pro-gay banner slashed at neighborhood church
David on Aug 27th 2007
They say a picture is worth a thousand words. A thousand words is a conservative estimate for this picture, snapped outside a Neighborhood Church in Pasadena.
The banner, which reads “LOVE makes a family. We support marriage equality!” was slashed. For the third time. It’s a reminder of tension between our movement and organized religion. It’s a reminder of the hate and homophobia that LGBTQ people face around this country and the world. It’s also a reminder that not all religious institutions are against us and our families. In many ways, this banner offers a beacon of hope: that more religious institutions will stand on the side of equality and justice.
In response to the incident, the Neighborhood Church of Pasadena released this statement:
Pasadena—Neighborhood Church of Pasadena will hold a peace rally on Sunday, September 9 at 1pm to officially designate the historic property as a “Hate-Free Zone” following the third slashing of the church’s Marriage Equality Banner.
Neighborhood Church invites the community to join members and staff as they wrap the sanctuary and entire adjoining campus in a hate-free ribbon in a show of unwavering solidarity and dedication to equality for all marriages and families, and to reinforce the church’s “Stand on the Side of Love” covenant.
The ribbon will also be signed and decorated with “pledges from the heart” declaring support for peace, equality and justice for the Gay and Lesbian community, the freedom to marry, and the belief that LOVE makes a family!
The banner was slashed on July 29, and following the peace rally, church officials plan to raise a new banner.
This is my (our family’s) church. I am so proud of the many people who make up our church. This was the third time it was slashed. So much anger and hate in the world.
What kind of moron church would put up a sign for homo marriage. Not a real church and I am happy some true God Fearer tore the thing down. Do you really think God made Adam and Eve so homosexuals could marry. No REAL church would approve this!