Universal Life Church

Incidents of gamers being banned or censored for being open with their homosexuality on Microsoft’s Xbox Live service are on the rise. Individuals have begun reporting their mistreatment to the blog, the Consumerist, to voice their displeasure over Microsoft’s service.

Grant, a Consumerist reader and XBOX Live gamer, recently had his account name blocked; the alias he had used while gaming was theGAYERgamer. When Grant took the initiative to contact a representative of Xbox Live, he was astounded by their defense, the “greater Xbox community” found his name offensive.

Teresa was involved in a another situation; in a comment to Grant’s story she replied:

“I had a similar incident, only my account was suspended because I had said in my profile that I was a lesbian. I was harassed by several players, ‘chased’ to different maps/games to get away from their harassment. They followed me into the games and told all the other players to turn me in because they didn’t want to see that crap or their kids to see that crap.

As if xbox live is really appropriate for kids anyways! My account was suspended and xbox live did nothing to solve this, but instead said others found it offensive.”

(Consumerist)

Another subscriber had his legal name banned from Xbox Live. Richard Gaywood chose to use the (not so inconspicuous) alias RichardGaywood, but nonetheless he was blocked and told that his name was offensive.

We hope that Microsoft has the integrity to reverse this ridiculous policy. How can they expect to foster a vibrant online community if individuals are not allowed to come as they are?

- The Consumerist

Be Sociable, Share!

• 
• 

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

“Surrounded as I am now by wonderful children and grandchildren, not a day goes by that I don’t think of Richard and our love, our right to marry, and how much it meant to me to have that freedom to marry the person precious to me, even if others thought he was the ‘wrong kind of person’ for me to arry. I believe all Americans, no matter their race, no matter their sex, no matter their sexual orientation, should have that same freedom to marry. Government has no business imposing some people’s religious beliefs over others. Especially if it denies people’s civil rights.”… Mildred Loving;

- in reference to the 30th anniversary of a grand jury indictment charging her and her white husband with violating Virginia’s ban on interracial marriages. On January 6, 1959, the Lovings pleaded guilty to the charge and were sentenced to one year in jail! The US Supreme Court overturned the sentence and law in Loving V. Virginia, 388 U.S. 1 (1967).

The Universal Life Church’s message of equality, belief in the need to protect the freedom of and from religion, and mission to do that which is right deserves to be heard by all.

Today, Gay and Lesbian couples face the same discrimination, bigotry, religious intolerance and or sectarianism. As we held in our Proclamation on Apr 12, 2007;… “we hold that it is a denial of religious rights by the United States government to restrain our ministers from their constitutional right to perform the ritual of the Sacrament of Marriage to consenting adults, regardless of sexual design”.

If you or someone you know has been discriminated against or had their (constitutionally protected) right to same sex marriage denied… please contact us: marriageforall.ulcmonastery@gmail.com. Our attorneys need to hear from you.

Be Sociable, Share!

• 
• 

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

In Saudi Arabia, religious police have been enforcing their annual ban of Valentines Day related sales. It is against the law to observe any non-Muslim holiday in the county.

As Feb. 14 approaches, the police begin inspecting gift shops for items that are red or are intended as gifts to mark the holiday — a celebration of St. Valentine, a 3rd century Christian martyr — which is banned in Saudi Arabia. Such items are legal at other times of the year, but as Valentine’s Day nears they become contraband…

And salesmen urge shoppers to snap up their gifts early because no one knows when the religious police will begin their rounds.

(AP)

In most instances the illegal items will be confiscated by authorities, though business owners found selling contraband can be jailed. Despite the Christian origins of Valentines Day, and its criminal status in Saudi Arabia, people still observe the holiday in Islamic countries.

“I don’t consider it a day venerating (St.) Valentine,” said al-Shammari, a 24-year-old student. “I see it as an international day of love.”

(AP)

This Valentines Day, if you choose to observe the holiday, please celebrate your love.

- Associated Press

Be Sociable, Share!

• 
• 

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

On Wednesday February 11th, the Church of England’s General Synod accepted a motion to debate the priority of converting new members. Conversions were once paramount to the Church’s policy, yet more recently hardliners have accused the Church of straying from its traditions.

Traditionalist Synod member Paul Eddy, a key supporter of the motion, seeks to reverse the Church’s recent liberal tendencies. With an approval of the motion, members of the clergy will receive additional training for the conversion of non-Christians, along with new incentives to do so.

the motives of Paul Eddy, the traditionalist synod member who tabled the motion, are not limited simply to winning potential converts among the Muslim, Hindu or other communities who might be susceptible to the Christian message.

His motion goes right to the heart of the central division between liberal and traditionalist Anglicans.

(BBC)

We understand and recognize the importance of disputes within a church, though a policy aimed at conversion can be a slippery slope. We are all children of the same universe, and we must accept that different individuals will hold different beliefs; this is a truth that we must all come to recognize.

- BBC News

Be Sociable, Share!

• 
• 

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

This morning, Thursday, February 5, 2009, President Obama spoke at the National Prayer Breakfast. In his speech he announced reform and a continuation of the faith based initiatives championed by the Bush White House.

The goal of this office will not be to favor one religious group over another – or even religious groups over secular groups. It will simply be to work on behalf of those organizations that want to work on behalf of our communities, and to do so without blurring the line that our founders wisely drew between church and state.

(WH)

With the goal of strengthening communities in its forefront, this new office appears ready to embrace the multi-faith background of the entire nation. Obama’s announcement runs in contrast to that of the former Republican administration; many conservatives reject the notion of a Separation of Church and State.

there is one law that binds all great religions together. Jesus told us to “love thy neighbor as thyself.” The Torah commands, “That which is hateful to you, do not do to your fellow.” In Islam, there is a hadith that reads “None of you truly believes until he wishes for his brother what he wishes for himself.” And the same is true for Buddhists and Hindus; for followers of Confucius and for humanists. It is, of course, the Golden Rule – the call to love one another; to understand one another; to treat with dignity and respect those with whom we share a brief moment on this Earth.

(WH)

We Are All Children of the Same Universe

- WhiteHouse.gov

Be Sociable, Share!

• 
• 

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
•