Peter Tatchell reacts to the news that CEO of God TV has resigned
Human Rights Campaigner Peter Tatchell reacts to the news that CEO of Plymouth Based God TV, Rory Alec has resigned.
Peter Tatchell who will be speaking at the Devonport Guild Hall on the topic of organised religion Plymouth this Tuesday (14th October), said: "The recent resignation of the CEO of God TV for what he called a 'moral failure' is further evidence of the frequent hypocrisy of some religious leaders. They advocate an often harsh morality and dictate how others are supposed to lead their lives but too frequently they don't practice what they preach. Religious superstition and moralising based on ancient holy texts and fierce dogmas is not compatible with science, reason and compassion."
Peter Tatchell has previously also said "Organised religion is the greatest global threat to human rights; especially to the human rights of women and gay people. It invariably promotes sexist and homophobic discrimination in law. From the US and Russia to Uganda and Iran, religious fundamentalism is seeking to thwart equality and human rights. It is the cause of much sectarian violence, as we have seen in the Central African Republic, Nigeria, Pakistan, Burma and Somalia - and for decades in Northern Ireland. Many religions are supremacist. They stir religious hatred and persecute minority faiths. In Britain, our Anglican, Catholic and Muslim leaders tried to block the right of same-sex couples to marry. Most faiths exclude women from senior leadership roles and some seek to deny them contraception, abortion and fertility treatment."
Tatchell's talk titled "Peter Tatchell-Organised Religion: The Greatest Global Threat to Human Rights", is even more poignant and controversial given these latest revelations, about the multinational organisation setting up home in Plymouth.
Peter Tatchell has, over his 47 years of human rights activism, been involved in the LGBT and CND movements, and in campaigns against the EDL, BNP, National Front and the former apartheid regime South Africa. Famously, he has also attempted twice to effect a citizen’s arrest on President Robert Mugabe for violations of human rights law, attracting worldwide headlines and acclaim. On one of these attempts he was beaten unconscious by Mugabe's bodyguards, which has left him with brain and eye damage.
Tatchell has been long concerned about religious intolerance, having signed a letter with 54 public figures stating their opposition to the Pope's State Visit to the UK in 2010 on the grounds of his alleged collusion with the cover up of child sex abuse and the papal endorsement of discrimination against women and LGBT people.
Tatchell's second talk (title "The Global Struggle for LGBT rights") on Wednesday may cause similar rumblings given the rocky relationship the LGBT community has had with many religious including Christianity.
The Ben Kerr Chair of Plymouth Humanists (who are hosting Peter Tatchells talk's) said "This latest incident highlights the need to have open and frank discussions about the position of power of religious organisations in our society. Religious freedom is paramount, non believes and minorities have befitted most from the relaxing of religious laws in this country, but we need to find out how we maintain this and improve the Human Rights situation both in here and overseas. Agree or disagree with Peter Tatchell’s position this is a conversation we need to have."
