Gay humanists warn against “anti-gay street pastors”
LONDON, April 24, 2010 – Serious concerns were expressed today by the Gay and Lesbian Humanist Association (GALHA) in the wake of reports that Westminster City Council’s plans to encourage religious street pastors in the borough, which includes central London’s Soho – virtually a “gay village”.
The ‘Street Pastor’ movement is backed by Christian groups, including evangelist sects bitterly opposed to gay equality, gay adoption and even gay partnerships.
This, GALHA says, raises the question of whether the Council, responsible for the welfare of all residents, should promote this activity.
GALHA went on to say that it desires a society where people whatever their views or sexuality should enjoy equal freedom, dignity and respect without fear of prejudice and the “moral judgement” of the religious.
Given that most street preachers seem to be experts at causing offence & a lot of Westminster’s income comes from tourism, this is a pretty stupid idea even without the Gay angle.
Street Pastors don’t preach. And freedom? How about those of varying faiths being granted ‘equal freedom, dignity and respect without fear of prejudice and the “moral judgement” of the… non-religious’?
I spoke to a street pastor in training the other day about her view on ‘gaydom’ and to my horror she said that her church did not do gay….. and that homosexuality was wrong…. and was considering helping to teach / preach in high schools. “That one hole is for babies and the other hole is for the toilet………….”
Well. I was speechless. I cannot reconcile the notion that someone with so many moral opinions that hopes to reach out to people in need could be granted with a position of trust. I forecast many suicides brewing among the teenage population and the people of the streets.
I spoke to a ‘nice’ lady street pastor in training the other day about her view on homosexuality and to my horror she said that her church ‘did not do gay’….. and that homosexuality was ‘wrong’…. and that she was considering helping to teach / preach in high schools… “That one hole is for babies and the other hole is for the toilet………….”
Well. I was speechless. How someone with so many rigid opinions hopes to reach out to people in need could be granted with an open opportunity to wreck the fragile minds of many, I cannot fathom. I sadly forecast helpings of suicidal ideals brewing among the teenage population and the people of the streets. That should keep the street pastors busy.
Just because a person has a view and holds it strongly does not prevent that person helping another with differing views. It is a great strength of Christianity that we are willing and able to offer help and assistance in a non-judegemental way. May I suggest you speak to the many folks who have been helped and asisted by Street Pastors before jumping to “christo-phobic” conclusions.
Chris, I have no idea what you mean by “christo-phobic”, but Christ-phobic is offensive to all non-Christians because it implies we are all unconsciously aware of the Messiah’s reality but are in denial about it, and Christian-phobic misses your own point about how a person can hold strong views still helping another with differing views. The Humanists I know – myself included – actually like Christians (without liking Christianity), and I’ve yet to hear anyone lamenting an insufficiency of lions.
Anthony, I was responding to the comments in the original article and some of the earlier responses suggesting that I and many other Christians, because we disagree with a homosexual lifestyle will therefore be ‘homo-phobic’ in our attitudes. I am further suggesting that the article and some earlier responses display the very attitudes they rightly condemn ie judegmentalism. The Street Pastors Policies and Good Practice rest on amonsgt others the principle that all people regardless of age, culture, disability, language, ethnic origin, socio-economic status, religious belief and or sexual identity have the right to protection from abuse.
Well that’s one way to make a point about the -phobic suffix I suppose. And it sounds like you’re saying this Street Pastor thing has been misunderstood. I mean there are people who proselytise on the streets, but the two groups are distinct?
I am a Street Pastor in Eastbourne and Coordinator of the local initiative, and I just wanted to clarify what the Street Pastor initiative is. The writer of the article doesn’t speak from any specific negative experience of Street Pastors, or from any particular knowledge of what the initiative is about.
The Street Pastor initiative comes under the umbrella of Ascension Trust, a London charity, who set up the initiative as “an inter-denominational Church response to urban problems, engaging with people on the streets to care, listen and dialogue” (taken from their website). In other words Christians from all backgrounds, showing the right qualities, can train to become Street Pastors. So as an initiative we cannot vouch for each individual’s views on homosexuality or the views of their church background. But as Street Pastors we are required to be accepting and non-judgemental as we work on the streets, and we are also taught very clearly that Street Pastoring is not an opportunity to preach, we are not out there as preachers, but rather to show God’s love through the way we live our lives – through caring for the needs of those we meet, whatever the needs and whoever the people.
