Gays and lesbians also humans

What I want to say to Christians in Zimbabwe is this Whenever you meet another being, recognise Christ. Ugandan-born Dr John Sentamu is the second highest ranking cleric in the Church of England and he was speaking at a Press conference at the end of a five day conference to mark the centenary of the 1910 World Mission Conference that gave birth to the ecumenical movement.

Asked what he would like to say to a post-Mugabe Government in Zimbabwe which is a country where the ruling party bows to the belief that gays and lesbians are worse than pigs and dogs, the Archbishop said that anyone who failed to treat another human being with the dignity and respect he or she serves is spitting in the face of God. Sitting near to him was the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Glasgow, Mario Conti, whose church has taken a consistently hostile line towards homosexuals but which has always condemned violence against people of different sexual persuasions.

Archbishop Conti told journalists on the last day of the conference and after a closing ceremony at the Mound in the Scottish capital attended by over 1000 people representing all shades of Christianity: It is very clear that the church today is in a world that accepts, acknowledges and has put into law human rights in a way that did not exist in the past. The churches are very comfortable with that. In fact, we have inspired it in so many aspects. Fundamental to the Bill of Rights, or the recognition of human rights, is the recognition of the dignity of every individual and Im entirely with my colleague (the Archbishop of York) here in saying that is the message that must be encouraged.

But he added that people with different opinions about full Christian rights for gays and lesbians must also be respected if their opinions are sincere. Its very important, he said, to keep in balance the freedom of the Press, the freedom of those who are convinced of certain truths and to be able to express those truths. Archbishop Sentamu hit the headlines in December 2007 when he cut up his dog collar and said he would not replace it until President Mugabe is out of office.

He said Mugabe had taken peoples identity and cut it to pieces, promoting him to do the same on BBC Ones Andrew Marr Show. Speaking as he used a pair of sharp scissors to cut up his white collar, he said: As an Anglican this is what I wear to identify myself, that Im a clergyman. Do you know what Mugabe has done? Hes taken peoples identity and literally, if you dont mind, cut it to pieces. This is what hes actually done to a lot of people and in the end theres nothing. So, asfar as Im concerned, from now on, Im not going to wear a dog collar until Mugabe is gone.