tatchell’s AOC views. But it also indicates that for Tatchell, informed consent is the issue, not age, with (for us) worrying implications in relation to issues of paedophilia and pederasty.      

I have noted with interest the self-censorship displayed on the Greenbelt website in connection with Tatchell’s visit. Earlier comment enthused that he was  ‘[e]ngaging, inspiring and intriguing, [and] this interview provides much food for thought, especially if you have Peter down as just a militant queer rights campaigner. He is that, and impressivley [sic] so. But he's so much more, too.’ Now, we have the rather more sedate description of him as ‘[b]orn in Australia in 1952, Peter is best known as a controversial campaigner on issues of sexual freedom and human rights.’  What happened to the real, raw Peter?  Or is the AOC reduction what Greenbelt has in mind in relation to Tatchell’s commitment to ‘sexual freedom’?   

I believe that both Gene Robinson and Peter Tatchell are bad news for the church and for Greenbelt.  Greenbelt does much that is good and even excellent.  Why spoil it with such as this?  In the light of the above, I would very much appreciate an explanation of your invitation to Peter Tatchell for 2010, given your invitation to Gene Robinson in 2009.  You will recall the specific concerns we raised about ensuring that equal air time was given to orthodox Christian perspectives.  On the face of it it seems that our concerns have fallen on deaf ears. 

In the light of the above, we are very concerned and alarmed. We would like to meet with you because we believe this is damaging to both Christian witness and the health of the nation.  Among our questions are what are the proper parameters for a Christian arts festival?  What is appropriate balance and in particular, appropriate balance in this case?  We expect that those who are also associated with Greenbelt as sponsors will be interested in the answers to these questions, as will the wider Christian public.

We hope to hear back from you by 4 May at the latest.   

Yours sincerely,

Lisa Severine Nolland,  MCS MA PhD

Anglican-Mainstream.net Web Consultant

0117 924 4896

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