Ascension Trust say “A Street Pastor is a Christian with a concern for society – in particular young people who feel themselves to be excluded and marginalised – and who is willing to engage people where they are, in terms of their thinking (i.e. their perspective of life) and location (i.e. where they hang out – be it on the streets, in the pubs and clubs or at parties etc).”
The writer of the article above says “The ‘Street Pastor’ movement is backed by Christian groups, including evangelist sects bitterly opposed to gay equality, gay adoption and even gay partnerships.” Street Pastors cannot control which organisations “back” the initiative, be they “bitterly opposed to gay equality’ or not. But the Street Pastor organisation is certainly not opposed to extending their care and support to the gay community, or anyone at all. Street Pastors are out there because we genuinely care for the welfare and safety of those we meet. The Police and local councils fully endorse our work because they see that in areas where Street Pastors are working crime rates and antisocial behaviour have fallen dramatically.
As a steet pastor my first aim is to help,anything from a pair of flip-flops to staying with a blood soaked person six hours in A & E. We do not ‘preach’ and help is offered to anyone and everyone.The police, council and church pay for my uniform and training.they value street pastors. The training is to ensure we do not offend or ‘judge’ anyone,it consists of twelve sessions. Please come along one night between 10pm and 4am{or for a couple of hours] to see what realy happens. As Christians we realise we must hold our beliefs but respect others hoping they will do the same.
I was glad to read the clarification from the two street pastors who left comments, about the nature of their ‘mission’. I have often been apostrophised on the streets by aggressive evangelists who are far too ‘in your face’, and confess I had unthinkingly mixed the friendly street pastors up with that other ugly crowd. My mistake, and I am happy to acknowledge it.
Further, since I feel no need to evangelise my own belief system, and am glad to help others when I can, and try my hardest to accept others whatever they do/think/say on the principle that we all actually share a common humanity- it seems that there is a lot of common ground with the street pastors even though I’m a convinced atheist. So more power to your elbows, and vive les differences!
Interesting article…
After being a Street Pastor for two and half years I was thrown out for being gay. Sadly, they wouldn’t back down on their decision that I can’t be a gay person *and* a Christian, as one of them pointed out to me “That’s like saying you’re a Satanist and a Christian – the two things just don’t go together”
Not that I wished to get into a theological debate with anyone, but I did expect my fellow Christians to treat me equally.
I have also been on patrol with them when they told gay people they have met that they can’t find Jesus until they rid themselves of the sin of homosexuality.
This behaviour seems to run contrary to the Ascension Trust’s objectives, I don’t believe the people at the top tier level of this good organization are in touch with how the Street Pastors conduct themselves at ground level.
Sadly, in my home town I am already sensing some backlash towards them.
Kate I’m so so sorry to hear that you were asked to leave your Street Pastor team because of their attitude towards your sexuality. This is terrible. I’m a Quaker and consider myself to be a Christian and to my understanding their behaviour towards you was cruel and judgemental – not at all Christian.
I had considered joining my local Street Pastor team as I’m often shocked at how vulnerable some people seem to find themselves after a night of heavy drinking at the weekend. I’d simply want to be there to provide a cuddle and a shoulder to cry on if the night out has gone wrong or to make sure that everyone got home safely. Does anyone know any secular organisations that do this work?
If you contact St. Mungo’s or Crisis they have outreach teams that do similar fantastic work. It’s mainly with the homeless community but just as rewarding speaking from experience. Local authorities should also have an outreach team, or you could become a mentor for a vulnerable young person without positive role models, and help give them advice and support to develop one on one. Look up ‘friendship works’ on google for starters.
Good luck – more people should volunteer, and be able to without any exclusions for things people have no control over!
My experience of street pastors is that they are do-gooders on the street. They’re safe and helpful. Who can argue with that? Friends who are doormen like them as it takes some of the heat off them.
When my kids were young I told them if you get lost or feel scared, find someone in uniform and ask for help. Now my kids are older and drinking, I hope that when they are feeling vulnerable and can’t look after themselves, especially my daughter, there will be a Street Pastor they can talk to. As Christians, they should be kind, honest and trustworthy. What more can you ask for, especially in inner London. I’ve only heard them put their views when someone has argued with them first.
They’ve never given me a pair of flip flops but maybe that’s because I’m a bloke.
“As Christians, they should be kind, honest and trustworthy. ” Just like Humanists!
