Tuesday, August 15, 2006

Gay police in anti-religion probe

The GPA advert
The advert appeared ahead of the Europride parade

The Gay Police Association (GPA) is being investigated after it claimed a rise in homophobic attacks was due to religious belief.

An advert, showing a Bible next to a pool of blood under the heading "in the name of the father", appeared in a national newspaper's supplement.

Scotland Yard said the inquiry "centres on whether the advert constitutes a faith crime."

The GPA refused to comment while the matter was still under investigation.

The advert appeared in the Diversity supplement of the Independent newspaper on 29 June, two days ahead of the Europride gay and lesbian parade in London.

Public complaint

It stated: "In the last 12 months, the GPA has recorded a 74% increase in homophobic incidents, where the sole or primary motivating factor was the religious belief of the perpetrator."

The GPA was formed in 1990 and has members in all 52 UK police forces.

Scotland Yard said the inquiry was prompted by a complaint by a member of the public.

A GPA spokesman said they were aware police have received a complaint in relation to the advert.

"Until that investigation has been completed we're unable to comment further on this matter," said a spokesman.

BBC online

18 comments:

Anonymous said...

As the name of your blog is 'St Mary Magdalen Parish Brighton', is the content contained therein representative of ALL your parishioners? If not, then perhaps you should change your blog's name as it is falsely misrepresenting the many people who come to worship in your parish.

Anonymous said...

As the name of your blog is 'St Mary Magdalen Parish Brighton', is the content contained therein representative of ALL your parishioners? If not, then perhaps you should change the name of your blog, as it is falsely misrepresenting the many people who come and worship in your parish. To me, the blog sounds like the personal opinion of the parish priest and not the voice of the parish as a whole.

Anonymous said...

There is a deep "gay" hatred of the Catholic Church. As a man with homosexual inclinations I find this type of thing from the "Gay Police Association" deeply worrying. I want them to be Police and act without reference to their sexuality.
Thank you for posting it, it is good to know what is put out "our name". When I was last beaten up for being "gay" 10 years ago it was by a Brighton policeman, who I am told has since come out as being "gay".
Incidently I do often worship in your parish.

Fr Ray Blake said...

Anonymous, I sorry you are upset, the purpose of this blog is simply to act as an online parish magazine. Like any magazine its purpose is not to be representative but to present issues that might be of interest. This item was actually e-mailed to me by several members of the parish who thought it rather concerning as I do.

Anonymous said...

What's anonynmous on about, is she trying to censor this blog?
I think this is an interesting post, I like the fact it is magaziney, where else do you get interviews with the Pope and his secretary, pictures of clocks, dessicated priests from Palermo, lots of interesting intellectual junk and my favorite of all the Pope and the dogs.
One thing drop the anonymous possibility on comments.

Anonymous said...

ps
Anomymous, what is it you are saying? Is it this particular post you are objecting to? Why? Are you a member of the Police Force?

Anonymous said...

Peta,
I liked the Ways of Prayer of St Dominic, though I am not quite into scourging.

Anonymous,
We had something that was representative of ALL our parishioners before Fr Ray started this and that was nothing. If you know our parish you will know what an extra-ordinary eclectic mix we are. I was speaking to a young Chaldean Catholic from Bagdad who is an illegal immigrant a month ago. To a nice gay couple who were living as brothers saying the Rosary three times a day last week. Then there is that lovely lady who was born in Kensington Gardens and slept in a cardboard box outsdide Westminster Cathedral and the poor Polish lady who mumbles all the time who was in Auchwitz as a young woman. I think this blog is not meant to be representative but I am glad it exists. I have referred a couple of my nephews to it, Michael, 28, loved the pictures of Le Barroux, he has decided to pay it a visit. Who knows it might bring him back to Mass, my brothers nagging hasn't done anything in 10 years but this blogsite has!

Anonymous said...

Firstly, thank you for your courteous reply, Father. However, I wasn't upset, I was merely asking whether or not this blog contained your personal opinions rather than those of your whole parish.

Peta - I certainly wasn't objecting to this particular post - it just seemed the most convenient post for me to ask my question on, being the last post published and at the top of the page: I was asking about the blog as a whole and only skimmed through this particular post. As for your question about me trying to censor this blog, the idea is ridiculous; the whole concept of blogging is to enable people to voice their personal opinions, hence my asking Fr Blake whether or not this blog was his personal opinion or not. And no - I'm certainly NOT a member of the police force! You seem to have completely over-reacted to my comment.

