10/14/2008
London Chaplain Peter Mullen Clarifies Sodomy Tattoo Remarks
London chaplain Peter Mullen has written a column in The Northern Echo clarifying remarks he made recently that gays should be tattooed with sodomy warnings. He calls it an apology.
In a column entitled "Why I was Wrong", Mullen says: "To wit: I was not criticising individual homosexuals. I have never criticised them. I number many homosexual men and women among my dearest friends. I voted for the Homosexual Reform Act of 1967; and I would vote for it again today. This Act specified the decriminalisation of homosexual acts 'between consenting adults in private.' 'Between' means two. 'Adults' meant 21. 'Private' means in the bedroom – and neither Hampstead Heath nor public lavatories. What I do oppose – on the authority of the Christian faith – is the corrupting influence of the promotional parades of homosexuality by such as Gay Pride demonstrations. And that is what I was satirising."
He adds: "One might say that what was once a mortal sin is now only a lifestyle choice. And the love that once dare not speak its name now shrieks at us in high camp down every high street. This situation is what some homosexualist campaigners constantly claim under their doctrine of 'rights'. It is the reason also that they are so annoyed with me – because I repudiate their 'rights' argument – which is in any case not Christian but secular."
Why I was wrong [the northern echo]
Posted 10:59 AM EST by Andy Towle in Anglican church, London, News, Tattoo | Permalink
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Pompous self-regarding twat. I'm sorry, there's no other term for him.
Posted by: FASTLAD | Oct 14, 2008 11:09:58 AM
In Great Britain religion is almost irrelevant, quite the opposite to affairs in the United States where religion sways elections.
In Canada and Great Britain only about thirty percent of the population attend church regularly, both societies are much more secular than American society, so clerics such as this only serve to further diminish the importance of religion, they preach to empty churches.
Posted by: Lars | Oct 14, 2008 11:16:36 AM
That is about the most pathetic POS apology I've ever heard of. I feel sorry for his "dear" gay and Lesbian friends. With friends like him, who needs enemies?
Posted by: troschne | Oct 14, 2008 11:24:09 AM
And this is coming from a bigot who looks like part of his face was sewn on in 8th grade home ec class.
Whatever.
Posted by: Al | Oct 14, 2008 11:25:37 AM
He is the perfect example of a bigot.
If you just give them enough quite space between talking points (like Catie Couric did with Caribou Barbie) and you give them enough rope, they will trip right over their obligatory "some of my best friends are gay" bullsh*t lie and hang themselves with their own words.
These are the rantings of a very unhappy and bitter man.
Posted by: Zeke | Oct 14, 2008 12:21:31 PM
Dontcha just love the canned addition, always included in bigots' non-apologies, "some of my best friends are...."? I mean holy shit on toast, how pathetically cliché is that line, as well as completely empty?
Posted by: TikiHead | Oct 14, 2008 12:30:54 PM
If gays bother him soo much he should stop seeking them out in public restrooms.
we need to call out the bisexuals, i have a feeling they are behind some of the intense anti gay sentiment.
Why are we protecting bisexuals? They can live as STRAIGHTS and fake it !!
Posted by: Ty | Oct 14, 2008 12:37:34 PM
What this asshat is saying is: if you'd just keep quiet about it, I wouldn't have as big a problem with homosexuality. Well, I wish he would do the same things with his absurd religious beliefs. Like all religious leaders, he picks and chooses which sections of his holy book to focus on and literally ignores others. Utter bs.
Posted by: paul adam h | Oct 14, 2008 12:39:04 PM
Condescending, irrelevant old fuck. Crawl back into your dusty little ark and get lost!
Posted by: CK | Oct 14, 2008 12:48:24 PM
The only people listening to this despicable man are people who are beyond reach...they are locked into their cages of hate.
I hope he gets no more attention. Thks.
Posted by: JJ | Oct 14, 2008 12:57:20 PM
An open letter to the British Press: Why do you give this monster press time and space? I know the answer, it gets readers. We will look forward to seeing more of the British tabloid whores (I'm sorry there are good whore out there) in the gutter, not looking up at the stars however.
Posted by: Sargon Bighorn | Oct 14, 2008 1:40:01 PM
First he writes: "What I do oppose – on the authority of the Christian faith –...."
Then he follows it up with: "...because I repudiate their 'rights' argument – which is in any case not Christian but secular."
He's all over the place. This is a quintessential example of hate looking for a veil of logic after accidentally catching a glimpse of itself in the mirror.
Posted by: Yeek | Oct 14, 2008 3:40:56 PM
It looks like the fires of hell have already started their work on his face.
Posted by: dezboy | Oct 14, 2008 7:50:26 PM
At the risk of being the resident Benedict Arnold/Quisling, he is simply articulating basic Christian theology on sex and marriage, i.e. no recreational relations outside the marriage bond. As one poster has already said the power of organized Christianity in W. Europe is nil so why the knickers in a twist vehemence here?
Pride parades in some respects glorify the worst in gay life: nihilistic exhibitionism cloned with "the rules don't apply to us" behaviour. Although it is not LGBT P.C. to say so the advance toward a full legal spectrum of rights and full inclusion in the life of our society will undoubtedly require/result in a mainstreaming of personal responsibility and actions--Gay life will become more vanilla, particularly on the issues which seem to upset the vicar. Perhaps he should live to a very old age and he will have much less to complain about.
Posted by: Jack H. | Oct 14, 2008 8:05:25 PM