I am the co-ordinator of our local scheme in Hertfordshire but prior to retirement was a police officer in the West End. My aims as both a former police officer and currently a street pastor are basically the same: to help people by caring and listening.
I was not judgemental as a Christian police officer and retain that quality. Indeed, you will find many different attitudes in all strata of society. Bearing in mind the wave of homophobic attacks around the country, I would have thought that anyone offering to help bring peace to our streets would be welcome. Christ’s attitude has always been and still is: love the sinner, hate the sin regardless of whatever our ‘sin’ may be. It is not for me to judge. God is the ultimate judge. I have chosen not to take chances with my faith so trust God to judge each of us fairly.
I also helped set up ‘Word4weapons’ which aims to take knives and guns off the streets by placing weapons bins in church grounds. Many 100s have been surrendered, even in Westminster. Surely this is a good thing?
You have nothing to fear from Street Pastors.
I am a prayer pastor in Bideford, Devon and myself and the other pp’s support our street pastors by praying for anyone or any situ. presented to us by the street pastors. We all start at around 21.00 hours and leave sometimes 05.00hrs! Our belief in God and especially in Jesus enables us to do this even though we have our own busy lifestyles and it is more than just “doing good” – we genuinely care for our neighbour – and we should not judge people- just help them. Of course humanists care I was one before the penny dropped and I realised that Jesus is real and loves me and without the covering of prayer many of these schemes fall apart as people are ONLY human!
Think about it – would you want to administer to some mis-guided person, falling around drunk, vomiting, bleeding, being aggressive etc. without the protection from our wonderful Lord?
We do make a difference, we can free up some time that our over worked police and ambulance services have to go to the aid of people’s non self inflicting emergencies.
Who is the one we all go in times of trouble? No, not us – God who works through us
As a former humanist Janice, I’m sure you will appreciate that humanists believe you could not only WANT to help these people without any supernatural help, but that you and everyone else in fact ARE doing so every single day. Any humanist would also say that any strength or inspiration attributed to prayer was actually found in other people or from within.
I feel that we have rather got away from the main point of this article though, as it was about discrimination within the SP program and not the power of prayer.
If the program is truly about helping and not preaching, than surely anyone who wants to help should be welcome, no matter what.
I have only just come across this page on the BHA website, so my question might be somewhat out of date. Does the BHA have a programme similar to Street Pastors – but without the ‘religious bit’ – where your members & fellow-travellers stay out in town & city centres until the early hours of the morning, offering flip-flops to girls who have had too much alcohol to be able to totter safely on their stilletoes? Do you offer warm drinks in the cooler weather & cold in the hot to help reduce the effects of too much alcohol? Do you provide practical support to youngsters who have been out on the binge, & a listening ear to those who want to talk? If you do – fanastic! All power to your elbows. If you don’t, maybe you should think of setting some kind of programme up, rather than having a go at other folk who do care enough to do something worthwhile.
I have been a Street Pastor since the end of 2010 in Stoke-on-Trent. We go out on the streets of the city centre at weekends to offer practical help people, regardless of who or what they represent; we do not preach, unless the person we are talking to wants to know about our faith; we just go out to help, care for and listen to people; and we are not judgmental.
If you are interested in finding out more, please go to the Street Pastors’ website; who knows, you may like what you see, and want to become involved.
Every blessing.
Like David Healey, I am also a Street Pastor but in Kent. I can confirm that our function is to show love by giving practical care to those who need it, irrespective of their sexuality or religious views or whatever.
From my experience, Street Pastor interviews are carried out very carefully to ensure that the selected people are not judgemental in this way.
We are always happy to discuss our religious views if asked, but we do not initiate religious discussions.. We are not ‘Street Preachers’ out to condemn people or ‘bible bash’. We are simply there to help and to provide a loving and caring and listening presence on the streets
We encounter many gay people as we go around our town and we treat them with the same respect as any other person. When providing assisitance, sexuality is simply not an issue.
I am sure that gay people will find that in practice their fears are unfounded and that Street Pastors will be an asset, as helpful to them as to others.
Geeson is in a bubble
A few months back I was chatting to the Street Pastors because I was starting to feel “spritual” and was seeking to find a Church in the area. Since they had seen me leaving the local pub all they kept doing was turning the conversation back to sexuality. I was told there was no way I should even consider church in my “state”.
I didn’t even mention the topic they just made a broad (albeit true) assumption on my oreintation.
Anyway, following there advice I shall be advoiding all Churchs from now on!