James Loney, who was held by militants in Iraq, says a Catholic-organized peace conference in Winnipeg rescinded his invitation to speak because of his sexual orientation.
Loney, one of four peace activists taken hostage in Iraq in November 2005, was invited to speak about his experience and about peace at the conference this weekend, which is organized by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Winnipeg.
James Loney says the conference's decision reminds him of how he had to hide his sexual orientation while a hostage in Iraq.
(CBC) Loney said he was later told he was uninvited because he is in a relationship with a man.
Do you notice how Loney confuses sexual orientation with behaviour?
Do you notice how this is further confused with his opposition to the Church's teaching on homosexual behaviour?
Congratulations to Bishop James Weisgerber. Finally, a Canadian bishop imposes some discipline in this Church!
(Now when are Catholic politicians who support abortion going to get a taste of disciplinary medicine?)
Loney said the situation has parallels with his time as a hostage in Iraq, when his sexual orientation was kept secret out of concern that if his captors knew, it could have further endangered his life.
"That was a very clear example of the violence of homophobia, of having to be invisible and silent," he said. "This feels very similar to that. It's an act of silencing and making me invisible as a gay person, and only because of that."
An act of silencing? Not really. The Church isn't going to listen to him. Big difference.
Now if only more dissenters could be given the message, that would help a heck of a lot.
