Who are the rainbow Christians?
They are non-heterosexual (LGBT+) people of various ages, various ways and extent of practicing Christian faith or affiliation to the ecclesial community, in various stages of their coming-out and feeling of affiliation to the LGBT community.
Who are the GayChristians Slovakia?
Informal group of individuals who experience non-heterosexual orientation and at the same time they profess the Christian faith. Before the establishment of the association SIGNUM, there were people meeting under this brand and creating community – safe space of acceptance, which they could often not find in their religious communities.
What is SIGNUM – Rainbow Christians?
It is a newly established civic association which fully builds on the community GCS and wants to be culturally-socially-politically active. By the means of various projects, it positively contributes to the change of understanding and position of LGBT+ people of faith in Slovakia.
What does SIGNUM mean?
Latin word signum translated, means sign, symbol. We chose this word, because we want to be the symbol of God’s love, beauty and diversity for this world, church and society. We let ourselves be inspired by biblical passage from the gospel about the sign of the times (Luke 12:54-57, Matthew 16:2-3), but also by nun Jeannine Gramick, who talks about LGBT+ Christians as about prophetic sign for the church, through which it has to learn to accept everybody in their diversity.
Why is there “Rainbow” Christians in our name?
There are two reasons why: Rainbow because we take rainbow as a synonym for LGBT. Rainbow is a symbol of diversity and inclusivity, but also a biblical symbol of God’s fidelity and love to humanity (Genesis 9:9-17). We are Christians, because we profess Christ first, and not churches (Catholics, Lutherans, Orthodox, etc.). We are therefore ecumenical within the Christian faith.
What problems do rainbow Christians face in Slovakia?
From the churches and in religious space, it is mainly about medical (therapeutic) efforts leading to suppression or even to the change of sexual orientation and to giving up sex life (purity and celibacy), taboo and demonization of sexuality in general (absence of the right education in the area of sexuality), different understanding of homosexuality in religious and scientific circles, spread of hostile attitude and demoralization of LGBT people by labeling them as adherents of culture of death, ultraliberal (leftist, neo-Marxist) ideology, gender ideology, by the contempt and questioning of their Christian identity (“you are not a real Christian/Catholic if you do this”), by the spread of untrue statements, disinformation or even conspiracy theories and by the encouraging of stereotypes and prejudices (priest Marián Kuffa), then it is by the punishment of those church representatives who have expressed their support of LGBT+ people and stood up for them (sister Jeannine Gramick, Jaroslav Lorman, Ondrej Prostredník, Jakub Pavlús, Jaroslav Pavlík).
Rainbow Christians are as if in the middle of firing, exposed to double pressure – one from the churches, second from secular society. The ones who do not know the issues often understand the experiencing of two identities of LGBT people of faith as impossible, contradictory and incompatible, in addition immoral, unnatural and not normal. Politicians in the times of election campaigns use LGBT topics too, to scare and to sow negative emotions, what in the end encourages the hatred towards LGBT+ people and this can lead to verbal or even physical attacks. Against their will they are involved in the war of information and culture, it is being decided about them, but without them.
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