Faithfully Subversive Oct. 9, 2008

Year 3, Episode 41

"Persecution of gays will stop only if Iraqis can abandon centuries-old prejudices. They would have to acknowledge that human rights don't cover only the humans they like. Insisting that gays are just a few undesirable perverts who 'should be killed'--as one Iraqi who works in journalism put it--encourages an atmosphere of impunity no matter the offense. Killing gays becomes 'honorable.' And raping them is OK because it isn't considered a homosexual act--only being penetrated or providing oral sex is."

~"Don't Ask, Do Kill" - Newsweek 8/26/08

News & Discussion Topics:

• GLBT History Month at SIU (more info)
  
• Scripture on Homosexuality (more info)
• GLBT Invisibility
  
• Camp to "Cure" Homosexuality (more info)
  
• Gays in Iraq (more info)
• The Dangers of Theocracy (more info)

Music:

• Humble Me - Norah Jones
  
• Now that I Know -Devendra Banhart
  

Upcoming Local Event: "For the Bible Tells Me So," 6p.m. Oct. 10, SIUC Student Center, Kaskaskia Room

A compassionate and insightful documentary about the contemporary face of an old conflict between Christian fundamentalists and gay and lesbian people. The film looks deep into the hearts of several families--a few of them quite famous--that have struggled with making sense of having a homosexual son or daughter in the fold. At the same time, "For the Bible Tells Me So" is a deconstruction of thin arguments that the Bible actually condemns homosexuality in a few passages and through the story of Sodom and Gomorrah's destruction. Sponsored by the University Christian Ministries RSO (ucm@siu.edu)