http://www.aljazeera.com/news/africa/2013/07/201372619342804519.html
Author: None listed Source: Al-Jazeera English

"South African peace icon [Archbishop and Nobel Laureate] Desmond Tutu has said he would rather go to hell than worship a homophobic God, likening the fight against gay prejudice to the anti-apartheid struggle. Tutu made the comments on Friday at the launch of a United Nations gay equality campaign in Cape Town. "I would refuse to go to a homophobic heaven. No, I would say sorry, I mean I would much rather go to the other place," the retired archbishop said. "I would not worship a God who is homophobic and that is how deeply I feel about this," he said, condemning the use of religious justification for anti-gay prejudice."

South Africa upholds gay rights, but still faces challenges concerning homophobic violence.

I just saw this quote - pretty impressive stance.

I will be happy to see Desmond Tutu on "the other side" when my time comes, wherever that is to be since I also feel the way he does.

There are plenty of people who will say they'd rather go to Hell than be in a place with LGBT...

Both of them (the bible-thumpers and Tutu) are missing the point--G-d has rules, and if S/He is in fact "G-d", then the rules are for the best...no matter what the rules are.

What the Bishop is saying is that he will follow his own path, G-d be damned.

Myself, I don't do any particular G-d(s); I just do what is right and fair: and people be damned if they don't like it.

imho

I don't care what other people think I will continue to be a Christian, since to me, it seems like everyone is just saying what they think God wants, when really, they can be completely wrong. Plus, there must be a reason that so many people are LGBT now? Wonder what is next.. Intersex are evil, we must kill them? People are crazy.

Anyways, everyone can have their own opinion, and I don't think you can take that away from them.. if you did, well, I guess everyone would be mindless robots

Quote from: Beth Andrea on July 27, 2013, 12:07:17 PM

Both of them (the bible-thumpers and Tutu) are missing the point--G-d has rules, and if S/He is in fact "G-d", then the rules are for the best...no matter what the rules are.

The problem is too many people think that they know what the rules are and try to impose if my other people are they like to make up their own rules and attribute them to the Almighty.

Quote from: Beth Andrea on July 27, 2013, 12:07:17 PM
Both of them (the bible-thumpers and Tutu) are missing the point--G-d has rules, and if S/He is in fact "G-d", then the rules are for the best...no matter what the rules are.

And I would agree that these rules are valid... to a person who believes in the authority of these rules.

Otherwise, the argument is as valid as saying that Dungeons and Dragons has rules, and they are for the best (and they are - so long as you're playing D&D, and not trying to write those rules into law).

I was going to respond with a Hitchens quote, but I will leave it alone as I don't wish to offend anyone.  Suffice it to say, I agree with Desmond Tutu in this respect. 

Kia Ora,

As far as men of the cloth go, I've always had a soft spot for Desmond, he's feisty and funny and not afraid to speak his mind...He's a good friend of the Dalai Lama...He once said something like "I thank 'god' for giving us the Dalai Lama!"...He just cracks me up at times...

Metta Zenda  

Quote from: Kuan Yin on July 27, 2013, 04:17:26 PM
Kia Ora,

As far as men of the cloth go, I've always had a soft spot for Desmond, he's feisty and funny and not afraid to speak his mind...He's a good friend of the Dalai Lama...He once said something like "I thank 'god' for giving us the Dalai Lama!"...He just cracks me up at times...

Metta Zenda

I guess I should actually agree with that, even though I have no idea who Desmond is, but it is good when people aren't afraid to speak their mind I wish I wasn't afraid, it would be so much easier to talk to people.. though I would probably either be really considering suicide, or would have committed suicide(have a feeling not many people would agree with what I have to say.. probably best that I keep quiet when it comes to religion, politics, and most other topics like those).

I love how the Anglican Communion has produced a good few people like Bishop Spong or Bishop Tutu, who are not afraid to think outside the typical Christian box. And His Grace Desmond Tutu is an amazing person for his views. He really is one of the many saints of our times to me!