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 Charged with 'Ethnic Intimidation' Against the Baptists Baptist Leaders Defame both Gays and Islam's Founder |
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Compiled by GayToday Soulforce, Inc.
"Oddly," noted political activist Bob Kunst on his way to the Conference of U.S. Bishops in Dallas, "Ethnic Intimidation is the crime of which these Southern Baptists are falsely accusing gays. But at the very same time the President of their Convention approved an anti-Islamic convention speech delivered by the senior pastor of Jacksonville's First Baptist Church, who, without blinking, said: ''Islam was founded by Muhammad, a demon-possessed pedophile who had 12 wives -- and his last one was a 9-year-old girl." An additional 38 non-violent protesters were arrested outside the America's Center trying to enter the Convention. The protests were organized by Soulforce, an interfaith movement committed to ending spiritual violence perpetuated by religious policies and teachings against gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people. The action followed three years of efforts by Soulforce to discuss Southern Baptist policies and teachings which protestors believe lead to spiritual and physical violence against GLBT people. "For three years we have tried to get James Merritt to hear our stories, to consider the evidence that shows that homosexuality is not a sickness and not a sin," said Rev. Jimmy Creech, Chairperson of the Board of Soulforce, Inc, and one of the 12 arrested inside the convention center. "Because of the suffering caused by their teachings, we were compelled to carry our message into the Southern Baptist Convention's annual meeting."
Soulforce was present at the Southern Baptist Convention's annual meetings in Orlando in 2000 and New Orleans in 2001 to protest their antigay policies and teachings. Soulforce participants were arrested at both those meetings as well. However, this marks the first time that Soulforce has participated in a direct action taking its message inside a meeting. The felony charges were later dropped, and arrestees were allowed to go on their own recognizance. Those arrested on the outside were charged with 2 city ordinance violations, and released after a few hours. Bond was set at $200, and court cost will be added.
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