I'm certainly not knocking St Mary Magdalen's blog - I find it eminently fascinating!

Anonymous said...

WHEN I COME TO MASS AND KNEEL BEFORE THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY AND LOOK INTO HER EYES I SEE ONLY FORGIVENESS, KINDNESS,LIGHT AND HOPE,NOT HATRED FOR THE FACT THAT I AM A BI-SEXUAL MAN AND AS I READ THE MANY COMMENTS ABOUT GAY PEOPLE ON YOUR BOG SITE AND IN THE CATHOLIC WORLD AND FROM OTHER RELIGEONS IN GENERAL IT MAKES MY HEART CRY AND SAY WHY?

Fr Ray Blake said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Fr Ray Blake said...

Dearest ANONYMOUS,
Forgiveness is not necessary for what we are, God loves us, nothing can stop that. We only need to be forgiven for what we do not what we are. It is our actions that make us sinful, not what we are.

All of us are called to be chaste, even if someone is married he/she still has to excercise chastity outside of that relationship, and even at times within it.
This is what the Catholic Church teaches and has always taught, this is what this blog says, this what the rest of the Catholic World should be saying.

Anonymous said...

Capitalised anonymous seems not to know many of our parishioners, a disproportionated number of us I would think struggle with our sexuality.

That is bye the bye, I just wish I could,"COME TO MASS AND KNEEL BEFORE THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY AND LOOK INTO HER EYES", it is impossible, all we have been left with is the tiny little statue in the reredos of the Lady Chapel which is miles away form anyone. He cannot be speaking literally. If it had not been painted when you first came it wouldn't even have had eyes. Can't we get the wonderful statue we had back, I understand your predecessor gave it to the school. I WANT TO SEE THE WHITES OF HER EYES!

Anonymous said...

ANONYMOUS, Do you really come here to Mass? Do you never listen to what is said from the pulpit, I think it is all very orthodox, it certainly seems to be about mercy and God's love and grace. The other thing that makes me wonder if you come here apart from the statue which George mentioned, is that you obviously don't know many other parishioners. We are all, err..., a little, mmm... Bohemian. As I am told Fr Ray says, "Well, it is Brighton".

I too would like to see the statue of the BVM back, it is just sitting unloved in the school entrance.

Anonymous said...

Capitalized ANONYMOUS doesn't necessarily come to your parish to worship: don't forget that a blog can be read by people from all over the world thanks to the internet!

Anonymous said...

I used to be a teacher, in my twenties I realised I had a certain tendency which made me think I should change my profession. I think that we all have to learn restraint to simply to be human. All religions, Judaism, Islam, Buddhism and especially Catholicism teach that we are capable of transcending our human nature. The "Gay" culture, which is part of consumerism, really doesn't understand this and hates religion, viz this ad. Religious people live by self-denial, they by self-indulgence. Is this why ANONYMOUS has difficulty with "the Catholic world and religions in general"? We have to choose: God or Self, there is no way we can have both. God alone can bring us happiness. It is only when we deny ouselves and realise that denial is worthwhile that we receive real inner peace and joy.

Anonymous said...

The Mother of God is faithful and constant.
If you are in danger, she will hasten to help you.
If you are troubled, she will console you.
If you are sick, she will ask her Son to bring you healing.
If you are in need, she will come to your aid.
She does not look to see what kind of person you have been;
she accepts you as you are.

Anonymous said...

Dear Fr Ray,
Thankyou for your reply and thankyou to the other Blog users for their views,i found them very instresting and helpful.

Yes! i do come to Mass at this parish almost every week and of course i see and hear who and what is said,so i am very aware of the MIX of people.

I would like to see myself a larger statue of our Lady but it is not so important for me personnaly,i will always remember a very beuatiful statue outside a Polish church in Shepherds bush and thought many times how i would like to see something on those lines in my local church.

Anonymous said...

Mark, i can understand your comments about one or the other as this can be said about most things in life.

Yes! i have difficulty understanding almost any religion but have found great faith and hope in the CATHOLIC CHURCH despite my own views on certain matters.Thanks for your reply

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