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Gays promise 'hell and powder house' Sunday
Say they will stage counter-protest in response to church group
Thursday, June 20, 2013
AN apparent homosexual group has indicated its intention to stage a counter-protest next Sunday in response to a plan by a church group to stage a public prayer meeting against a legal challenge to the buggery law.
The leadership of Prayer 2000 — a Partnership Prayer Ministry — says its members will gather at two locations next Sunday ahead of the hearing of an application challenging the constitutionality of the buggery law by the Supreme Court on June 25.
The claim was filed by United States-based advocacy group AIDS-Free World on behalf of Jamaican Javed Jaghai. The group is asking the court to determine if the anti-sodomy law breaches rights guaranteed under the Charter of Fundamental Rights and Freedoms which was passed into law in 2011.
"We have seen in the media that the churches are planning an anti-gay march this coming Sunday in relation to the buggery law. It's very disgusting to see that the churches are involved in discrimination, condemnation of people and support of homosexuals to be imprisoned. This shows how bias the churches are and how hypocritical they are about their role in society," the statement sent by email on Tuesday said.
"We the gays in Jamaica are planning our response peacefully to their protest this coming Sunday also. It will be hell and powder house and we are not afraid," the statement ended.
The leadership of Prayer 2000 has called on all churches across the island to participate in a peaceful prayer gathering next Sunday ahead of the hearing, which includes a mass march past the Houses of Parliament on Duke Street in Kingston and a gathering on the grounds of the Trumpet Call Ministries Church in Montego Bay at 6:00 pm the same day.
President of Prayer 2000 Reverend Dr Naila L Ricketts, in an invitation circulated to churches last week, said the pending action marked a "very serious crossroads in our history".
"Our Constitutional rights to preach the truth of God's word is also threatened and should the law be repealed, what you and I preached may be termed 'hate speech' and will make us criminally liable before the courts in Jamaica," Reverend Ricketts warned.
"We are calling all denominations, all churches and all believers to gather in your numbers and demonstrate your support at any of the two locations on Sunday, June 23," he said.
"This is our final chance, our final opportunity to make our voice be heard. We need the masses to gather and pray, and march for our freedom; we need each and every one of us to stand and be counted," he added.
Speaking with the Jamaica Observer Tuesday, Reverend Ricketts made it clear that the group had no intention of entering into any clashes.
"We will not be in anything confrontational, we are a people of absolute love and care. We will do what God has asked us to do. We are about praying and peace. It will be prayer," he stated.
In the meantime, he said the ministry fully intended to act "within the confines of the law".
"We have to be an upright nation, leading citizens and exemplary leaders and every congregant I would have, I would seek that they have respect for the rules of the country," Reverend Ricketts said, while emphasising that there was no intention to stage a "march".
He also noted that it was the duty of the church, as instructedby the Bible, to pray for leaders so that the country could live in peace.
Tuesday, head of the Constabulary Communication Network Deputy Superintendent of Police Steve Brown said the gathering would be supervised.
"Persons wishing to march or stage protests must apply for a permit from the commanding officer in charge of the division. We will monitor. At all marches the police are present and especially these two marches that the persons are talking about the police will be making our presence felt," he told the Observer.
Prayer 2000 says its mission is to sufficiently raise the awareness of the need for prayer throughout the society in order to facilitate the transformation and revival of the country.
The partnership includes a cross-section of individuals from numerous denominations.
Read more: http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/...#ixzz2Wldkh6Si
Say they will stage counter-protest in response to church group
Thursday, June 20, 2013
AN apparent homosexual group has indicated its intention to stage a counter-protest next Sunday in response to a plan by a church group to stage a public prayer meeting against a legal challenge to the buggery law.
The leadership of Prayer 2000 — a Partnership Prayer Ministry — says its members will gather at two locations next Sunday ahead of the hearing of an application challenging the constitutionality of the buggery law by the Supreme Court on June 25.
The claim was filed by United States-based advocacy group AIDS-Free World on behalf of Jamaican Javed Jaghai. The group is asking the court to determine if the anti-sodomy law breaches rights guaranteed under the Charter of Fundamental Rights and Freedoms which was passed into law in 2011.
"We have seen in the media that the churches are planning an anti-gay march this coming Sunday in relation to the buggery law. It's very disgusting to see that the churches are involved in discrimination, condemnation of people and support of homosexuals to be imprisoned. This shows how bias the churches are and how hypocritical they are about their role in society," the statement sent by email on Tuesday said.
"We the gays in Jamaica are planning our response peacefully to their protest this coming Sunday also. It will be hell and powder house and we are not afraid," the statement ended.
The leadership of Prayer 2000 has called on all churches across the island to participate in a peaceful prayer gathering next Sunday ahead of the hearing, which includes a mass march past the Houses of Parliament on Duke Street in Kingston and a gathering on the grounds of the Trumpet Call Ministries Church in Montego Bay at 6:00 pm the same day.
President of Prayer 2000 Reverend Dr Naila L Ricketts, in an invitation circulated to churches last week, said the pending action marked a "very serious crossroads in our history".
"Our Constitutional rights to preach the truth of God's word is also threatened and should the law be repealed, what you and I preached may be termed 'hate speech' and will make us criminally liable before the courts in Jamaica," Reverend Ricketts warned.
"We are calling all denominations, all churches and all believers to gather in your numbers and demonstrate your support at any of the two locations on Sunday, June 23," he said.
"This is our final chance, our final opportunity to make our voice be heard. We need the masses to gather and pray, and march for our freedom; we need each and every one of us to stand and be counted," he added.
Speaking with the Jamaica Observer Tuesday, Reverend Ricketts made it clear that the group had no intention of entering into any clashes.
"We will not be in anything confrontational, we are a people of absolute love and care. We will do what God has asked us to do. We are about praying and peace. It will be prayer," he stated.
In the meantime, he said the ministry fully intended to act "within the confines of the law".
"We have to be an upright nation, leading citizens and exemplary leaders and every congregant I would have, I would seek that they have respect for the rules of the country," Reverend Ricketts said, while emphasising that there was no intention to stage a "march".
He also noted that it was the duty of the church, as instructedby the Bible, to pray for leaders so that the country could live in peace.
Tuesday, head of the Constabulary Communication Network Deputy Superintendent of Police Steve Brown said the gathering would be supervised.
"Persons wishing to march or stage protests must apply for a permit from the commanding officer in charge of the division. We will monitor. At all marches the police are present and especially these two marches that the persons are talking about the police will be making our presence felt," he told the Observer.
Prayer 2000 says its mission is to sufficiently raise the awareness of the need for prayer throughout the society in order to facilitate the transformation and revival of the country.
The partnership includes a cross-section of individuals from numerous denominations.
Read more: http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/...#ixzz2Wldkh6Si
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