Mick Hartley

A group of men dressing up in outrageous costumes, parading themselves shamelessly before the cameras, and offending all right-minded people: yes, it’s the clerics getting together in Jerusalem to denounce the proposed Worldpride festival:

Israeli religious leaders rarely agree on anything, but one thing has proved strong enough to bring them together: fear of the effects of a ten-day international gay pride festival in Jerusalem this summer.

Senior Christian, Jewish and Muslim figures, representing communities riven by conflict, have put aside their differences to give warning that the WorldPride event, planned for August, will desecrate the sanctity of the Holy City.

One alarmed Muslim cleric suggested that if the event, last staged in Rome five years ago, is allowed to go ahead, it could invite divine retribution such as that visited on Sodom.

“God destroyed the city and we don’t want this to happen to us,” the Muslim Sheikh Bouchari said, flanked by the multifaith clerics who regard Jerusalem as sacred. “God will punish us if we allow this to happen.”

The organisers of the festival, the theme of which is “Love Without Borders”, were disappointed that religious groups had joined forces to try to stop an event that aimed to promote tolerance and pluralism.

“It’s ironic that the first time that these religious leaders come together is to promote their bigotry,” said Hagai El-Ad, executive director of Jerusalem Open House, the gay and lesbian group hosting the event.

A pity the online Times doesn’t include the photo from the print edition. Nevermind, the NYT has a nice picture (via Secular Blasphemy).