Archbishop of Canterbury is Spineless Say Gay Humanists

KENILWORTH, 21 MARCH 2006 — Because of cowardice or self-interest, the Archbishop of Canterbury has put the survival of his Church before the safety and wellbeing of gay people, says the Gay and Lesbian Humanist Association (GALHA).

Commenting on an interview with the Archbishop published in today’s Guardian, GALHA’s secretary, George Broadhead, said: “It is now clear that whatever Rowan Williams thinks personally about homosexuality, he is refusing to come to the defence of gay people who are under vicious attack from extremists in the Anglican Communion and from religionists everywhere.”

Mr Broadhead said: “The Archbishop has shown himself more interested in the survival of his Church than he is in the continuing persecution that emanates from it. He seems unconcerned that around the world gay people are being abused and attacked in the name of the religion that he promotes. In African countries, particularly, gay people are under severe and often lethal attack. When asked in the interview about the extreme homophobic views of Archbishop Peter Akinola of Nigeria, Dr Williams refused to condemn him or to take the side of those innocent gay people whom this terrible bigot is persecuting. Dr Williams is not being diplomatic, he is being spineless. It is quite clear that gay people need protecting from religious persecution all over the world, but the Archbishop says nothing and does nothing. He is more concerned that the Anglican Communion survives than he is with the injustices being done to gay people by members of his own religion.”